Driven: 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid Hatch Is Fuel-Efficient Fun

The 2025 Honda Civic gets a refresh this year to keep it competitive with the likes of the Toyota Corolla and Hyundai Elantra. There’s a more aggressive grille and front fascia along with revised headlamps to update the styling. It’s not a dramatic change, but it differentiates this year’s Civic from last year’s and enhances this compact car’s appeal.

The bigger news is what’s under the hood. In addition to a gas engine, the Civic is now available with a fuel-efficient hybrid powertrain, which expands the brand’s growing lineup of hybrid options. It’s available as either a sedan or a versatile hatchback in a choice of two well-equipped trims that make this already popular compact car even more appealing. Here’s our thoughts after spending a week with the hatchback hybrid.

What’s New

This is a refresh and not an all-new generation of the Civic. There are cosmetic changes up front to give it an added dose of style, but you’ll only notice the differences if you park this Civic next to a 2024 model. The most significant change is the addition of a hybrid engine in addition to the existing gas engine.

Exterior: Sporty But Not Too Much

The thing with trying to make a car look sporty is that you can go too far. Unless it’s a supercar, going overboard and making the design busy in an effort to make it look cool almost always fails. The Civic shows off an updated look this year that keeps it looking fresh and fun with a balance between sporty and sleek design elements.

Most of the changes are up front with a bolder front fascia and grille that give the Civic presence without making it look like it’s trying too hard. Hybrids get unique touches including a body-colored headlamp garnish and lower spoiler up front. Whichever you choose, the Civic has plenty of personality, especially in the hatchback with its almost coupe-like roofline.

Interior: More Room Than Expected For a Compact

The Civic is a compact car, which makes it something that’s not necessarily going to work for a family. There are bigger options out there, the Accord being a good example, if you want something that will easily manage the kids and their stuff, but the Civic is still a surprisingly roomy compact car.

Up front there is plenty of room for even taller adults to get comfortable with good headroom and legroom. The front seats have heavier bolstering to keep you in place, which is nice unless you’re on the larger side. They’re also low, so stepping into and out of the Civic could be tricky for those with mobility issues. The rear seats accommodate three but are best for two. Taller adults may find headroom compromised in back due to the sloped roofline, but legroom is better than what is available with the Corolla and only slightly less than the Elantra sedan.

The hybrid trims sit at the top of the lineup in both power and features with the Sport including heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, and sport pedals standard. Move to the Sport Touring and you get leather seats, an eight-way power driver’s seat, and a four-way power front passenger seat. It’s attractive in either guise, just like the exterior, adding just enough detail to make it feel fun without making it visually cluttered.

There’s also good space for cargo. The load floor is low so it’s easier to stow heavy items and the liftgate opening accommodates bulky cargo. The Civic offers 24.5 cubic feet behind the rear seats, which beats the Corolla easily. It also comes out ahead of the Elantra, which is only available as a sedan.

Infotainment: Touchscreens On The Smaller Side

The base infotainment system includes a seven-inch touchscreen with an eight-speaker audio system, Apple CarPlay, Android Audio, and two USB-C charging ports up front. The Sport Touring upgrades to a nine-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android, Wi-Fi hotspot connectivity, Qi wireless charging, Google built-in, and a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system. That’s a pretty significant increase in features that make the system feel more updated and complete.

Even the largest screen is only nine-inches, which is a bit small. Infotainment screens continue to grow with larger vehicles having massive 14-inch screens that dominate the dashboard. The Civic isn’t big enough to manage that, but a larger screen would be a bonus. Despite that drawback, the system is easy to use and the addition of Google built-in makes it simple for anyone to operate the system with voice commands.

Powertrain: The Hybrid Is The One To Get

The Civic is available with two engines, including a new hybrid. There’s a carryover 2.0-liter 4-cylinder gas engine with 150 horsepower and 133 lb-ft of torque on base trims. The hybrid version of that engine adds two electric motors and delivers a marked performance improvement with 200 horsepower and 232 lb-ft of torque. Both are paired to a continuously variable automatic transmission with front-wheel drive only. If you’re interested in strong performance, then the hybrid is the one that should be at the top of your list.

Impressive Fuel Economy

One of the benefits of owning a compact car is fuel efficiency. They’re generally a lot less thirsty than SUVs and the Civic holds true to that notion, regardless of the engine you choose. The gas engine gets an EPA-estimated 30/38/34 city/highway/combined. That’s good, but the hybrid gets 50/45/48 mpg, making it an even better option. This comes in a bit lower than both the Toyota Corolla hybrid and Hyundai Elantra hybrid.

Drive Impressions: Proving Hybrids Can Be Fun

There was a time not that long ago when hybrids were a sacrifice. Sure, you got better fuel economy, but they were miserable to drive with whining CVTs and poorly modulated power delivery. Those days are long gone, and the hybrid is now the one to get if you’re looking at the Civic. It has such a smooth ride with great acceleration. You will completely forget you’re even driving a hybrid until you cruise by the gas station instead of needing to stop to fill up the tank.

The biggest drawback to the Civic is that it’s only front-wheel drive, which isn’t ideal for those in snowy climates. We happened to get some of the white stuff and decided to take it out for a spin just to see how it did and were impressed. It kept its composure even when the roads were sloppy and was easy to manage at highway speeds and on side streets. Throw a set of winter tires on the Civic, and we’d be perfectly fine using this as a daily driver in all but the worst winter storms.

Ride and Handling: Responsive But Easy-Going

The Civic has excellent road manners with a suspension system that hides all but the worst road imperfections. Only the largest of winter’s potholes are an issue with pebbled road surfaces and broken pavement mostly smoothed out to provide a uniform ride. During highway driving, steering is somewhat light though communicative, so you will feel what’s happening beneath the wheels, but it’s not intrusive.

Passengers will find it easy to sit back and relax with the quiet cabin allowing for conversation or road trip naps. Take the Civic on more leisurely drives and it handles beautifully on winding roads. This isn’t a sports car, but rather balances comfort with handling driving enthusiasts will enjoy.

Pricing and Verdict: Paying A Premium

The Civic is a hugely popular compact car that is in its 11th generation for a reason. It has good reliability, great features, and now a choice of gas or hybrid engines. Styling is attractive with just enough to keep it from being a dull compact without going too far to make it look like a sports car. It’s quite simply a fabulous option for those looking for a compact, especially if you go with the hatchback for the ability to carry more cargo.

There are only two trims of the hybrid, starting with the Sport at $29,950 not including $1,095 destination fee. The Sport Touring jumps to $32,950 for its added features. Here’s where the Civic gets to be a bit of a tricky proposition. The base Corolla hybrid starts at only $23,625 and tops out at $27,465 not including $1,135 destination. That top price also includes all-wheel drive. Still, the Civic is a compelling option with more room for people and cargo, great styling, and a responsive ride.