2025 Honda Civic Hybrid Review and Test Drive
Honda has reintroduced the Civic Hybrid, and it's the one to get.
Connor Hoffman
Honda has decided to sell a Civic Hybrid again, thankfully, because it's the one you want.
A powerful new hybrid drivetrain and several other updates improve the 2025 Honda Civic, already known for its exceptional fuel economy and fun-to-drive spirit. It's not the only hybrid available in its segment, and some of the Civic Hybrid's rivals offer compelling value equations of their own. However, none combine robust power with the dynamic DNA of a Honda.
From 2016 to 2021, the Civic lineup didn't include a hybrid model because Honda offered a similar Insight sedan instead. Now, the Civic Hybrid returns for the 2025 model year, providing about 70 more miles of range from a tank of gas compared with the standard Civic while returning up to 49 mpg in combined city, highway driving.
The 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid is available in sedan and hatchback body styles, and Sport Hybrid and Sport Touring Hybrid trim levels. These are the most expensive versions of the car, with base prices ranging from the high $20,000s to the mid-$30,000s, including the destination charge. Honda builds the Civic Hybrid sedan in Allston, Ontario, Canada, while the Civic Hybrid hatchback rolls off an assembly line in Greensburg, Indiana.
Honda flew me to Nashville so that I could drive the Civic Hybrid hatch from downtown to the Natchez Trace Scenic Byway. My test car had Sport Touring Hybrid trim and extra-cost Boost Blue Pearl paint, bringing the manufacturer's suggested retail price to $34,500, including the $1,095 destination charge. Honda paid for airfare, lodging, and meals during the evaluation period.
Connor Hoffman
Is the 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid a Good Car?
Few cars execute their mission down to the last detail. The 2025 Civic Sport Touring Hybrid is one of them, excelling with a serene cabin, excellent build quality, a smooth and efficient powertrain, and plenty of practicality.
But it's not the only game in town. Rivals include the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid, Toyota Corolla Hybrid, and Toyota Prius, and all three offer higher fuel-economy ratings than the Honda. In addition, the Toyotas are available with all-wheel drive, and the Prius comes in a plug-in-hybrid Prime model.
Connor Hoffman
What's New for the 2025 Honda Civic?
In addition to replacing the previously available turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine with a hybrid powertrain, Honda makes several changes across the 2025 Civic lineup.
Revised styling, new wheel designs, and fresh paint colors are available, and improved body rigidity enhances safety in a collision. The gas-only Civics get a new 2.0-liter engine with a recalibrated continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), and with the departure of the turbo, the hatchback is no longer available with a manual transmission. Honda also retuned the Civic's suspension for 2025.
The Civic Sport Touring Hybrid now comes standard with a Google built-in infotainment system and a complimentary three-year subscription to Google Maps, Google Assistant, and Google Play Store. In addition, the 2025 Civic's Honda Sensing collection of driver-assistance systems gets several improvements for smoother and more refined operation.
Connor Hoffman
Smooth and Serene Describes the Civic Hybrid Hatchback
Honda equips the Civic Hybrid with the latest version of its unique two-motor hybrid system. It pairs a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors, including a generator motor that recharges the battery as you drive and a propulsion motor that powers the car's front wheels. (Honda calls this Linear Shift Control.) The company's Accord Hybrid and CR-V Hybrid also use this powertrain.
Unlike some hybrids, the Civic is anything but slow. Fun fact: The company claims that the new hybrid model is the most powerful Civic ever sold except for the Type R. Total system output measures 200 horsepower and 232 pound-feet of torque. That torque is available from zero to 2,000 rpm, so you feel it the moment you step on the accelerator pedal.
Connor Hoffman
During my drive, the Civic Hybrid delivered smooth and lively acceleration in all situations because, unlike some hybrid systems, the transition from electric to gas power is seamless. Several driving modes and regenerative braking levels allow you to customize the car's dynamics further.
I thought Normal mode worked well for typical driving, while Sport mode makes traveling winding roads much more enjoyable. All Econ mode does is moderate throttle inputs and make the climate control system more efficient.
The EPA rates the 2025 Civic Hybrid sedan's fuel economy at 50/47/49 mpg in city/highway/combined driving. Honda's estimate for the Civic Hybrid hatchback is 50/45/48 mpg. While driving around downtown Nashville, on two-lane highways, and along country mountain roads, my hatchback's trip computer reported an average of 44 mpg.
Honda Sensing's updated adaptive cruise controland lane-keeping assist made the drive enjoyable, especially in traffic, thanks to the traffic jam assist technology. However, I noticed that the system can react slowly to situations that require sudden braking maneuvers.
Connor Hoffman
What's Inside the Civic Hybrid Hatchback Is Terrific, Too
It's not just the Civic's new hybrid powertrain that makes it an exceptional everyday commuter. When Honda introduced the current-generation Civic in 2022, it arrived with one of the nicest Honda interiors to date. For example, the dashboard features aluminum honeycomb trim, and the controls for the hidden air vents produce satisfying clicks when you adjust them.
A 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system is standard, while Sport Touring models upgrade to a 9.0-inch screen with Google built-in. My test car had the Google setup. It worked well except for the display's rough texture, which sometimes made it difficult to scroll through menus and adjust settings.
Connor Hoffman
On the windy and rainy test-drive day, the Sport Touring model's acoustic glass helped drown out wind noise. To help hush the cabin even more, Honda fits the hybrid models with quieter tires that have 19% less rolling resistance. Sport Touring models get specific wheel designs that also reduce noise and vibration.
Since the hybrids are the top two trims in the Civic's lineup, they come equipped with heated front seats, a digital gauge cluster, and an available Bose audio system. Two adults will fit comfortably in the back seats, and the hatchback models also have more cargo space in the trunk than the sedans, so loading strollers, coolers, and golf clubs will be much easier.
Written by humans.
Edited by humans.
Connor HoffmanConnor Hoffman is a writer and editor based in Kansas City. Prior to becoming a freelance writer, he was an editor at a national car magazine and worked in communications at a major automaker. He loves off-roading and camping in his 4Runner, golfing (poorly), and shredding on his mountain bike.
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