- A hybrid powertrain returns to the Civic lineup for the first time since 2015.
- It makes our favorite small sedan ever better.
- Here's how the Civic Hybrid won the Edmunds Top Rated Best of the Best 2025 award.
2025 Honda Civic Hybrid: Full Rating Results
The best compact sedan now comes as a hybrid. What's not to love?
We tested hundreds of vehicles last year, but when it was time to name the Best of the Best winner for the 2025 edition of Edmunds Top Rated, there was only one car on everyone's lips: the Honda Civic Hybrid. The hybrid improves on what was already our favorite compact sedan by adding electric motors that boost fuel economy to nearly 50 mpg. The Civic Hybrid is also surprisingly quick in a straight line, outpacing the performance-oriented Civic Si. But does that really make it the best car on the market today? We're showing our homework by rating each individual aspect of this supremely well-rounded hybrid.
Edmunds tests and evaluates hundreds of cars each year to provide comprehensive, unbiased, and data-driven vehicle insights, ensuring you are well informed during your car-buying journey. The rating below compares the 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid against its direct rivals in the small sedans category, with section scores contributing to the overall score. Section scores are determined by the value of their subsection scores, which evaluate individual aspects of a vehicle. The overall score and section scores are always published on a vehicle page; subsection scores that provide greater detail are presented here publicly for the first time.
This rating was written by Steven Ewing and edited by Kurt Niebuhr.
Performance: 8.5
The Civic Hybrid's power output is ample. At our test track, it accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in just 6.6 seconds. That's significantly quicker than most other small sedans as well as other hybrids, such as the Toyota Prius. It's quicker than the sporty Civic Si too. Just know that a Civic with the standard non-hybrid engine is considerably less sprightly.
The Civic is also smooth to drive around town and is enjoyable to drive around corners thanks to its sharp steering, composed handling and overall easygoing demeanor. Our test team agrees: This is such a pleasant little hybrid. We can't think of another near 50-mpg car that's this rewarding to drive.
Acceleration: 8.5
Whoa, a Civic with torque! The hybrid has 200 horsepower and 232 lb-ft of torque from its 2.0-liter engine and dual e-motor setup, making it more powerful than the Civic Si. Immediate electric power scoots the Civic off the line with authority; you'll chirp the front tires with the traction control enabled if you aren't careful. Plus, the e-motors are good for delivering supplemental midrange acceleration. This powertrain is fantastic in other Honda products and only makes the already good Civic a better performer.
The last Civic we tested with the turbocharged 1.5-liter engine and continuously variable automatic transmission accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 7.9 seconds. The new one does it in 6.6 seconds. That's a major upgrade.
Braking: 8.5
Honda blends the regenerative and mechanical braking without any noticeable wonkiness, and it's nice that you can change the level of regen on the fly via the steering wheel paddles. It's just a shame the only way you can get the stronger regen levels to hold is to drive the Civic in Sport mode. Otherwise, it goes back to default after you let off the brakes. Good regen power, though — there's enough force to slow you down when approaching a slower car on the freeway. They won't bring you to a full stop, though. The pedal could be firmer with a bit more bite at the top, but the brakes are nevertheless easy to modulate and appropriately tuned for the class.
Steering: 8
Steering effort is light at lower speeds but increases with speed, or if you switch to Sport mode. Feedback could be better, but the Civic nevertheless responds to inputs quickly, with sharp turn-in. Better than other steering setups in the class.
Handling: 8.5
The power advantage over the Civic Si is nice, but the hybrid comes with a roughly 250-pound weight penalty, too. The upside is that this added ballast is placed close to the rear axle, so it balances out the weight distribution, keeping the back end less prone to getting light under braking or exhibiting squirrely liftoff oversteer tendencies. This is not a sports car — that's what the Si and Type R are for — but the Civic Hybrid certainly holds its own, with good reflexes, a taut but comfortable suspension, and solid overall balance. It's a really enjoyable car to drive at all times.
Drivability: 8.5
Even in its heaviest form, there's still a feeling of lightness and effortlessness to driving the Civic — a hallmark of this compact sedan. It's easy to place, engaging to drive, comfortable and composed, and the sort of car that's a friend for errand running, commuting and long-haul driving alike. As far as daily drivers go, there's nothing else in this segment I'd rather have.
Comfort: 8.5
The Civic's hybrid system makes it a little heavier than the base Civic. While the added weight might seem like a detriment, it actually helps to stabilize and smooth out this sedan's ride quality. On smooth and broken roads alike, the Civic has a taut yet balanced composure. It's not as cushy as some competitors, but the upside here is sharper handling than just about anything in the class.
Road noise is noticeable but not excessively so, and the Civic's aerodynamic shape means wind noise is kept to a minimum. Overall, the Civic really feels like a cut above other small cars in on-road refinement.
