Honda Civic Reliability: How Long Will It Last?

The Honda Civic earned its reputation for reliable daily driving early on. Older model years can easily last over 100,000 miles, and some have pushed the odometers past 500,000 miles. But the increasing complexity of modern Civics could affect long-term reliability.

Key points

• The Honda Civic has a proven track record of reaching and covering more than 100,000 miles in its lifetime; One owner proudly put 500,000 miles on his 2011 Civic.
• Consistently lower maintenance costs, good fuel efficiency, and good overall safety ratings contribute to the Civic’s reliability and popularity as a daily vehicle.
• Creating quality products is an integral part of Honda’s design philosophy.
• Honda and the Civic aren’t immune to problems, but the few problematic years still aren’t that bad.

Automotive data backs Honda Civic that will go 100,000 miles with minimal problems, with low annual maintenance costs as a bonus

The Honda Civic is the automaker’s oldest automobile nameplate in the company’s history. As one of the best-selling cars in North America, the Civic has proven to be one of the best subcompact cars on the market.

Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that Civic owners have experienced minimal problems overall over the past 10 model years; However, some Civic model years had more problems than others.

For context, the 2016 model year was the only Civic model year in the last 10 years, with more than 500 complaints reported by owners.

A report based on an analysis of cars sold in 2019 shows the Civic has been rated as one of the longest-lasting cars to reach more than 200,000 miles, with more than 2% of Civics sold estimated to do so (double the average); However, the Civic fell off this list according to the same updated 2020 cars sold report.

Despite this, the Civic’s annual maintenance costs are relatively low overall.

Repair Pal reports annual maintenance costs for Honda Civics are $400 or less on average for the last 10 model years for which they have data (before 2018); They ranked the Civic third out of 36 compact cars for reliability.

This is a good thing because with modern vehicles becoming more complex with additional computers, batteries, and sensors, failure of these components could be costly.

Owner Praise Most Honda Civics will exceed 100,000 miles with good care, some have road papers up to 500,000 miles

The consensus on Honda Civic reliability among owners is that the Civic will perform as long as you are prepared to take good care of it.

Owners praise its low maintenance cost and ease of use; One reported reaching 300,000 miles after only performing routine and preventative maintenance, such as oil changes and replacing spark plugs, brakes, belts, and batteries.

Some owners have been found with Civics that exceed 500,000 miles. A Honda dealer documented a customer who traded in a 2013 Honda Civic with 500,000 miles on it; The owner said he single-handedly replaced the alternator, a wheel bearing, and the brakes (the rear brakes were only replaced at 400,000 miles), plus other routine maintenance.

Another owner posted on Reddit about them The 2011 Honda Civic also reaches 500,000 miles. They said they change their oil every 10,000 to 12,000 miles and flush their coolant and transmission fluid every 40,000 miles. The owner also noted that he changed the timing chain at 350,000 miles as a precaution.

The Honda Civic is reliable, but staying reliable could be a challenge

Data and owner experience confirm that the Honda Civic is reliable. NHTSA reports relatively minimal problems with the Civic over the past 10 years. Additionally, Civic owners between 2010 and 2015 have proven that they can last more than 500,000 miles.

Right now, the Honda Civic is one of the best compact cars on the market because it is a safe, reliable, and affordable vehicle, although some model years are more problematic than others. However, it may be a challenge for Honda to maintain the Civic’s reliability in the future as the automotive industry continues to evolve.

Photos: Honda