If you want a compact sedan that is fuel efficient, practical, and comfortable to drive, you are looking for a Honda Civic. But can they last long? How long do Honda Civics last?
The Honda Civic is one of the most reliable compact sedans, regardless of the model. It is not unusual to have Honda Civics lasting well beyond 200 000 miles. This is roughly equivalent to 14 to 16 years of average driving in the United States. These cars are so durable that some have traveled over 300,000 miles.
These compact cars are also very reliable. The reliability rating of Honda Civics is 4.5 out of 5.0. As such, they are ranked third out of 36 compact sedans. The average annual repair cost for these cars is around $368. This means this vehicle has an average ownership cost.
Read on to learn more about Honda Civics, how long they last, and how you can make them last very long.
How Long Do Honda Civics Last?
How Many Miles Will a Honda Civic Last?
No matter the year model, Honda Civics are one of the most dependable compact sedans on the market. How many miles will a Honda Civic last?
It is not uncommon for Honda Civics to last more than 200,000 miles, roughly equivalent to 14 to 16 years of regular driving on the streets of the United States. Some of these cars have even lasted over 300,000 miles.
Reliability Rating
As for dependability, the reliability rating of Honda Civics is 4.5 out of 5.0, ranking it third out of 36 for compact sedans. These vehicles are not expensive to maintain. On average, you will only spend $386 annually to maintain a Honda Civic.
Service Life
With responsible use and regular maintenance, you can expect your Honda Civic to last around 20 years. This long service life is more than the industry average. You can enjoy the services of your Honda Civic from 200,000 to 300,000 miles before it breaks down.
15.5% Chance of Major Repair During Its Lifespan
The chance that a Honda Civic will need a major repair during its normal service life is just 15.5%. Compared to other vehicles of its class and size, the Honda Civic is better by 5.93%.
Maintenance Cost
During its first ten years of service, you can expect your Honda Civic to cost around $5,245 in repairs and maintenance. The industry average is more than $1,851 of this amount.
Lower Cost of Ownership
So, the cost of ownership of a Honda Civic is lower. Honda Civics are durable, compact cars if given proper care and maintenance and is driven responsibly.
How Can You Stretch the Life of Your Honda Civic?
Honda Civics are built strongly. That’s why they last long. This is also why they are popular among car buyers in the United States and around the world. The great thing is: you can even stretch the life of a Honda Civic much longer.
How can you make that possible? Below I listed the things you can do to prolong your Civic’s life. If you do them, you can make it last up to 300,000 miles:
1. Practice Responsible Driving
One thing that shortens a vehicle’s life span is irresponsible driving. If you want your Honda Civic to last long, don’t be an aggressive driver. Sudden starts and stops will take a hard toll on the Civic.
You can wear out its brake pads very quickly. Always driving fast and making quick and sharp turns will also stress your tires. If you go fast when passing speed bumps, you will put undue stress on the Civic’s suspension. You may even damage its chassis.
Remember, the more aggressive you drive, the shorter the service life of your Honda Civic will be.
2. Service Your Civic Regularly
If you want your Honda Civic to last 200,000 miles or even longer, you must follow this maintenance and service schedule as much as possible.
At least, you should take your Honda Civic to the dealer or a trusted mechanic once a year for its annual service. The mechanic will check the following:
- Engine,
- Brakes,
- Wheels,
- Tires,
- Tire alignment,
- Suspension, and so forth.
They will also check or replace all the fluids in your Civic, including the engine oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, windshield wiper fluid, and antifreeze. The mechanic will advise you if any part of your car needs repair or replacement.
While your Honda Civic can last up to 200,000 miles, along the way, things may crop up that will cause you to sell it after 5, 10, or 15 years. So, keeping your Civic in tip-top shape will enable you to sell it reasonably. It’s like protecting your investment.
3. Don’t Allow Rust to Eat Your Honda Civic
One of the worst enemies of cars is rust. It will eat up your car if you allow it to develop.