Seat comfort: 7.5
The seats are well cushioned and provide a good amount of support. The absence of lumbar adjustment in the front seats is disappointing but there's enough lower back support that this isn't an issue. The leather upholstery breathes well, which is great since no ventilation is available.
Ride comfort: 8.5
There's no ride quality trade-off to get the Civic's sharp handling. The added weight of the hybrid actually helps this car somewhat, putting more balance over the rear axle. It's a noticeable enough improvement over the standard Civic to earn extra kudos for the hybrid.
Climate control: 8
The traditional-looking climate controls are easy to read at a glance, and adjustments can be made without having to take your eyes off the road. Air distribution is even and the hidden vent joysticks are intuitive to use. The absence of ventilated seats seems like a misstep, but the seat material breathes well enough to not miss cooling too much.
Noise and vibration: 7
Road noise is noticeable at almost any speed. On coarse highway surfaces, it can be downright intrusive. Wind noise is quieter, with just a little buffeting around the mirrors. Besides that, the Civic's interior remains free of creaks and squeaks when going over bumps.
Interior: 8
The Civic has an attractive cabin design. The controls are within easy reach and intuitive to use. It's also roomy — the front can comfortably seat taller and shorter passengers equally well. While there's plenty of rear shoulder room and legroom, the sloping roof means taller passengers may find headroom lacking. Otherwise, you won't have much trouble with space in the Civic.
Outward visibility is aided by narrow front roof pillars and sideview mirrors that are mounted on the doors, freeing up your view out front. The sloping roofline causes you to double-check over-the-shoulder views, and the back window is a bit short, but the multi-angle rearview camera helps you spot anything that might be behind you.
Ease of use: 8.5
The intuitive cabin takes almost no time to get acclimated to. Everything seems to have been placed right where it should be. Primary controls are right at hand, and the steering wheel buttons command numerous systems while remaining elegantly simple. The touchscreen is easy and responsive to use.
Getting in/out: 7.5
The front and rear doors are sensibly sized to allow easy access, even when parked in a tight spot. You have to duck slightly to get into the rear seats, but that's pretty typical nowadays in any hatchback.
Driving position: 8
It's easy and quick to find your preferred position. There aren't a lot of adjustments, but the amount of travel for the seat and steering wheel ensures taller and shorter drivers will be comfortable.
Roominess: 8.5
There's plenty of space up front for taller occupants. The rear seats can comfortably hold an average adult with plenty of knee room and space under the seat for your feet. Rear headroom starts to taper off toward the rear of the car so taller people may have to slouch due to the roofline. It pretty much matches the previous Civic model but that was already large for a compact sedan. This feels a little bigger, though.
Visibility: 8
Compared to the last-generation Civic, the narrow front pillars have been moved back 3 inches, and the sideview mirrors are now mounted on the sheetmetal of the doors, giving a very good view through tight left turns. The rear window is a little narrow vertically, but it's not cutting off anything you really need to see. The multi-angle rearview camera removes any guesswork from backing into a spot. The sloping rear roofline and over-the-shoulder view make you do a double take to make sure things are OK, which is common for hatchbacks. The little portholes behind the rear doors help a smidge.
Technology: 8
All the tech inside the Civic is simple and straightforward. The touchscreen interface has a logical menu structure that makes it easy to use while driving. All Civics come standard with a full suite of driver assistance technologies. We've found Honda's adaptive cruise control isn't as smooth for braking and accelerating as the systems offered by other companies — specifically, Toyota — but overall the Civic's driver aids are helpful.
The Civic's available 9-inch touchscreen includes the Google built-in software suite, which brings Google Assistant voice commands, maps and more. It's a nice setup but unfortunately Honda only equips it on the most expensive top-level Sport Touring. Likewise, while Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on all Civics, only the 9-inch screen includes wireless phone connectivity.
Audio and navigation: 8
The uplevel Sport Touring Hybrid's Bose audio system is good, and now that the 9-inch touchscreen infotainment comes with the Google built-in tech suite, Honda's older navigation interface is a thing of the past. The one caveat: You can only get the built-in package on the most expensive Sport Touring trim, so it's not available for all Civic models.
Device integration: 8
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, but only the Sport Touring gets wireless integration. Similarly, only the Sport Touring comes with a wireless charging pad.
Voice controls: 7.5
The basic voice commands haven't changed from previous Civics, but because the Sport Touring has Google built-in, you get the full capabilities of Google Assistant, with better natural speech voice commands for things like search, navigation and more.
Driver aids: 8
Every Civic gets the full Honda Sensing suite and the Sport models now come with blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert. Honda's system still isn't as smooth as others in this segment — especially Toyota's — but the fact that all of this tech is standard is a boon.
