Is the Honda Civic reliable?
51% of the 157 we inspected scored 60/100 or higher, with an average of 56/100 — it scores a little below average.
157
Cars inspectedreal pre-purchase inspections56/100
Average conditionall cars we check: 61/10051%
In good shape (60+)all cars we check: 56%Across 157 used Honda Civics we inspected, this model scores a little below average — average condition 56/100 vs 61 for all cars we check. Every number on this page comes from real pre-purchase inspections — cars people were about to buy and paid an independent inspector to go through point by point, engine to underbody, paint depth to error codes. Not owner surveys, not warranty statistics, not forum lore: what we actually found.
What we found
Most common faults
Fuel trim out of range · Engine
61%
Oil leaks · Engine
51%
Tires condition & wear · Brakes and tires
42%
Active error codes · Electronic equipment
32%
Low coolant / cooling system issues · Engine
31%
Share of inspected Honda Civics where each item was flagged.
How they score
Excellent 15%
Good 36%
Mediocre 22%
Poor 28%
Hidden history
What the seller might not mention — how often we find it on this model.
84%had a repainted or replaced panelall cars: 74%
8%showed structural repairall cars: 4%
1%had fault codes recently clearedall cars: 24%
How long does a Civic stay good?
Good cars by mileage
Good cars by age
Share of Honda Civics in good shape (scoring 60+/100) by mileage and by age when we inspected them (each dot ≥5 cars; a band under 20 cars follows the nearby bands, so a run above the all-cars line stays above it, and a band of 20 or more uses the rate we measured; where a band has too few cars, the line follows the trend between the bands on either side; rolled-back odometers excluded from the mileage curve). The dashed grey curve is all cars we check.
More on Honda
Fit
32 cars · 72% good
CR-V
103 cars · 55% good
Odyssey
64 cars · 53% good
Pilot
49 cars · 39% good
Accord
125 cars · 38% good
Other Honda models we've inspected — or see the full Honda profile.
Straight from recent Honda Civic reports
2012 Honda Civic · 159k mi — flagged: smoothness, oil leaks, battery condition. Inspected Oct 24.
2014 Honda Civic · 171k mi — flagged: abnormal noise, smoothness, oil leaks. Inspected Oct 23.
The bottom line
Treat a clean-looking Civic as unfinished business. Repaints are common enough that fresh paint should not reassure you, but structural repairs run at twice the fleet rate, so that history is a walk-away unless the price fully absorbs it. Spend your time on the engine: fuel trim is out of range on 61% of these cars, oil leaks and cooling faults pile on, and codes are rarely cleared before sale. Scan and inspect the engine bay before you talk money; tire wear is widespread but secondary. If the car is only middling and already leaking or throwing codes, price the repairs in or leave.
FAQ
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What are the most common problems on a used Honda Civic?
The items we flag most often are fuel trim out of range (61%), oil leaks (51%), tires condition & wear (42%). Have these checked before buying.
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Should I worry about cleared fault codes?
On 1% of these cars the ECU codes had been erased shortly before sale, which can hide active faults. Ask for a diagnostic scan and start the engine from cold.
Thinking of buying a Honda Civic? Get the exact car inspected before you pay.
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Based on 157 inspections · updated Nov 11, 2026
