Yahoo Autos Tested: 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid Hatchback
Honda has been busy propagating the world with many versions of the 11th generation Civic and its relatives. Performance buyers get both Si and Type R options, those in search of luxury have the two versions of the closely related Acura Integra, and the budget-conscious have a base Civic that still starts under $25,000. There is also one for those in search of maximum gas mileage in the form of the Honda Civic Hybrid, the sedan that was introduced earlier this year now joined by the hatchback version tested here.
The Lowdown
The eleventh-generation Honda Civic is a very good car, and the frugal hybrid powertrain adds to its list of strengths. Enthusiasts will likely prefer the sportier and similarly priced Civic Si, but the Hybrid is a better fit for those wanting to minimize ownership costs.
Vehicle Tested: 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid hatchback
Base Price: $29,950
Price as tested: $33,405
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
More Specs
Engine: 2.0-liter four-cylinder, electric motor, starter generator
Power: 200 hp (total system peak)
Torque: 232 lb-ft (total system peak)
0-60 mph: 6.2-sec (est)
Transmission: Electric motor plus direct drive
Weight: 3252 pounds
EPA MPG: 50/ 45/ 48 (City/ Highway/ Combined)
How Does It Drive?
This is not a Civic Si, let alone a Civic Type R. Despite its impressive 200 hp, the Hybrid is not exactly the secret third performance Civic. This is a particularly rational city car, with its standout statistic the fact it gets a very impressive 50 MPG City EPA rating. Which would be exceptional in this part of the market if it wasn't for the Toyota Prius's 57 MPG rating for the same benchmark.
Despite its frugality the Civic Hybrid is not an underpowered eco special. Fully unleashed, the Civic Hybrid is impressively potent, with Car and Driver having clocked the sedan from 0-60mph in 6.2 seconds. The hatchback will be near identical.
Power comes from an Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine that works in conjunction with what Honda calls a two-motor hybrid system, essentially the same one used by the Honda Accord Hybrid.
The larger AC electric motor normally drives the front wheels directly, with the engine working to keep the battery charged. But the four-cylinder can also power the front wheels directly once the car is moving. Additionally there is a smaller starter-generator that can add assistance as well as create charge. The upside is a hybrid system that doesn't use a slurring CVT transmission, with the Civic delivering power down quickly and cleanly when asked to.
But low rolling resistance tires, chosen to boost economy, and soft suspension settings mean the Civic Hybrid is definitely not a match for the stiffer, more agile Civic Si that I drove over the same roads. Being a hatchback remains a dynamic advantage, the Civic feeling better planted and more connected than a taller crossover. Unsurprisingly, the dynamic experience feels very similar to the Civic Hybrid sedan.
What's It Like To Live With?
The Civic Hybrid shines in the city, just as it should. It is comfortable, has a spacious cabin for its compact footprint, and comes well-equipped for its price. Crucially, it is also at the high end of the efficiency possible for an internal combustion car.
Even the base model is equipped with features like adaptive cruise control, heated seats and dual-zone climate control – these having finally trickled down from higher price points. For a $3000 premium, buyers can move up to the Sport Touring trim and add wireless CarPlay, leather-trimmed seats, and a few other features. The current-generation Civic interior remains stellar here, and the nine-inch touchscreen on feeling like a luxury without getting so large that it becomes obtrusive.
As a hatchback, the Civic also has a spacious and easily accessed luggage compartment. Unfortunately, the modern Civic hatch is more like a five-door sedan than a typical hatchback. That limits the size of the trunk, but even a restricted hatch aperture is still a major step up from the sedan in terms of practicality.
Should I Buy One?
If you are buying a Civic at this price point and prioritize a good time driving it, then you want the Si. That’s the one we’d pick given a straight choice. Realistically though, most Civic Hybrid buyers will be cross-shopping it with the standard Civic rather than one equipped with a manual transmission. When comparing those choices, the Hybrid becomes the obvious choice.
For a modest $2500 premium, the hybrid Civic hatchback beats its base model out by some 20 MPG city and kicks out an extra 50 hp for your trouble. That should make the purchase a no-brainer for anyone who can comfortably stretch the extra distance from the standard Civic hatchback's MSRP.
Externally, the Civic Hybrid hatchback's biggest competition comes in the form of the excellent new Toyota Prius. Economy-minded buyers would struggle to go wrong with either option, but the Prius notably starts at a lower price point and reaches even loftier heights in efficiency. Choosing the Civic over the Prius would be a matter of preference, but both choices are entirely justifiable.
Highlights and Lowlights
We Love:
Clever, efficient application of both internal combustion and hybrid motors.
The smart, well-appointed interior and good standard equipment.
The elegant five-door body style, even if it is more sedan-like than Civic hatches of the past
We Don't:
Suspension settings are a little on the soft side.
The $2000 supplement over the cheapest Toyota Prius.
Favorite Detail:
The car we drove was finished in Honda's Sand Dune Pearl. That color is a $455 option, but it is worth the supplement for those among us who still love a brown car.
You Might Also Like
