Used Honda Civic 2017-2022 reliability
Category: Family car
The Honda Civic has the makings of a terrific used buy. It's good to drive, reliable and used prices are competitive. Its infotainment system is a little fiddly, though.
What should I look for in a used Honda Civic hatchback?
When viewing a used car, always follow our used car buying checklist.
Wet belt
If you’re considering a Civic with the 1.0-litre petrol engine, it’s essential to review the service history carefully and confirm it has a fully stamped service book. This engine uses a “wet belt” timing system, where the cambelt runs in engine oil. Without proper maintenance, the belt can deteriorate prematurely, increasing the risk of serious damage and even complete engine failure.
Brakes
Some Civic owners have complained of squealing brakes; Honda is said to be aware of the problem and working on a fix, though it's worth keeping in mind that any Civic you test drive with noisy brakes may not be easy to fix.
Electrics
It'll also pay you to check the electrics carefully, as some owners have also described electrical niggles. And cast a keen eye over the paintwork and lights, because both of these areas have caused concern too.
Bodywork
Check the bodywork for any dings picked up in car parks or stone chips from motorway driving, too, and look at the alloy wheels to make sure there are no signs of kerb damage. It'll also pay you to look closely around the interior; Civics are family cars, so they may have been trashed by unsympathetic owners.
What are the most common problems with a used Honda Civic hatchback?
At the time of writing, the Honda Civic has four recalls listed. To check whether a car has been affected, you can contact your local Honda dealer. You will not need to pay for anything involving the recall.
Reason for recall
The front seat back pad mould (seat back cushion) and side airbag (SAB) are fitted to the seat back frame. The SAB is fitted underneath the pad mould and the pad mould has been designed with a slit that allows the SAB to deploy from underneath the pad mould. Seat back pad moulds that were supplied for after-sales use were not manufactured correctly; the slit process was not completed. When a front seat pad without the slit is assembled to the car, it may block SAB deployment and may not satisfy occupant protection performance, which is a non-conformance to side impact regulations.
How the manufacturer will repair: Registered owners of affected vehicles will receive a notification letter that will ask them to take their vehicles to a dealership or authorised repairer for a free repair. The technician will carry out inspection to verify the condition of the front seat back pad mould and will replace the pad mould and, if necessary, the seat heater element and seat back cover.
Number of affected vehicles: 8
Date of recall: 27/07/2018
Reason for recall
The regulatory requirement for emissions levels are not met.
How the manufacturer will repair: Update the software in the Engine Control Unit (ECU) to improve the performance of the emissions control system.
Number of affected vehicles: 50,823
Date of recall: 31/01/2020
Reason for recall
Affected vehicles may be equipped with a fuel pump module manufactured with low density impellers.
How the manufacturer will repair: The affected fuel pumps will be replaced.
Number of affected vehicles: 21,313
Date of recall: 24/08/2020
Reason for recall
The absorption of moisture into the driver's airbag propellant could lead to slow deployment or inflator rupture.
How the manufacturer will repair: Replace the airbag inflator or the airbag assembly. Honda is still preparing for the development and production of the remedy parts.
Number of affected vehicles: 42,435
Date of recall: 23/10/2020
Click here for more information. Contact your local Honda dealer if you believe your vehicle is involved in a recall.
Is a used Honda Civic hatchback reliable?
In our latest What Car? Reliability Survey, the Civic ranked 19th out 30 cars in the family car class. Its reliability score of 91.3% means the Civic is more reliable than the Ford Focus, Skoda Octavia and Volkswagen Golf, but less so than the Peugeot 308, Kia Ceed and Toyota Corolla.
As a car brand, Honda secured a first-place finish out of 30 manufacturers featured. That's an excellent result, which should inspire some confidence.
Used Honda Civic reliability: owners' view
In our reliability survey, owners said the Honda Civic (2017-2022) offers a broadly dependable experience, though it isn't without its pitfalls. While Honda remains a reliability heavyweight, owners of the 1.0-litre petrol model raised serious alarms regarding the wet-belt timing system; particles can shed into the oil, leading to costly turbocharger failure and engine issues. Diesel owners also reported occasional DPF and EGR faults, particularly when used for short urban trips.
Common gripes across the range include faulty air conditioning and "electrical gremlins," such as oversensitive parking sensors and glitchy infotainment screens. On the plus side, owner interactions with the dealer network were generally positive; many faults were fixed for free under goodwill or warranty, with over half of the repairs completed in a single day. However, some found repairs for out-of-warranty engine issues to be expensive, reinforcing the need for a full service history.
If you'd like to see the full reliability list, head to the What Car? Reliability Survey pages for more information.
To take part in our annual reliability survey with your car, please follow the link here
