Honda Civic

5,020 complaints across 12 scored model years and 33 recall campaigns.

Which years to avoid

Ownership label · Honda Civic Full report

Grade 2010–2021

2016 vs model median 2.8×

Model median3× median

Steering 101

Electrical 77

Brakes 75

Avoid

2012 · 2016

Best

2013 · 2021

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Severity-weighted complaint volume and grade by model year for the Honda Civic
Year	vs median	Reports	Grade
2010	1.00×	211	C
2011	0.52×	101	B
2012	1.88×	331	D
2013	0.89×	189	B
2014	1.04×	189	C
2015	1.00×	188	C
2016	2.80×	692	F
2017	1.62×	361	D
2018	1.21×	253	D
2019	1.00×	207	C
2020	0.91×	196	C
2021	0.62×	161	B
2022 P	4.84×	1,238	F
2023 P	1.66×	399	D
2024 P	0.74×	172	B
2025 P	0.69×	132	B

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What it costs to run

EPA figures for the most recent model year on record.

EPA fuel economy and drivetrain
Combined MPG	32
City / Highway	29 / 37
Engine	1.8L, 4 cyl
Drive	Front-Wheel Drive
Annual fuel cost	$1,900

Recalls

33 campaigns on record.

Recall campaigns, largest first
Campaign	Component	Model years	Units affected
16V346000	AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE	2010, 2011	2,719,386
23V858000	FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP	2016–2021	2,490,460
24V744000	STEERING	2022–2025	1,693,199
18V661000	AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE	2010, 2011	1,355,406
17V030000	AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE	2010, 2011	977,708
24V064000	AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER	2020–2022	750,114
24V763000	FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP	2025	720,810
18V042000	AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE	2010, 2011	691,726

+ 25 further campaigns

Others in Compact Cars

Same body and size class. Each grade describes that model against its own history — these are not ranked against each other.

Other models in the same segment
Model	Years to avoid	Grade
Acura ILX	20142016	C
Audi A3	20152017	C
BMW 1 Series	none flagged	C
BMW I3	none flagged	C
Buick Verano	none flagged	C
Chevrolet Bolt EV	2017	C
Chevrolet Cobalt	none flagged	C
Chevrolet Cruze	20112012	C

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2016 Civic

Complaints in window: 692
Severity-weighted: 895.5
Model median (weighted): 319
vs model median: 2.80×
Recall campaigns (weighted): 5
Open investigations: 0

Score 17.4 F