Everyone has a Civic connection. You’ve either owned one or had a friend or family member who had one. Most likely, bragging is involved in telling about how many miles it was driven before it finally went kaput. That’s how ubiquitous the Civic is, and the primary subject of the discussion revolves around how reliable it is.

The first Honda Civic, a 50-horsepower hatchback, went on sale in 1973 and offered cheap, efficient, and durable transportation. Almost 50 years later, it’s in its eleventh generation, with both hatchback and sedan body styles, along with performance-oriented Si and Type R variants on offer.

While the Civic certainly isn’t cheap anymore, and Honda has made the occasional misstep with this model over the years, the car still sets the bar for compact, efficient, safe, practical, and affordable vehicles. Plus, the Civic is genuinely fun to drive.

Generations: Eleven

• Honda Civic 1st Generation
• Honda Civic 2nd Generation
• Honda Civic 3rd Generation
• Honda Civic 4th Generation
• Honda Civic 5th Generation
• Honda Civic 6th Generation
• Honda Civic 7th Generation
• Honda Civic 8th Generation
• Honda Civic 9th Generation
• Honda Civic 10th Generation
• Honda Civic 11th Generation

Pros: Budget-friendly MSRP, fuel-efficient, fun to drive
Cons: Best features locked into top trims, no manual option for Civic sedan, slower than its predecessor

Honda Civic 11th Generation (2022-Present)

Honda debuted a new Civic for 2022. The car is more refined and upscale-looking than before, and it features a group of great engine choices and updated technology. The Honda Civic sedan and hatchback persist, but the automaker cut the coupe for 2022 and has not elaborated on plans to bring it back. Tight lips notwithstanding, the future could very well bring additional variants to the Civic lineup.

The 2022 Honda Civic comes standard with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 158 horsepower. A turbo-four also on offer produces 180 horsepower, and the Honda Civic Si sedan has a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder that makes 200 horsepower. It’s also available with a manual transmission. An even more powerful Honda Civic Type R will debut for the 2023 model year. We don’t have all the specs yet, but Honda has shown a car with a wild spoiler, and they’ve said it will be an insanely quick front-wheel drive car.

New tech includes a more responsive touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, automatic climate controls, and more. Honda has not announced plans for all-wheel drive in the Civic, but it is currently the only one in its immediate peer group (which includes Toyota and Nissan) that does not offer an all-wheel drive sedan. The Honda Accord would be a more logical choice, as it directly competes with the Camry and Altima, both of which come with AWD. The Toyota Corolla does not come with the feature.

The new Civic faces fierce competition. There’s the Toyota Corolla, the Nissan Sentra, the Kia K5, the Hyundai Elantra, and more. Honda’s upgrades with the Civic redesign have made it a formidable competitor, and its safety scores are a big part of that. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded it a Top Safety Pick+, thanks to excellent crash test scores and the Honda Sensing suite of safety equipment.

Honda Civic 10th Generation (2016-2021)

As was true of the previous Civic models, the tenth-generation version came in two-door coupe and four-door sedan body styles when it debuted for the 2016 model year. A year later, a hatchback, sourced from a factory in the United Kingdom, joined the lineup.

A 2.0-liter four-cylinder powers the base model, while a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder is offered in higher trims and all hatchbacks. Both engines can pair to a manual or a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Driving enthusiasts will want the racy Civic Si model or the no-holds-barred Type R. Know that these performance-tuned variants come only with a manual transmission.

Fuel economy ranges from 29 to 36 mpg in combined driving, with the Type R returning 25 mpg. You’ll notice there isn’t a Civic Hybrid; the Civic-based Honda Insight replaced it.

CarGurus recommends the Honda Civic Hatchback Sport, thanks to its racy looks, maximum utility, and refined turbocharged engine. While the Civic coupe offers 11.9 cubic feet of trunk space, and the sedan gives you 15.1 cubic feet, the hatch provides 25.7 cubes behind the rear seats and 46.2 with the rear seats folded.

No matter which Civic you choose, you’ll find a quality interior, comfortable front seats, enjoyable driving dynamics, good gas mileage, strong crash-test scores, good safety features, and a wide range of choices in terms of trim levels. But you might take issue with the out-of-date infotainment interface and the lack of traditional blind-spot monitoring.

Honda Civic 9th Generation (2012-2015)

Honda released the ninth-generation Civic in 2012 in coupe and sedan form. Acura adopted the platform and architecture for the more upscale ILX sedan.

For some reason, Honda thought it would be good to make the 2012 Civic look and feel low-rent, inside and out. The immediate outcry made the company quickly backtrack, and an early 2013 freshening addressed some significant complaints.