You can prevent rust from developing in your Civic, especially in the under chassis, by regularly washing and cleaning.
Apply anti-rust protection to your car. As you notice rust developing, remove it right away. If you don’t, it will spread out and create unsightly holes in your vehicle.
Inspect the metal parts of your car regularly for developing rust. Corrosion usually starts on the metal connections between the rear bumper and the rear quarter panel. You will also find rust on the metal parts around the wheels.
Modern Honda Civics are equipped with rear-wheel wells lined with plastics, so rust is no longer a problem in these areas. But older Civics do not have these plastic linings. So, watch out for rust in these areas if you have an older model Honda Civic.
You also need to regularly examine your Honda Civic if you primarily drive in coastal areas and colder and wintry regions of the United States. Constant exposure to salt and moisture hastens the formation of rust in metals.
4. Only Use High-Quality Parts
Why do Honda Civics last so long? These compact cars come out of the factory with high-quality parts. That’s the reason why they can endure the ordinary stress and stress of daily driving.
If, while driving, you encounter an accident that damages any one of its parts, you should replace those parts with Honda OEM parts.
This will ensure that your car only uses high-quality spare parts made to last long, just like the original part they came with. Don’t settle for spare parts that are not as good and as strong as the OEM parts of Honda – or your Civic may not last as long.
5. Don’t Make Too Many Modifications
If you want to improve the looks and performance of your Honda Civic, do it reasonably. You should remember that if your Honda Civic is still under warranty, any modification that you perform on it, even a small one, will void your warranty.
That’s a principle you must follow if you want to stretch your Civic’s life. Reasonable modifications are alright. Remember that your Civic was meant to work optimally with its existing design. Over-the-top mods can adversely affect some of its performance.
How Reliable Are Honda Civics?
According to research data and anecdotal evidence, the Honda Civic can be considered a reliable, compact car. It is not unusual to see people driving Honda Civics that already have high mileage without significant issues.
RepairPal rated the Honda Civic as the third most reliable compact sedan in its compact car reliability rankings. This is remarkable if you will consider that there are over 36 car models that are competing in the compact sedan segment.
Which Honda Civic Model Lasts the Longest?
While Honda Civics are known to have long service lives, some can last longer than others. We are talking about the different Honda Civic models that came out of the Honda Motor Company factories. They are not all created equal.
Most Reliable Honda Civic
Based on records, the Honda Civic that can last the longest is the 2019 Honda Civic. Drivers and owners have praised this Civic model. There are only minimal complaints lodged against this Civic model.
They said that it has no reliability issues. By far, this Honda Civic model is the most durable of all the Civic models manufactured by Honda Motor Company. Late-model Civics also received minimum complaints. And the interesting thing is that the protests were less severe.
Honda Civics with the Most Complaints
Meanwhile, the Honda Civics that have received the most complaints are the 2001 and the 2006 to 2009 models. The Honda Civic with an excessive number of complaints is the 2001 Honda Civic.
Some of these complaints include Bluetooth connectivity. While this issue is a nuisance, it does not affect the vehicle’s performance.
Again, how long do Honda Civics last? Honda Civics are one of the most reliable compact cars available. It can last beyond 200 000-mile, which is equal to 14 to 16 years. You may even find Honda Civics that traveled more than 300 000 miles.
How Long Do Honda Civic Components Last?
A thoroughly functioning Honda Civic is the sum of all its parts. This compact sedan drives well because of its engine, its ECU, and all its systems, including the fuel system, the braking system, the suspension system, and many more.
You should also be interested to know how long these components last. So, we will discuss the service lives of the key components of a Honda Civic:
1. Transmission System
How long does a Honda Civic transmission last? The transmission of a Honda Civic can last about 120,000 to 180,000 miles. It could be even more if the car is given the proper and regular care and maintenance.
2. Tires
If driven responsibly and provided with proper care and maintenance, a Honda Civic’s tires will last from 30,000 to 60,000 miles. This is equivalent to around five to 10 years, depending on its accumulated mileage.
