1998 Honda Civic Reviews, Pricing & Specs
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The 1998 Honda Civic earned an overall super-high rating from reviewers, and more than 90% of owners said they would recommend the '98 Civic to others. Fans praise its easy handling, fuel economy, low maintenance, and more than adequate cargo space.
The negatives were its size (but it is a compact, after all) and lack of power, especially when driving uphill. However, if you would like a car for daily use, you may want to try this one and could likely get one at a reasonable price.
Published Aug 9, 2022 by CarGurus Editorial Team
User reviews for 1998 Honda Civic
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by Anonymous
Mar 28, 2014
Owned this car for 14 years and couldn't be more pleased. It got us from A to B very efficiently. It was my wife and I's first car purchase and has not let us down. It handled the addition of a couple of children just fine. Still has life left.Mar 28, 2014
by Sam A
Mar 26, 2014
Nothing flash, but everything is done right. The car has over 210000 miles on it and still runs like a top. I get almost 30 mpg combined and I don't have a light foot. Frankly this car will run forever if you take proper car of it, and probably even if you don't.Mar 26, 2014
by Will H
Jun 23, 2013
This has been a great car that has served my family well. Got my daughter thru High School and College, and now providing a great commuting car with very low costs. Honda continues to provide a great automobile that lasts!Jun 23, 2013
User rating:
by Anonymous
Mar 28, 2014
Owned this car for 14 years and couldn't be more pleased. It got us from A to B very efficiently. It was my wife and I's first car purchase and has not let us down. It handled the addition of a couple of children just fine. Still has life left.Mar 28, 2014
by Sam A
Mar 26, 2014
Nothing flash, but everything is done right. The car has over 210000 miles on it and still runs like a top. I get almost 30 mpg combined and I don't have a light foot. Frankly this car will run forever if you take proper car of it, and probably even if you don't.Mar 26, 2014
by Will H
Jun 23, 2013
This has been a great car that has served my family well. Got my daughter thru High School and College, and now providing a great commuting car with very low costs. Honda continues to provide a great automobile that lasts!Jun 23, 2013
by Anonymous
Mar 07, 2013
I would recomend this car to anybody. It looks nice fast and all around good car. If your looking for a good street tuner or a family car here is a good car for that. I love this car and wouldnt trade it for the worldMar 07, 2013
by Rich F
Nov 21, 2012
I bought it used, expecting a couple more years. The Civic would have none of that, and for about $800 repairs a year to pass inspection it's kept going four years. Change the oil and filter and put gas in it. I would buy another with few reservations, depending on my needs. I'd prefer something a bit larger/taller, and may even forego the 5-speed in my next car.
Update: Sold in 2013 at 230k with rusted and leaking fuel and brake lines, assuming the car would be cannibalized, but the Civic would have none of that either - someone put a lot into it and the car's still on the road in May of 2015!Nov 21, 2012
by Noel B
May 19, 2012
Not the most powerful car but I loved everything else about it. Bought it new and traded it in with 116,000 miles. Always got me where I needed to go. 34 mpg normal driving. 39 mpg with mostly highway driving. Double wishbone suspension made it handle great. My favorite of all the cars i have owned. I regret trading it in when I did and wish I had kept it longer.May 19, 2012
by Jess V
Feb 20, 2012
With the gas prices on the incline this is a perfect vehcile for anybody that wants to save money on gas but yet you dont want to buy a scooter. Hondas are inexpensive to insure so you will save all around! Feb 20, 2012
by Keith W
Dec 17, 2011
no ABS or power steering in this car. i actually prefer the lack of power steering over having it, but ABS is useful to have. very easy car to modify. lots of fun to drive. heats up very fast, and plenty of cargo room with the rear seats folded downDec 17, 2011
by James S
Nov 16, 2011
haven't had any major done just routine maintenance. i only paid 4 ,000 for the car and insurance is cheap.so i don't have many complaints. i think this car is a blast to drive. it has a lot potential if you are willing to invest the money into it.Nov 16, 2011
by BreHn J
Jan 17, 2011
Well if you buy the car completely stock the performance is like that of a Toyota Prius. Performance will most definitely improve the more it is built up. The car does get loud at higher MPH's thats about it. Overall this car is pretty fun to drive and i would recommend it for a beginner tuner.Jan 17, 2011
by Kyle E
Sep 28, 2010
This car has never let me down. One of the best types of car you could ever have. I have pushed this car to almost red lineing and it still is in the best shape for its age. Overall perfect.Sep 28, 2010
by Gordon G
Aug 26, 2010
This car is a beast around corners, but lacks performance as its running a little sohc
vtec 1.3 motor. Its currently sitting on D2 adjustables and has front and rear
struts. Fun to take it on windy roads like Scenic Drive. Aug 26, 2010
by Phillip S
Jun 20, 2010
I loved this car. Was very reliable, great at gas, decent hp, good clutch, smooth gears. Stock speakers were excellent. Great handling. Perfect commuting car, definitely a good kick-it car. The body is decent, its not beautiful nor ugly. The parts quality however is very low. Comfortable, everything works. Just a very reliable, money saving, perfect car.Jun 20, 2010
by Daniel S
Oct 01, 2009
Performance is medium across the board.
