2025 Honda Civic Review: New hybrid adds even more excellent variety
Pros: Excellent new hybrid; cool and well-made interior; very spacious; well-balanced driving dynamics; instant-classic Type R
Cons: Rudimentary standard touchscreen; no auto option for Si; no manual for mainstream models
Some things never change. In 2024, we said the Honda Civic was “our top compact car choice, and it’s really not a close race.” For 2025, Honda saw fit to bestow the Civic with a comprehensive set of updates and, well, it’s even better than before. As before, it’s offered in both sedan and hatchback body styles, and either option will offer enough passenger and cargo room that this so-called compact car could feasibly replace a midsize sedan or similarly sized SUV for buyers looking for a more efficient overall package. And, speaking of efficiency, there’s an all-new Civic Hybrid for 2025 that offers a perfect blend of technology, fuel economy, performance and rational pricing. More on that below.
There’s more to the Civic lineup than just well-rounded, value-packed transport. The top Touring trim level does a surprisingly good impression of an entry-level luxury car — buyers inclined to opt for the the mechanically related Acura Integra should definitely take note — while the sporty Si and instant-classic Civic Type R can realistically do double duty as weekend sports cars and daily drivers.
As before, the 2025 Civic sedan and hatchback boast a fashionable and functional interior, with full-width honeycomb air vents standing out as an eye-catching design highlight. Infotainment tech is a bit of a mixed bag, however, with top-spec models getting a much improved touchscreen system that makes the base version seem rudimentary and stale by comparison.
Still, from an objective and subjective perspective, the 2025 Civic lineup delivers against what has rapidly become a dwindling number of competitors, including the Mazda3, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Forte, Nissan Sentra and Toyota Corolla, plus Volkswagen’s Jetta, GTI and Golf R.
Interior & Technology | Passenger & Cargo Space | Performance & Fuel Economy
What it’s like to drive | Pricing & Trim Levels | Crash Ratings & Safety Features
What’s new for 2025?
The 2025 Civic’s single largest change for its mid-cycle freshening is the addition of a powerful, efficient hybrid powertrain that shares a lot with the hybrid available in the Honda Accord and CR-V. It also takes the place of the outgoing 180-hp, 1.5-liter turbocharged option. The suspension gets retuned for 2025, though the changes only result in very minor improvements felt from behind the wheel. Similarly, there are some subtle updates to the Civic’s exterior style, mainly to the front fascia, but they are also minor enough that shoppers may not notice.
A shiny new 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system is also new and powered by Google Built-In, which offers access to apps through the Play Store. Sadly, it only comes on top-level Sport Touring and Civic Si models. There are also some small improvements to the Honda Sensing safety package.
The enthusiast-grade Si gets darkened taillights and new 18-inch wheels, along with retuned shocks and reinforcements to the B-pillar and rear door sills. The automatic rev-matching system also now works for downshifts from second to first, which could be quite appealing for autocrossers.
What are the Civic interior and in-car technology like?
In a segment filled with surprisingly impressive interiors, the 2025 Civic interior still manages to stand out. That even applies to the base LX with its cloth seats and base 7-inch infotainment system that includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This is still an economy car, so there’s plenty of hard plastic about (center console, door sills), but what you see and touch most come together in a tasteful, modern design that looks (and feels) like it belongs in a much pricier car. There’s more than a whiff of Audi right down to the way the buttons and knobs click satisfyingly. We also have to call out the dash-width air vents, with their honeycomb openings, metallic finish and clever knob controllers (they’re outlined in red in the Civic Si). They’re so great, Audi probably wishes it had come up with them first.
There are two infotainment systems available. The 7-inch base touchscreen (below left) is awfully simple, and although commendably easy to figure out, rival systems are superior. The 9-inch unit (below right) found in the Sport Touring Hybrid and Civic Si trims (we’d suspect the Type R will get it too) is far better, with an easy-to-use layout and access to Google’s Play Store. This higher-end system supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, but its inclusion of Google Maps with live traffic as the native navigation system will offer a familiar interface to many users. It’s a slick system that is easy to use, moves through its motions quickly with no discernible lag and benefits from physical Home and Back buttons, a real volume dial and smaller forward and reverse buttons at the bottom below the volume. We just wish it was more widely available.
As of right now, details of the 2025 Civic Type R have not filtered out. The 2024 version still has the older infotainment technology, although it’s beefed up with the very cool LogR Telemetry package aimed at drivers who want to track performance data and improve their driving skills.
