Used Honda Civic 2017-2022 reliability review

What should I look for in a used Honda Civic?

What are the most common problems with a used Honda Civic?

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.

Is a used Honda Civic 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