The Honda Civic is one of the world’s most popular cars and has been the obvious choice for drivers seeking reliable, fun, and budget-friendly transportation for generations. When people think “Honda,” they think “Civic,” as this compact car is possibly the brand’s most iconic model. In its lifetime, nearly 35 million Honda Civics have been sold around the world, cementing its status as a very important car.
Currently available as a sedan, hatchback, and a coupe, the lineup is also available with many different engine options from the base engine that prioritizes efficiency to the ultra performance-oriented one powering the Civic Type R. The current 10th-generation Honda Civic raised the bar for its segment when it debuted: it had an upscale interior, a lot of new technology, and excellent driving dynamics.
In 2015, when the 10th-generation model debuted, it won AutoGuide.com’s Car of the Year Award. Our editors were impressed by its versatility, practicality, well-sorted driving dynamics, and upscale aspirations.
The early Honda Civic broke new ground in the North American automotive industry in the 1970s for being cheap and reliable. Before the Civic came along, cheap cars were just that: Disposable cars that punished you for being on a budget — the Civic always tried to elevate its segment. People flocked to the Civic because gas prices were high and fuel efficiency suddenly became very important. Although back then the Civic used to be classified as a subcompact (it started life as a two-door hatchback), it’s now grown in size to compete in the compact car segment. The Honda Civic even went through a stage where it was the starting car of choice for modifiers inspired by the Fast and Furious movies. Today, the highly sought after Honda Civic Type R, which is finally available in North America, holds the record as the fastest front-wheel-drive production car to lap the infamous Nurburgring.
From its humble beginnings as an efficient econobox to a Nurburgring-record holder, the evolution of the Civic has been impressive. The Honda Civics sold in North America are built in Allison, Ontario, Canada, and Greensburg, Indiana, USA. The Civic was refreshed mildly for the 2019 model year, so it now has a physical volume knob.