The LX, Sport and EX have a combination of analog speedometer and 7-inch multi-purpose display, but it all appears to blend together into one unit. It’s traditional in design, yet modern in functionality. The Touring and Si get a completely digital, 10.2-inch instrument panel that’s similar in basic appearance but provides greater functionality and flashier graphics. The Type R goes even further with unique graphics and shift lights above the IP that evokes race cars.
Finally, one minor note about the Si. As with its many predecessors, the interior features lots of little red accents, including cross stitching, air vent trim and, most notably, the front seat centers. Those in particular look and feel cheap, as if borrowed from padded backpack straps. The rich red hue of the Type R’s carpets and suede-like upholstery are far more successful. In both, however, the back seat is covered in a different fabric that’s black only. It looks and feels like a cost-cutting move rather than an aesthetic choice. One can also question the aesthetic wisdom of making red interiors mandatory even if the outside is painted orange or electric blue.
How big is the Civic sedan and hatchback?
The 2025 Civic is available in sedan and hatchback body styles, although the latter is more like an Audi A7 “Sportback” in body style than an old-school, Civic hatchback. The sedan is 4.9 inches longer, all of which is behind the back wheels, making the trunk a longer, more voluminous space than the Hatchback’s. That’s right, we found the sedan could hold more luggage than the hatchback despite having less cargo volume on paper: 14.8 versus 24.5. What’s up with this? Basically, all the hatchback’s extra volume is up high where you’re less likely or able to utilize it for actual stuff. It does provide greater versatility, however, as lowering the seats grants a substantially larger space that’s fairly similar to what you’d find in a subcompact SUV. In short, either body style provides an exceptional amount of cargo space for a compact car. You may even find you don’t need to step up to a midsize sedan like the Accord or a small SUV like the HR-V.
That verdict carries over to the back seat as well. In the segment, its 37.4 inches of rear legroom is bettered only by the Hyundai Elantra, and is about 2 inches more than most competitors. For a compact car, it’s definitely not compact back there. A 6-foot-3 driver with the seat pushed all the way back still found enough space in the back seat of both body styles to sit comfortably “behind himself.” There was also just enough headroom. There’s also plenty of room left up front in the passenger seat after installing a rear-facing child seat in the back. The sedan is pictured below left and the hatchback, in the form of the four-passenger-only Type R, is below right.
One final note: The Si is sedan only while the Type R is hatchback only.
What are the Civic fuel economy and performance specs?
The Civic is available with a choice of four engines, but that’s including those in the Civic Si and Civic Type R.
A 2.0-liter four-cylinder remains the base engine in the LX for $24,345 and Sport for $27,345. Honda says it’s newly designed for ’25 to make 150 hp (down 8) and 133 lb-ft (down 5 but delivered earlier) and improve fuel mileage by between 1 and 2 mpg, depending on trim. The LX achieves figures of 32 in the city, 41 on the highway and 36 combined; Sport models get ratings of 31/39/34. Front-wheel drive and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) is standard with this base powertrain. It’s fine, but it’s not going to set any heartbeats aflutter. The 1.5-liter turbo we liked so much in 2024 is gone for 2025, along with its optional six-speed manual transmission.
As much as we mourn the loss of the sweet little turbo engine, the new-for-2025 2.0-liter hybrid powertrain is a formidable replacement. Honda has a somewhat unusual but ultimately agreeable hybrid system that relies almost exclusively on the electric motor to power the car forward — its electricity comes from the battery or is generated by the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (there are some instances, such as when at a steady cruise on the highway when the engine does directly power the wheels). Total system output is 200 horsepower, which is a lot for a compact car. The Civic Hybrid’s solid performance does not come at the cost of efficiency. It is expected to return 50 miles per gallon in the city, 47 on the highway and 49 combined. The Toyota Corolla Hybrid, which is the most logical competitor, gets 53/46/50 in LE trim or 50/43/47 in its sportier SE flavor. The Honda certainly feels much sportier from behind the wheel than the Toyota, earning it the nod as the driver’s choice between the two.
The Honda Civic Si does keep its 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-four, producing 200 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque. Front-wheel drive and a six-speed manual are mandatory. It returns excellent fuel economy for a performance car at 27/37/31, but unlike the other Civics, it requires premium fuel.
Information about the 2025 Honda Civic Type R had not been revealed at the time of this writing, but we doubt engine specs will change. It should still have its 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four that pumps out 315 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. It too should be exclusively paired with front-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission. Fuel economy estimates for 2025 were also not available at the time of this writing, but it’s unlikely it would differ from the previous figures of 22/28/24.
