2025 Honda Civic.
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Honda just released photos of the revised 2025 Civic, and of course, it’s really hard to see what’s new or improved. At least visually.
The Civic‘s new front end is the most obvious change. It is a strange and lazy attempt to make the car look a little bit less boring than it was, but the result is just plain awkward and it now looks much worse in my opinion. It doesn’t seem to fit the rest of the car at all.
The wheel designs are new, at least on the top-of-the-line Sport Touring version pictured here (white and blue cars). It seems Honda has also chosen to delete the chrome on the 2025 Civic. Which makes the car look cheaper than ever. Tesla did the same thing on the Model 3 a few years ago. This is the cheapest way to make a car look slightly different from “last year”. I am surprised Honda did the same thing…
The biggest news for the 2025 Civic is not visual, they are under the hood. Where the Hybrid powertrain is finally available. Something we should have had 3 years ago.
Previously, the Civic was available with a 2.0 Liter engine in the base LX and Sport models. With Honda’s 1.5 Liter Turbo on all other versions. For 2025, the 1.5 Liter Turbo is completely gone from the menu. Replaced by the new Hybrid powertrain which is standard on the Sport Hybrid and Sport Touring trims. For some odd reasons, the Hybrid versions come with a grey interior. (That interior was previously available on the Civic, but it’s rather strange to see it as maybe the only choice on the Hybrid models).
The interior didn’t get much love. The tablet is still not integrated into the dashboard design. And the weird-looking “plasticky/metallic” trim on the console is still there.
The 2.0 Liter is still standard on the LX and Sport models, but the manual transmission is gone…
The Hybrid is rated at 200HP and is estimated to be getting around 50MPG combined. Which really makes it the best choice for a Civic. A 50MPG Civic Hatchback could be quite attractive to many. However since the current Civic came out, Toyota has given us the great-looking new Prius. A car that looks 100 times better than the current Civic.
Pricing will also be quite interesting. Currently, the Sport trim starts at $25,500, while the EX with the 1.5 Liter Turbo (plus a sunroof and heated seats) is only about $1500 more. The current Touring starts at $30,500. I wonder how much Honda will charge extra for the new Hybrid powertrain.
The Toyota Prius starts at $28,000. And up to over $35,000. Although that would include a panoramic glass roof not available on the Civic. AWD is also available on the Prius, and Toyota offers a PHEV version as well starting at $33,000. And again, with the Toyota Prius, you do get a car that truly looks like it was designed in the 21st Century.
While the current Civic still looks like an old man’s compact car…
It looks like Honda got tired of replacing head gaskets on the turbo models, that was a short lived cycle for an engine designed by Honda, glad to see a naturally aspirated engine in its place and the two motor hybrid system in recent Honda’s have been excellent. I wonder what they have in store for their v6 replacement for their larger market like the Pilot.
Vince, I just got my wife a new HRV top of the line trim and she loves it, sadly no turbo.
But the biggest issue is the way Honda is cutting corners, the handles above the front seats, handles that people use to get in and out of the vehicles are gone. Yes on the rear. The ceiling lights, no switch for the rear only. One switch that will turn on all the lights. Stupid is you are driving in the middle of the night and your kids need the lights on the rear.
BUT THE BIGGEST issue is that Honda is selling your information to third party companies like insurence companies. Yes they do. My wife was so pissed that she wanted to return the vehicle. They use software installed by way of apps like the ones using to start the vehicle, close the doors, etc. Hey you can even find your vehicle anywhere in the world they tell you. Yes, nice features but WHY sell my data. Insurance companies then they will hike the rates based on the way you drive. SICK. I ended up keeping the vehicle but not installing the app. I also got a MAzda and they do the same, however they made it so easy, a simple call and they stop selling your information.
The Civic is nice but my biggest issue is the passenger front seat, not even on the Touring you can raise the seat. Long trips or older people will suffer from it.
Crazy and lazy how this companies manage to destroy a good thing.
I love your website Vince, thanks for all the good information you’ve provided through the yars. Keep up the good work.
Good new Chucho on your HRV, at least for your lights, just touch the rear light and it will turn on. For Honda selling your data if you use HondLink do not use the “driver feedback” feature and it should not be selling your driving habits to 3rd party.
Yeah it has dustbuster face now. But I think you doth protest too much. In any other time, the hybrid would have been available about a year after the Civic’s intro. Everything is crazy now. But the hybrid is a big deal, and it will be also when the HRV Hybrid comes.
The real issue to me is what Chucho mentioned. Small things removed. I dont care too much about the chrome strip. But I would expect a Touring spec to have a seat height and lumbar adjustment. And having fog lights is a necessity here (as an accessory is fine). Not for fog. Their shorter distance and wider pattern make it so you can see deer on the sides of the road at night (before they run out and total your car). I wont buy a car without them now. Also I believe the gray interior (from the leaked color chart) is available on the hybrids only along with black, depending on the exterior color you choose. This gray is an improvement over the prior Civic’s and definitely over the token gesture of gray in the CRV that is only the seat front surface for the Touring…and nothing else. Not on the doors, the center stack, the dash… nothing. No rear air vents either – though you can order those aftermarket. Either way, this kind of nickle and diming is a problem for Honda in my opinion considering they’re already the more expensive option out there. And the Accord and CRV reek of it also.
The Civic Hatch Sport Touring Hybrid, just might be the true one car for everything solution, people have been waiting for. With the possible exception of ground clearance and awd. Oh yeah, and a lumbar adjustment for the driver’s seat. No excuse for omitting that Honda.
Was just about to echo the same thing FFEMT6 just said.. have been waiting for a Hybrid hatch from Honda since the 2nd-gen Insight disappeared.. this might quickly become the best-selling Civic variant.