Build was awesome, it's survived me thus far.
Appearance, well it was a nice car to start. I still have last winters bumper damage.
Cost to own has been minimal, minus body shop repairs. I usually get mid 20's for gas, unless on sunday drives where i get 30-40's.
Fun to drive, not to work. But other places, yes.Oct 01, 2009
by Matt L
Sep 29, 2009
its nice, its fast enough for day-to-day operations. it makes good gas mileage, its comfy too. cost of ownership is low because honda makes a good quality product making maintenance easy and affordable. Life is good, in a honda civic.Sep 29, 2009
by Rumen G
Sep 27, 2009
Performance - high RPM Power makes it feel like a HOnda Bike engine.
Build Quality -exceptional
Appearance- it depends, but i like it
Costs - just avoid crashing it and youll be a very happy man:)
Fun Factor - it scores 8 of 10 here:)Sep 27, 2009
by Ghaith B
Aug 30, 2009
everything about the car i love, there is nothing i hate about it, looks nice, drive perfect, gas mileage is good, better quality than all newer models. fun to drive, very stable on the road, all guys and girls like itAug 30, 2009
by Aaron G
Jul 06, 2009
This car gets 38 MPG high way with a cold air intake.
Acceleration is great, no major repairs needed, and it
is fun to drive. Cost of owner ship is very low, and the
overall appearance is not bad. I love this car.Jul 06, 2009
by Adam J
Jun 28, 2009
loved the car never broke down was great on gas..buy an
air intake it makes it sound better...easy to install anything
on it almost everything is bolt on...its even relitively easy to
rip apart the interior for wiring amps and lights.Jun 28, 2009
by Brian H
May 19, 2009
Efficient, cheap, reliable, durable, spacious for its size, and drives better than most others in its class. This is an economy car, and performs as such, but by no means is it bad. Forego the automatic transmission at all costs.May 19, 2009
by Kaitlyn B
Jan 20, 2009
I like the amount of storage it had and appreciated it more after getting my toyota (very little storage room)... handled well, very easy to maintain with no major problems, 32-36 mpg, style is ok, nice first car that withstood quite a bit... and continues to :)Jan 20, 2009
by Saso Z
Nov 01, 2008
it's spacious from inside, the interior is very beautiful and it always smells nice. it doesn't take too much gas plus it doesnt use much of it anyways. so in short it's not that expensive and economic. it's too much fun to drive that i usually create any excuse to drive it... u can feel it gliding on the roads. plus honda is very well known for its strong build and soft smooth gliding. u could convert it into a sports speeding car if u want.Nov 01, 2008
by Aleksandar G
Sep 16, 2008
This car has realy good road behaviour. Sticks to the road BUT can't go over 200 kmh :( For a 1.4 stock engine with 90 Bhp I could say it's pretty quick on the start and it could "punish" cars with bigger engines.
It's a great car for the city. Easy to manuver and it has realatively low gas consumption. Suspention is a little bit hard , but you get used to it realy fast. Realy fun to drive.Sep 16, 2008
by Hakan M
Sep 02, 2008
ıt's looks sportive,and same time compact body very pratical to use.low fuel consumption is good for the daily use.engine life is very good for long term use.acceleration is enogh for 1.4 lt engine.breaking is good with abs ,handling is excellent.maintanc cost is very low.and very good for the modify engine.Sep 02, 2008
by Steve K
Aug 30, 2008
Although it doesn't score the best in performance and appearance, it's a very reliable car that I know will start every morning. It more than adequately serves its purpose as a cheap to own and drive car. It is light on the wallet at rare visits to the parts store as well as the gas pump. Though it does lack the performance I'm used to from my prior high horsepower cars, it'll still hug a turn like the best of them adding a little excitement to the drive. Aug 30, 2008
by Stephen M
Aug 27, 2008
This is a straight commuter car used to get to and
from work, it gets good mileage, but it isnt as fast as
everyone says. The ownership costs are low, if
something breaks it is pretty cheap to fix. The car is
mostly fun to drive, no power steering, no A/C so it
sucks on hot days. Aug 27, 2008
by Joshua C
Jul 31, 2008
This car is a good daily driver if your looking for one. You can leave it alone and enjoy it as is, or if you want there are a vast array of mods that can be had from eBay or your local parts store.
