2
0
Compact car; Built in
  • 2-door coupe
  • 4-door sedan
  • transverse front-engine/front-wheel drive
Good condition price range: $4,800 – $18,800*


2015 Honda Civic Sedan


2015 Honda Civic Sedan


2015 Honda Civic


2015 Honda Civic Coupe

Pros:
  • Build quality
  • Ride/handling
Cons:
  • Headroom cramped on sunroof-equipped Civics
  • Price

Civic was not tops in the compact class at everything, but its strength lied in that it really had no glaring faults. Model choices ranged from mileage misers to downright sporty, yet all were fun to drive and frugal with fuel. Although Civic was up against a tough group of rival cars, it was still a compact-car Best Buy.

Overview

Honda redesigned the Civic for 2012, then Honda gave it a minor revamp that included upgraded interior materials and revised exterior styling for 2013. Civic came in 2-door coupe and 4-door sedan body styles. The base engine was a 140-horsepower 4-cylinder. The HF sedan was tweaked to deliver 1-2 mpg better than other Civics in EPA ratings. Hybrids carried a 1.5-liter engine mated with an electric motor for a combined 110 horsepower. Sporty Si models had a 201-horsepower 2.4-liter 4-cylinder along with tauter suspension, and came only with manual transmission. The odd duck was the Natural Gas. It ran on compressed natural gas—which wasn’t available in many places—and was the only car of its type offered in the U.S.

Yearly Updates

2013 Civic
Even though the Honda Civic was redesigned for 2012, it saw a significant revamp for 2013. Styling was updated and the interior finish was improved.
2014 Civic
Among the new available features added for 2014 were a continuously variable transmission (CVT) in place of an automatic, Honda’s LaneWatch blind-spot camera, and an updated touchscreen with HondaLink connectivity.
2015 Civic
Civic was essentially unchanged for 2015. The only noteworthy update was the addition of an Special Edition (SE) sedan model, which slotted in between the LX and EX models in price and content.

Engines

transverse front-engine/front-wheel drive

The base Civic engine is a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder with 140 horsepower. Horsepower increased to 143 for 2014. A 5-speed manual and a 5-speed automatic transmission were available until 2014 when the 6-speed auto was replaced by a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The sporty Civic Si had a 201-horsepower 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine. Si horsepower went up to 205 in 2014. A 6-speed manual is the only transmission available for the Si. Civic Hybrid combines a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine with an electric motor for a combined 110 horsepower. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) is the sole transmission.

ohc I4/electric
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 1.5/92
Engine HP 110
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 127
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
CVT automatic 44/47
ohc I41
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 1.8/110
Engine HP 110
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 106
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
5-speed automatic 27/38
ohc I4
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 1.8/110
Engine HP 140-143
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 129
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
5-speed manual
5-speed automatic
CVT automatic		 28/36
28/39
30/39
dohc I4
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 2.4/146
Engine HP 201-205
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 174
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
6-speed manual 22/31

1. Natural Gas

Road Test

The company called the 2012 Civic—available in coupe, sedan, gas/electric hybrid, and compressed natural gas-powered form—new, but its changes were more evolutionary in nature. The styling wasn’t all that different than its 2006-2011 predecessor. Even the unusual two-tier dashboard layout received only minor tweaks.

Under the hood of most Civics was the same 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine and available manual or automatic transmission combination from the previous car. With either transmission, 140-horsepower Civics are lazy accelerating away from a stop; but they have adequate power around town and for highway merging/passing. Honda’s automatic transmission is especially alert to throttle inputs. The high-performance Si’s drivetrain received a substantial update, moving to the Acura TSX’s 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine from the old models’ 2.0-liter unit.

I base my impressions on the many hours I’ve spent behind the wheel of our long-term 2012 Civic EX-L. Let’s get the gripes out of the way. This is one of the loudest cars in the segment. Further, Civic’s interior materials are not up to the standards that the domestic automakers have set with their compact cars. (Civic interiors were improved for 2013.)

Now for the good stuff. Civic continues to ride exceptionally well thanks to Honda’s prudent suspension tuning and choice of reasonably sized tires. The car’s handling is just fine, with special praise for its accurate steering feel (Si versions are sharper still). The leather upholstery on the EX-L model is plush and comfortable.

Most noteworthy of all is Civic’s outstanding fuel economy. We’re achieving significantly better than 30 mpg, with many testers approaching and even breaking 40.

Ratings

Model Tested: 2012 Honda EX-L

Ratings values are on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the best. With the exception of Value, these numbers reflect how the vehicle compares against the universe of vehicles, not just against rivals in its class.

Performance

Acceleration - 5
50%
Fuel Economy - 9
90%
Ride Quality - 6
60%
Steering/Handling - 6
60%
Quietness - 5
50%

Accommodations

Controls/Materials - 5
50%
Room/Comfort Front - 5
50%
Room/Comfort Rear - 4
40%
Cargo Room - 3
30%

Other

Value - 9
90%

Total: 57

Specifications

2-door coupe
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
103.2 177.9 69.0 55.0 2754
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
11.7 13.2 5
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
38.1 34.3 42.2 30.8
4-door sedan
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
105.1 179.4 69.0 56.5 2754
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
12.5 13.2 5
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
39.0 37.1 42.0 36.2
Safety Ratings

Model Tested: 2012 Honda Civic sedan 4-door sedan

NHTSA

(5 is the highest rating)

Front Impact Test

Driver Injury - 5
100%
Front Passenger Injury - 4
80%

Side Impact Test

Driver Injury - 4
80%
Rear Passenger Injury - 5
100%

Trouble Spots

Engine misfire
Description: Engine may misfire because of incomplete crankshaft position pattern. (2012)
Engine misfire
Description: Rocker arm oil-pressure switch may fail intermittently. (2012-13)
Fuel gauge
Description: Fuel gauge may be inaccurate. (2012-15)
Starter
Description: Starter may not work or work intermittently. (2013)

Recall History

2012 Civic
Description: Some vehicles have an incorrect steering column installed that may not have the propeer energy absorbing characteristics in a crash.
2012 Civic
Description: The left-side driveshaft may not have been properly installed. The driveshaft may separate causing loss of power or the vehicle could roll when placed in Park.
2012 Civic
Description: A misaligned O-ring in the fuel line could leak and cause a fire.
2014 Civic LX
Description: Tires might have been mounted incorrectly and could lose air.
2014-15 Civic
Description: Faulty CVT automatic transmission software may result in drive pulley shaft damage. A damaged drive pulley shaft could break and the vehicle would lose acceleration or the front wheels could lock up.

Equipment Lists

Equipment lists are only viewable on larger screen sizes.

Pricing

Used-car pricing varies widely depending on local market conditions. Therefore, we recommend visiting websites that list used cars for sale to get a better idea of what a specific model is selling for in your area.

More about Tom Appel
Written by: Tom Appel on June 8, 2017.
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