The 2025 Civic Sport Touring sedan and Civic Si, as rendered by Honda in a dramatic, computer-generated world
What’s the Civic like to drive?
Through its 11 generations, the Honda Civic has always been at its best and most competitive when it was responsive and even fun to drive. Don’t expect that to change for ’25. It’s indeed fun to drive, with a lightweight and agile feel that encourages you to seek out winding roads. The steering is precise and consistently weighted, imparting a sense of connection to the driver. It’s also impressively comfortable, refined and even quiet for a compact car.
We think the new Civic Hybrid is the best bet for most buyers, combining performance and efficiency in one well-rounded package. Because the electric motor almost always is responsible for power the car forward, accelerating can at times feel EV-like in its responsiveness and torque-rich power generation. It can also cause the engine, which is responsible for generating electricity for that motor along with the battery pack, to not always work in sync with your right foot. It can be a bit odd, but that’s countered by the system’s unique ability to simulate shifts, making for a more natural acceleration feel than many drivers should appreciate. Overall, this is a good hybrid system.
Distinctively for a hybrid, there are four levels of regenerative braking, switchable by using paddles to the left and right of the steering wheel. The default position — call it level 1, if you will — is basically none, while 2, 3 and 4 ramp up the regen in successive steps. Even at the most aggressive level, though, the 2025 Civic Hybrid doesn’t brake as hard as a fully electric car’s one-pedal driving mode, and it does not bring the car to a full stop.
As much as we like the hybrid system, the naturally aspirated base engine is certainly acceptable – it has comparable power to its competitors, but it’s smoother and sounds better. It is a Honda after all. The mandatory CVT makes up for some slightly blender-like noises by limiting the yo-yoing between high and low revs associated with this increasingly common transmission. It also simulates gear changes like other CVTs, but does so in a more natural way than what you’ll find in a Subaru, for example.
Of course, if athleticism is your goal, there is the Honda Civic Si (as well as the mechanically related Acura Integra). We could wax poetically about the joy it is to drive those, but it’s probably best to dig into both deeper in our Civic Si review and our Integra review. As for the Civic Type R (above in white), it is quite simply one of the best performance cars you can buy, period. It’s a joy to drive every day and capable of blitzing around a race track. You can read more about it in depth in our specific Type R review and in our comparison test with the Toyota GR Corolla.
What other Honda Civic reviews can I read?
2025 Honda Civic Hybrid First Drive Review: Leader of the pack
Our in-depth first drive of the new-for-2025 Civic Hybrid, with a specific focus on the top-level Sport Touring sedan.
Honda Civic Type R First Drive Review: All grown up isn’t so bad
Our first drive of the Civic Type R included track time at Sonoma Raceway as well as a more in-depth look at its engineering.
Honda Civic Type R vs Toyota GR Corolla Comparison Test & Video
Two of the best performance cars on the market go head-to-head. The results were surprising.
Honda Civic Sedan Luggage Test
A deep dive into how much stuff you can fit inside the Civic sedan’s trunk (Spoiler: A lot!)
Honda Civic Hatchback Luggage Test
It can’t fit quite as much in the trunk as the sedan, but it’s also more versatile for bigger jobs than luggage.
2022 Honda Civic Hatchback First Drive Review
Get an in-depth look at what’s different about the Civic Hatchback, including its cargo capacity and the six-speed manual transmission that isn’t available on the Civic sedan.
What is the 2025 Civic price?
Honda divides the Civic into two separate categories, with unique pricing structures for the sedan and hybrid shapes. The sedan is typically the less expensive variant, and so far, those are the only prices that have been announced for 2025.
Sedan
- LX: $25,345
- Sport: $27,345
- Sport Hybrid: $29,845
- Sport Touring Hybrid: $32,845
- Si (manual only): $31,045
Hatchback
Pricing for the 2025 Honda Civic Hatchback, including the high-performance Type R that’s only offered in hatchback form, is not available as of this writing.
What are the Civic safety ratings and driver assistance features?
Every Civic comes standard with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control with steering assistance and stop-and-go capability. Blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning are included on all but the LX.
The NHTSA gave both styles five out of five stars for overall, side and rollover crash protection, and four stars for frontal crash protection. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named the 2023 Civic Sedan and Hatchback a Top Safety Pick after it received the best-possible performance in most categories. It received second-best scores of “Acceptable” in the IIHS updated moderate overlap front and side crash tests. And yes, we did mean to write 2023 Civic there. Although the individual test results didn’t change, the IIHS changed its reward criteria for 2024. It also hasn’t updated those ratings for 2025.