Honda made a large number of these models, and the most common problem to watch out for is the oil pump. The pump would tend to go bad and ruin the motor. If the driver didn't know the pump was bad there may be some damage to motors leading to an untimely and early death (ie less than 200k miles which Hondas tend to bypass easily if taken care of). Make sure you ask for the service history or lots of questions about what was fixed and what wasn't - or save yourself some stress and buy something newer or older thJul 31, 2008
by Amilcar R
Jul 02, 2008
Amazing car, comfortable, beautiful, good gas millage, only broke down once and it was the battery after 3 years. smooth ride, good handling and breaking but needs more power, it would it has been awesome it if had like 200 hp like the new one.Jul 02, 2008
by Ashlee S
Jun 30, 2008
i bought the car with just over 130K on it and it runs like a champ. it gets amazing gas mileage and handles pretty well. they're really easy to work on and they're good cars, although stock they're a little slow.Jun 30, 2008
by Anonymous
May 09, 2008
this car was really dependable till recently having a prob with stalling when i put it into drive or reverse runs great in park.May 09, 2008
by Jenia M
Apr 06, 2008
Very good, powerfull car.
Handles well, very quick and fun to drive
great engine and gearbox
except the bumbers - very good build qualityApr 06, 2008
by Najib M
Apr 05, 2008
The first car I ever bought. Fantastic value for money. It really proved to be a wonderful companion for 9 years of toiling under harsh arid conditions. Solid as a rock (rear ended some other people a couple of times) and all I got was a cracked bumper while their car boots were completely crushed. Hondas are reliable reliable reliable.Apr 05, 2008
by Justin C
Feb 10, 2008
I've had this car since it was brand new. 10 years of putting parts on and taking parts off. 10 more years is definitely going to happen. Feb 10, 2008
by Shabab R
Feb 03, 2008
it has a solid 1.6 SOHC high reving engine..nothing extraordinary n keeps it real..aftermarket catback exhasut installed..nothing done with the engine..not supercharged!!duuuh!!Has a good accelaration and can smoke most of the toyotas of the same grade.... Feb 03, 2008
by Richard G
Jan 29, 2008
Civic aerodeck (estate) with factory bodykit & alloys, tinted glass, loads of toys! 1.8 VTi engine really does the business with about 170bhp!Jan 29, 2008
by Anonymous
Jan 19, 2008
Quite comfortable, easy drive, great handling and endless tuning :)Jan 19, 2008
by Gerardo R
Dec 09, 2007
Never had a single problem with this car.Dec 09, 2007
by Ann J
Mar 07, 2007
I bought my '98 Civic brand new, replacing my '89 Civic, which got totaled. While I prefer the '89 to the newer one, I am one of those rabid Honda fans who love the fact that these cars run forever with minimal effort beyond routine maintenance.
Yeah, it's got a small backseat, but I really only use that for storage anyway. My boyfriend plays keyboards and was looking at SUVs, and we discoverd that with my seats down, his 88-keyboard fit in my Civic and did not fit in the CRV! And accleration is slow, especially with the air conditioning on (I have to turn it off if I'm going uphill), but I can live with that if it means long-term reliability, dependability, and durability.
Three reasons I liked my '89 better: exterior style was more unique, there was a trunk light, and for some reason in the '98, they put the cupholders right under the tape player. So if you have a drink in there, which means the cupholder lid is up, you have to remove the drink and lower the lid in order to put in or remove a tape! Does anyone test these things? Mar 07, 2007
1998 Honda Civic Pricing
Original MSRP
$11,045 to $20,445Price range
N/AAverage price on CG
N/AYoY price change
N/ATrims & specs
Airbags
Dual front airbags
Audio System
AM/FM radio
Convenience Features
Steering wheel: tilt-adjustable
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent
Airbags
Dual front airbags
Audio System
Single disc in-Dash CD · AM/FM radio
Convenience Features
Steering wheel: tilt-adjustable
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent
Airbags
Dual front airbags
Audio System
AM/FM radio
Convenience Features
Multi-function remote: trunk release · Steering wheel: tilt-adjustable
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent
Airbags
Dual front airbags
Audio System
Single disc in-Dash CD · AM/FM radio
Convenience Features
Multi-function remote: keyless entry · Steering wheel: tilt-adjustable
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth
Tires and Rims
Wheels: alloy
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent
Airbags
Dual front airbags
Audio System
AM/FM radio
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel
Convenience Features
Multi-function remote: trunk release · Steering wheel: tilt-adjustable
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power
Roof
Moonroof: power
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth
Tires and Rims
Wheels: alloy
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent
Airbags
Dual front airbags
Audio System
AM/FM radio
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel
Convenience Features
Multi-function remote: trunk release · Steering wheel: tilt-adjustable
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth
Tires
Type: all season
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent
