Used Honda Civic 2018-2022 — IIHS, Consumer Reports, and KBB Data Compared to Camry

The 10th-generation Honda Civic (2016-2021 sedan, 2017-2021 hatchback) and the refreshed 11th-gen 2022 are the most cross-shopped compacts in the US used market. Like the Toyota Camry in the midsize segment, the Civic accumulates favorable data across IIHS, Consumer Reports, J.D. Power, and KBB — a quartet of independent measures that converge on the same conclusion. This article walks through each dataset and identifies exactly which model year and trim represents the best value.

If you read the companion post on the 2018-2022 Camry, the format is the same, and the conclusion structurally similar: the cross-referenced data tells a consistent story. Where the Camry wins on long-term reliability by a small margin, the Civic wins on fuel economy and total cost of ownership.

IIHS safety data

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rates 2018+ Civic sedans Top Safety Pick (TSP) and 2019+ hatchbacks also TSP, with the 2019+ trims that include LED headlights earning Top Safety Pick+ (TSP+).

Specific test results across 2018-2022:

• Moderate overlap front: Good (best rating)
• Driver-side small overlap front: Good
• Passenger-side small overlap front: Good (2019+); Acceptable (2018)
• Side impact: Good
• Roof strength: Good
• Head restraints: Good
• Headlights: varies by trim — Sport/Touring trims get Good; LX trim Acceptable to Marginal
• Front crash prevention (vehicle-to-vehicle): Superior with Honda Sensing (standard from 2019+)
• LATCH ease: Good

The headlights variable is the most common reason a specific Civic doesn’t earn TSP+ — base LX trim halogen headlights get lower ratings than higher trims with LEDs. If headlight rating matters to you, look for Sport, EX, or Touring trims.

Consumer Reports reliability

Consumer Reports’ reliability scores aggregate member surveys across 17 trouble areas. For 2018-2022 Civic:

Year	Predicted Reliability (out of 5)	Owner Satisfaction	CR Recommended
2018	4/5	4/5	Yes
2019	5/5	4/5	Yes
2020	5/5	4/5	Yes
2021	4/5	4/5	Yes
2022	5/5	5/5	Yes

CR has continuously rated the 10th-gen Civic among the most reliable compacts. The 2018 score is dragged slightly by the 1.5L turbo oil-dilution complaints (since resolved by software updates and extended warranty); 2019+ scores reflect the post-fix data.

J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study (2024)

J.D. Power’s VDS measures problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) at the 3-year ownership mark. Industry average is around 190 PP100. For midsize/compact cars:

• Toyota Camry: 162 PP100 (top of segment)
• Honda Civic: 178 PP100
• Mazda3: 185 PP100
• Hyundai Elantra: 196 PP100
• Nissan Sentra: 209 PP100
• VW Jetta: 215 PP100
• Ford Focus: 232 PP100 (last produced 2018)

The Civic sits second in compact, slightly behind Camry overall but ahead of every direct compact competitor. The 16-PP100 gap between Camry and Civic is real but small — both well above industry average.

KBB pricing 2024 — what to pay

Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price for typical mileage and condition (assumes Good cosmetic, no accidents):

Year	Trim	Mileage	Retail	Private Party
2018	LX sedan	75K	$16,500	$14,300
2019	LX sedan	60K	$18,500	$16,200
2019	Sport sedan	60K	$19,800	$17,400
2020	Sport sedan	50K	$20,500	$18,000
2021	EX sedan	35K	$23,800	$21,400
2022	EX sedan	25K	$25,500	$23,000

Hatchbacks command $1,500-2,500 premium over equivalent sedan trim. Si trim adds $2,000-3,500. Touring trim adds $2,500-4,000. The 2024 prices are ~6-9% below the 2023 peak, when used compact pricing inflated due to new-car shortages.

EPA fuel economy

The Civic’s fuel economy edge over Camry is real and consistent. EPA combined ratings:

Year	Trim	Combined MPG
2018-2022	LX 2.0L	32 (sedan) / 33 (hatch)
2018-2022	EX/Sport 1.5T	33-36
2018-2022	Touring 1.5T	32-34
2017-2021	Si 1.5T	32
2017-2021	Type R 2.0T	25

For typical commuting (12,000 miles/year), the difference between a 33 MPG Civic and a 30 MPG Camry is about 36 gallons/year — at $3.50/gal that’s $126/year. Over a 7-year ownership period, $880. Not life-changing, but meaningful, especially if gas prices rise.

RepairPal cost of ownership

RepairPal aggregates real repair invoices to estimate annual maintenance cost:

• Honda Civic average annual cost: $368
• Toyota Camry average annual cost: $388
• Compact car segment average: $526
• Industry average all vehicles: $652

The Civic is among the cheapest cars to maintain in the US market. Common repair items (over typical 5-7 year ownership):

• Brake pads and rotors: $300-450 (every 50-70K miles)
• Cabin air filter: $30-50 DIY, $80-120 at dealer
• Engine air filter: $20-40 DIY, $60-90 at dealer
• Spark plugs: $200-300 at 60K miles (1.5T) or 100K miles (2.0L)
• Tires: $400-700 every 35-45K miles depending on trim

What to look for when shopping

1. Verify Honda Sensing version

Honda Sensing became standard on most 2019+ Civic trims. Confirm:

• Forward Collision Warning + Collision Mitigation Braking
• Lane Departure Warning + Lane Keep Assist
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Road Departure Mitigation

If a 2018 Civic doesn’t have Honda Sensing (it was optional), the IIHS front crash prevention rating drops from Superior to Basic. Don’t accept the same price as a Sensing-equipped car.

2. 1.5T oil dilution check (2017-2021)

The 1.5L turbo (Sport, EX, EX-T, EX-L, Touring trims) had oil dilution issues in cold climates. Honda issued software updates and extended powertrain warranty. Verification steps:

• Pull the oil dipstick. If oil smells strongly of gasoline, the fix may not have been applied.
• Ask seller for service records showing TSB 21-076 or 19-099 software update applied.
• Carfax may show recall/TSB completion.

If the car has the update applied, the issue is largely resolved per Consumer Reports member follow-ups. Cars without the update should be discounted ~$1,000.

3. AC condenser (2018-2019)

A subset of 2018-2019 Civics had AC condenser failures. Honda extended warranty. If the car still has factory AC blowing cold air, no concern. If AC is weak, expect $800-1,200 to fix outside warranty.

4. Infotainment

Pre-2022 Civic infotainment is the system’s weakest point — slow, no physical volume knob (added 2019), Apple CarPlay/Android Auto became standard 2019+. If you live in your phone’s nav, target 2019+. The 2022 11th-gen got an entirely new 7” or 9” system that’s much better.

5. Maintenance history

Honda recommends:

• Oil + filter every 5,000-7,500 miles (depends on Maintenance Minder)
• CVT fluid every 30,000-60,000 miles (Honda doesn’t specify but mechanics recommend; CVT failures drop dramatically with regular fluid changes)
• Transmission fluid every 30,000 miles for manual

A car with documented service history adds $500-1,000 in resale and dramatically reduces risk of expensive surprises.

Civic vs Camry — when to pick which

Pick Civic if:

• Compact size fits your life better (city driving, smaller parking)
• Fuel economy matters meaningfully (long commute, high gas prices)
• You want lower purchase price (~$3-5K cheaper at equivalent condition)
• You like the Sport/Si/Type R performance options

Pick Camry if:

• You haul passengers regularly (rear seat is meaningfully larger)
• Long-trip comfort matters (quieter at highway speeds, smoother ride)
• You want absolute top reliability scores
• You prefer the larger interior and trunk

Both are excellent — within the noise, both deliver what their reputations promise.

Honda hybrid?

The Civic Hybrid was reintroduced for 2025+ and isn’t in the 2018-2022 used pool. If you want a Honda hybrid in this era, look at the Insight (2019-2022, mechanically a Civic Hybrid) — same chassis, hybrid system, ~50 MPG combined, harder to find in the used market but excellent value when you do.

For the 2018-2022 sedan crossover-shopping zone, hybrid options are: Toyota Camry Hybrid (covered in Camry post), Hyundai Elantra Hybrid (2021+), Honda Insight (2019-2022).

Bottom line

The 2018-2022 Honda Civic is among the safest, most reliable, lowest-cost-to-own compacts in the US used market. Cross-referenced across IIHS (TSP/TSP+), Consumer Reports (4-5/5), J.D. Power (top-3 in segment), and RepairPal (lowest annual cost in compact), the data converges on a clear picture. The 2019 LX or Sport at 50-65K miles, with confirmed Honda Sensing and 1.5T TSB compliance (if equipped with turbo), is the sweet spot at $17-19K.

For comparison shopping the midsize segment, see the Toyota Camry 2018-2022 analysis — same data sources, similar quality, larger size, slightly better long-term reliability.

Day-one accessories for a used 2018-2022 Honda Civic

The 10th-generation Civic has a few model-specific weak spots that aftermarket accessories close. Three categories cover ~90% of the practical upgrades reported by Civic forums:

The WeatherTech + VIOFO dashcam pair is the strongest single-shot upgrade. Add the LASFIT bulbs only if your Civic has halogen headlights — the LED variant doesn’t need an upgrade.