3. Spark Plugs
According to research, the spark plugs of a Honda Civic can last 100,000 miles before they develop problems. You need to replace them on or even before they reach this distance.
4. Brakes
On average, the brakes of a Honda Civic can last from 30,000 to 60,000 miles. This translates to around 5 to 10 years. Brakes are essential for your safety. So, before your Honda Civic hits this length of service, inspect its braking system, especially its brake pads and rotors.
Is It Expensive to Maintain a Honda Civic?
According to some research, it is estimated that the Honda Civic is one of the cheapest compact sedans to maintain. On average, you will spend around $368 in service fees for maintaining this Honda car model.
This amount is among the lowest ownership cost for compact sedans. The industry average is around $526. This means the cost of maintaining a Honda Civic is very low.
Honda’s Service Life Vs. Competitors
So, how does the Honda Civic compare to other cars in its class regarding longevity? Here are some data that you may want to consider:
1. Toyota Corolla
Among its class and size, the nearest rival of the Civic is the Toyota Corolla. Both car models have the same average lifespan, which is a maximum of 300,000 miles. Their cost of maintenance is also nearly the same.
The maintenance cost of the Civic per year is about $362, while that of the Corolla is around $379. So the difference is negligible. As their differences are not that much, your choice will depend on the car model that you want.
2. Ford Focus
The Ford Focus is another compact sedan that can last very long. This car model can reach up to 250,000 miles if cared for appropriately and driven responsibly.
However, the Civic still edges the Ford Focus since its life can be stretched up to 300,000 miles, so long as it is provided with the proper maintenance.
Regarding the cost of ownership, Ford Focus registers around $569 per year of service. The Honda Civic only requires a $368 service fee per annum.
3. Hyundai Elantra
The Hyundai Elantra is also a durable and reliable compact car. However, it has a shorter service life than the Honda Civic. The maximum lifespan of a Hyundai Elantra is around 250,000 miles. Compare that to the Civic’s 300,000 miles, and you will see which car will last longer.
In other words, the Honda Civic can stay longer in your service for three more years, compared to a Hyundai Elantra.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you still have questions about the length of service that a Honda Civic can provide, perhaps you will get your answer from the often-asked questions about this topic:
How Long Can I Use a Brand New Honda Civic?
In many cases, if you buy a brand-new Honda Civic, you can expect it to last over 200,000 miles. Some Honda Civic owners still enjoy their vehicles’ services even after driving them around for more than 300,000 miles.
Is Honda Civic a Reliable Car?
Yes, you can depend on a Honda Civic to take you where you want to go. The reliability rating of the Honda Civic is 4.5 out of 5.0. This rating ranks the Civic as third out of 36 cars in its class and size.
What Is the Usual Maintenance Cost of a Honda Civic?
On average, the ownership cost of a Honda Civic per year is about $368. This is among the lowest cost of ownership for cars in their class and size.
Is It Expensive to Repair a Honda Civic?
The cost of a Honda Civic repair for the first ten years of its service life is around $5,245. This cost is lower than the average in the industry for compact sedans by about $1,851.
What Are the Chances of a Honda Civic Breaking Down?
There is only a 15.57% chance of a Honda Civic requiring significant repairs during its first ten years of service. This is better by 5.93% compared to other compact sedans in its class and size.
Is It Good to Buy a Honda Civic That Has More than 200,000 Miles in Its Odometer?
A Honda Civic, if given proper care and maintenance and driven responsibly, has the potential of clocking in more than 200,000 miles on its odometer. So, even if a Honda Civic has high mileage, it is still a good buy, all things being considered.
In Closing: What Is the Life Span of Honda Civics?
Regardless of the model, Honda Civics are one of the most reliable compact sedans on the market. It is not surprising to see Honda Civics lasting well beyond 200 000 miles.
This roughly translates to 14 to 16 years of average driving in the United States. Honda Civics are durable and some have traveled more than 300,000 miles.
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