A 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine powered the Civic, paired with either a manual or an automatic transmission. Choices included the unusual compressed natural gas (CNG) engine found in the GX trim and the Civic Hybrid model that returned 44 mpg in combined driving. Both the CNG and the Hybrid used a CVT. Driving enthusiasts could buy a Civic Si in coupe or sedan form, each powered by a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with a manual transmission.

Avoid the 2012 Civic. Not only did Honda phone that one in, but three separate recalls were also issued for mechanical problems. Any other ninth-generation Civic is more appealing and less troublesome.

Honda Civic 8th Generation (2006-2011)

The 2006 model year heralded the debut of the eighth-generation Civic, available in both coupe and sedan body styles.

Most Civics included a 1.8-liter four-cylinder with either a manual or automatic transmission. The Civic Hybrid was based on a 1.3-liter four-cylinder and mated to a CVT, while the Civic GX featured a CNG-fueled 1.8-liter four-cylinder and a CVT. A high-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder with row-‘em-yourself gears came standard in the Civic Si. Fuel economy ranged from 23 to 42 mpg, depending on the model and powertrain.

The Civic shared a platform with the Acura CSX, which was sold in Canada. Few problems plagued this version of the Civic, but this car was subject to recall for defective Takata airbags, so make sure the replacements have been made. Other problems included braking system corrosion in 2006-07 models and recalls for the Civic GX’s fuel tank and the 2011 Civic’s fuel pump.

Following the conservative seventh-generation Civic, the eighth generation's unusual design wasn’t appealing to everyone. But its array of choices, from body styles to powertrains, made this dependable, safe, comfortable, and efficient new vehicle popular anyway.

Honda Civic 7th Generation (2001-2005)

Honda released the seventh-generation Civic for the 2001 model year. It was offered in coupe and sedan body styles and used a 1.7-liter four-cylinder engine producing between 115 and 127 horsepower, depending on the trim level. Manual, automatic, and CVT transmission options were available.

The Civic GX had a 1.7-liter four-cylinder that burned compressed natural gas, and a Civic Hybrid debuted for the 2003 model year that could get 41 mpg in combined driving. Both of these versions of the Civic used a CVT.

In 2002, Honda imported the 160-hp Civic Si Hatchback from Europe. Looking like a doorstop on wheels, it was built in the UK and offered more performance and better handling, not to mention greater utility.

Depending on engine, transmission, and body style, fuel economy ranged from 25 to 34 mpg in combined driving. The Civic Hybrid averaged 41 mpg.

Every seventh-generation Civic was part of the big Takata airbag recall, so make sure that work is completed. This version of the Civic also saw more recalls than later generations, though most of the problems were relatively minor.

Honda Civic 6th Generation (1996-2000)

The sixth-generation Honda Civic was sold as a coupe, a sedan, and a hatchback, and it got a pair of new four-cylinder engines. The cars were longer than their predecessors were and came in various trim levels, ranging from the stripped-down CX model to the sporty Si trim.

The Civic’s updated styling was more exaggerated than before, but it remained approachable and friendly. The rowdy Si trim got a more powerful 160-horsepower engine, an upgraded intake manifold, a larger throttle body, and more. The improvements were good enough for the Si to sprint from zero to 60 mph in just over seven seconds.

Honda Civic 5th Generation (1992-1995)

The fifth-generation Civic debuted with a larger size and better aerodynamics. Honda stopped selling the wagon everywhere but Japan, but there were still several variants available in the US market.

Honda Civic 4th Generation (1988-1991)

The fourth-gen Civic introduced electronic fuel injection to the Civic line for the first time and made fully independent rear suspension standard. Honda sold the Si trim starting in 1989.

Honda Civic 3rd Generation (1984-1987)

Honda unveiled the third-generation Civic for the 1984 model year. The car came in various body styles and was sold in Britain as a locally-built Rover model. It featured advanced suspension and small-but-zesty engines.

Honda Civic 2nd Generation (1980-1983)

The Honda Civic’s second iteration took a shape that more closely resembled the Accord. It was longer and more advanced than the previous generation was, and it hit the US with a series of engines and trim-level choices.

Honda Civic 1st Generation (1972-1979)

1972 saw the birth of a legend. Honda began building the Civic in Japan in mid-1972, and the car became an enormous hit for the automaker. It was more advanced and comfortable than compact cars that had come before it, and it was larger than other Honda models. The car got a brand-new platform and came standard with a straight-four engine making 50 horsepower. Honda offered a hatchback version but was otherwise restrained in its features offerings.

Honda found a winner in the U.S. with the Civic because it was smaller than American cars and offered excellent fuel economy—something people started caring a lot about during the oil crisis of the early 1970s. The small car provided great maneuverability, too, making it a popular new car choice for buyers. Honda updated the vehicle with a larger engine and fresh finishes over the years, ultimately retiring it in 1979 for a new generation.