Honda Civic review - Reliability and Safety

The Honda Civic had a solid 35th place finish in the 2019 Driver Power Survey. It would have finished higher if it didn't have such a woeful score for its exterior - owners really aren't impressed with how the Civic looks. The interior earned a middling score, as did the ease of use of the infotainment system. But, elsewhere there were high scores for the Civic's running costs and its safety features, while practicality, ride and handling and the car's engines and gearboxes also earned high praise. Surprisingly, owners reported a higher than average number of incidents of the Civic going wrong, with the electrics being the main issue.

As a manufacturer, Honda’s overall finishing position is consistently in the top half of the leaderboard, and ahead of makers such as Ford, Audi, Mercedes and Vauxhall, and in our 2019 Driver Power Brands Survey it finished seventh overall. Owners like the practicality that Honda's cars offer, but it seems that the ease of use of its infotainment systems is something that really needs to be addressed.

Honda's SENSING safety systems are standard across the range, meaning all cars get lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and rear cross-traffic assist. The Civic was originally awarded just four stars in its Euro NCAP crash assessment, largely because of poor child protection. Following factory modifications to the side curtain airbag, the car was retested and it performed much better, receiving the full five-star rating. There were scores of 92, 67 and 75 per cent recorded in the adult, child and pedestrian safety categories, while safety-assist tech protection scored an impressive 88%.

Warranty

All new Hondas come with a three-year/90,000-mile warranty, which is about on par with rival manufacturers. Hyundai and Toyota do offer five-year guarantees, however, while Kia pips the lot with seven years of peace of mind. Civic buyers can extend their warranty for an additional cost.

Servicing

Honda dealers offer a fixed price service package for the Civic – costing around £200. That’s for only one service, however, with additional check-ups costing £265 and £245 respectively. A SEAT Leon’s first service is less, for example.