Storage: 8
The Civic sedan has 14.8 cubic feet of trunk space, and the hybrid's battery and electric motors don't impede on that one bit. That means the hybrid version of the Civic can hold more stuff than hybrid versions of the Hyundai Elantra and Toyota Corolla. Small-item storage is good, too, thanks to the large armrest with a removable tray.
If cargo hauling is a top priority, Honda also offers its hybrid powertrain in the Civic hatchback. Here, you get 24.5 cubic feet of space, which is more than what Toyota offers in the Prius. The Civic's rear seats also fold flat to accommodate larger or longer items.
Cargo space: 8
The Civic Hybrid sedan has 14.8 cubic feet of space, which bests the Corolla and Elantra hybrid models but lags behind the Prius (which is a hatchback). However, the Civic Hybrid hatch has 24.5 cubic feet, making it more capacious than the Prius, and the rear seats fold flat to offer more flexibility. Front-seat storage is decent, with large door pockets and an average-size center console. The glovebox is on the smaller side.
Small-item storage: 8
A large armrest bin with a removable tray can hold a lot of stuff. The cupholders are also large, and the rubberized charging pad keeps your phone secured. The door pockets are about average.
Car seat accommodation: 7.5
The lower car seat anchors are easy to reach behind leather seat flaps. Forward-facing seats should fit with no problem, but larger rear-facing infant carriers will likely force the front passenger to slide their seat pretty far forward.
Value: 8
The Honda Civic Hybrid costs a little more than electrified rivals such as the Hyundai Elantra and Toyota Corolla, but it justifies the added cost with better performance, laudable fuel economy, a few more features and a nicer interior. Honda's warranty coverage is average and includes three years/36,000 miles of basic coverage and five years/60,000 miles for the powertrain.
Build quality: 8.5
The Civic's interior is noticeably nicer than before, with many soft-touch surfaces replacing the old hard plastic. Switches and buttons also have more heft, a noticeable click when engaging them, and a more premium look and feel — the honeycomb speaker grille interior trim adds a nice accent. It's easy to mistake the cabin for that of the more expensive Accord.
Cost: 8
The Civic Hybrid is one of the most expensive vehicles in this class, starting at $30,100, including destination. A loaded Sport Touring Hybrid with metallic paint costs $33,555. But I genuinely believe you get what you pay for. The interior is nicer than pretty much anything else at this price point, you're getting 49 mpg combined with ease, and nothing drives better than the Civic. The hybrid might be the most expensive version of this car, but I actually think it represents the best value of the lineup, all things considered.
Fuel economy: 8.5
The EPA estimates the hybrid version of the Civic can get up to 49 mpg in combined city/highway driving. That's a little less than what the Toyota Prius and Hyundai Elantra Hybrid achieve. But these are still impressive numbers and ones that are easy to hit. We also 49 mpg in our real-world testing. The base Civic is also pretty fuel-efficient with an EPA estimate of up to 36 mpg.
Warranty: 7
Basic coverage lasts three years/36,000 miles and coverage for the powertrain is extended to five years/60,000 miles. This is typical for most sedans, but vehicles from Hyundai and Kia offer much longer warranties (basic is five years/60,000 miles, and the powertrain is 10 years/100,000 miles).
Ownership: 7
Roadside assistance is available for three years/36,000 miles, which is common among sedans in the class. No free maintenance is offered, but that's a rarity in this segment.
Wildcard: 9
The Honda Civic shines as a daily driver but won't bore you from behind the wheel. This is especially true of the Civic with the hybrid powertrain. Other than the Type R, it's the most fun-to-drive Civic thanks to its quick acceleration and precise steering. And you won't have to go super easy on the throttle to eke out good fuel economy. Without changing your driving style, you should get nearly 50 mpg, easy-peasy.
Fun-to-drive: 9
We're long past the days of hybrids being synonymous with boring to drive, and anyone who needs more proof should take the new Civic for a spin. This is the best-driving Civic that doesn't wear a Type R badge, and I'd have one over an Si every day of the week. It's quick, nimble and engaging, and best of all, none of this comes at the expense of efficiency. What a great all-rounder.
Personality: 8.5
Compared to its predecessor, the current Civic sports a simple and elegant style. It eliminates a lot of the clutter and fake vents for a more mature interpretation while leaving room for more exciting treatments for even sportier Civic models. The interior has a more premium feel to it than in previous years, which is a definite step up.
Overall rating: 8.2
You're going to find a lot to like with the Honda Civic hybrid. It's available as a roomy sedan or practical hatchback and offers a fuel-efficient engine that doesn't skimp on performance. Pricing might be a concern — the Civic is one of the more expensive models in its class — but overall we think you're getting a solid return on your purchase.