“I have always owned Honda vehicles and am considering purchasing a Honda Civic new. I was surprised by the price of the car, very high in my opinion. Do the quality and performance of the Civic justify the asking price? ” – France
Answer
Hello France,
Despite the sharp price increase of the Honda Civic since its 2022 renewal, sales have remained strong. Even though it is not the best-selling in the category, being outclassed by the Toyota Corolla, it remains a good second. No doubt the variety of versions (sedan and hatchback), as well as the reputation of the model contribute to its popularity. It is therefore clear that the high price of the car has not slowed down, at least drastically, its popularity.
A recent test drive of a Touring saloon confirmed to me that the Civic remains a very competent car in this category. Interior space is good, both front and rear, as is the load space. The quality of finish is excellent too, with good quality materials and flawless ergonomics. I also particularly appreciated the road behaviour, very solid on the road, without compromising ride comfort. In my opinion, it is certainly one of the most competent overall in this category.
The engine fitted to the version tested, a 4-cylinder turbocharged 1.5 liter engine, provides decent performance and an advantageous consumption of 6.3 liters/100 km. Be aware, however, that this mechanism is replaced by a hybrid engine for the 2025 model year, which we still have not had the opportunity to test.
Perhaps you’re interested in a version equipped with a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine, which is unchanged for 2025 in the base trims. This engine is reliable, almost indestructible, and consumes gasoline reasonably.
The biggest flaw
Of course, as you might expect, the biggest drawback is the high price. This is especially true since the financing or leasing terms are not particularly advantageous for this car. Think of an interest rate of more than 5% over 60 months for the remaining 2024 models, and a rate of 7.69% for the 2025 models.
Is the Civic worth the asking price? Even if the latter is very high, reliability, mechanical performance, road behavior, reputation and resale value are difficult to fault. It is therefore competent, but still slightly too expensive in my opinion. The gap is smaller than before, notably due to the rise in prices of competing vehicles, such as the Subaru Impreza, but it remains expensive.
There are other options in this category that are lower priced and still offer good returns. Consider the Toyota Corolla, Hyundai Elantra or Kia Forte, or even the Mazda3. These are all good cars that are more advantageous in terms of monthly payments than the Civic, and are therefore options to consider.
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