2010 Honda Civic Reviews

Cars Direct

Calculating Prices Please Wait
Vehicle Min Max
2010 Honda Civic $14,558 $21,997
2012 Mitsubishi Lancer N/A N/A
2012 Subaru Impreza $21,991 $33,990
2012 Honda CR-Z N/A N/A
Average $18,275 $27,994
See More Price Trends »
Used Car Price Range

$14,558 - $21,997
Vehicle Min Max
2010 Honda Civic $247 $374
2012 Mitsubishi Lancer N/A N/A
2012 Subaru Impreza $373 $577
2012 Honda CR-Z N/A N/A
Average $310 $475
Find a 2010 Civic near you »
Based On: 10% down, 5% APR, 60 months
Estimated Monthly Payment

$247 - $374 per month
MPG city hwy
2010 Honda Civic 25 33
2012 Mitsubishi Lancer 22 31
2012 Subaru Impreza 26 34
2012 Honda CR-Z 31 37
Average 26 34
Find a 2010 Civic near you »
MPG

25 City | 33 Highway

Vehicle	Min	Max
2010 Honda Civic	$14,558	$21,997
2012 Mitsubishi Lancer	N/A	N/A
2012 Subaru Impreza	$21,991	$33,990
2012 Honda CR-Z	N/A	N/A
Average	$18,275	$27,994

Vehicle	Min	Max
2010 Honda Civic	$247	$374
2012 Mitsubishi Lancer	N/A	N/A
2012 Subaru Impreza	$373	$577
2012 Honda CR-Z	N/A	N/A
Average	$310	$475

MPG	city	hwy
2010 Honda Civic	25	33
2012 Mitsubishi Lancer	22	31
2012 Subaru Impreza	26	34
2012 Honda CR-Z	31	37
Average	26	34

Summary
|
Introduction
|
Walkaround
|
Interior Features
|
Driving Impressions
|
Final Word

2010 Honda Civic

The Honda Civic sedans and coupes don't share any body panels. Details and markings distinguish each trim level. The Honda Civic sedan has a grille with a tall, trapezoidal center opening with secondary scoop-like openings on either side. A grid-like insert in the center opening contrasts with a kind of cyclone-fence theme in the side scoops. Slender headlamp assemblies angle upwards as they curve around the fenders. Around back, a bright chrome bar connects the taillights just above the indentation for the license plate.

The coupe grille has the Honda logo centered in an oval-themed black mesh, with a lower trapezoidal opening, and scoops at either side that are drawn out wide and horizontal and divided midway by a horizontal strut.

Save for a lower body character line, the sides of the Civic are more slab than sensuous. Understated fender blisters break up the otherwise featureless expanse. Honda calls it a monoform design, and a central expression of this is the windshield, the leading edge of which reaches into the hood all the way to the middle of the front wheel wells, pushing the cab-forward design concept to a new extreme. On the coupe, the windshield is raked at a radical 21.9 degrees; the sedan's at a barely more upright 23.9 degrees.

The coupe's spoilered, rounded rear profile suggests sleek swiftness. The sedan's somewhat abbreviated trunk lid and high, chunky tail add perceived mass to a tightly proportioned, smallish sedan.

On the Si sedan, the grille bar is black instead of chrome. On both the coupe and sedan an Si badge tucks into the grille's lower left side, and oval fog lights are set into the bumper's outboard openings. An i-VTEC label appears just forward of the rear wheel well; on the Si sedan it's placed low on the rear door. A rear spoiler wraps over the outboard edges of the sedan's trunk lid; on the coupe, the spoiler is free-standing. Both sedan and coupe roll on their own unique alloy wheels. The Hybrid is understated, with just a small Hybrid badge under the right rear taillight. Our least favorite feature is its pseudo-aero wheels, which look as if they were cut from pizza pans.

A blue CNG diamond on the right side of the rear deck lid, and NGV lettering on the rear doors, identify the natural gas-powered GX.

2010 Honda Civic

We find the Civic LX sedan the most comfortable model. The DX edges more toward spartan inside, while the EX heads toward lush. Fit and finish meet Honda standards. Plastic trim elements look high-grade, although the multi-piece dash invites concern about high-mileage squeaks and buzzes.

Seats are comfortable, not plush. Seat bottoms provide better than average thigh support. The manual height adjustment on the driver's seat pivots on front hinges, forcing drivers to choose between seat height and legroom. The Si models get sport front seats with synthetic suede upholstery and more aggressive bolsters both bottom and side for improved support.

The view out the front, with the expansive windshield, low cowl and sloping hood, is unparalleled in the class. A commensurately low beltline would enhance side vision, but otherwise there's little about which to complain. Tiny front quarter windows on the sedan, necessary to allow the front door windows to roll all the way down, push the side rear-view mirrors a bit too far rearward for quick and easy glances at neighboring lanes.

Controls are for the most part where they should be, but not necessarily as they should be. There's little symmetry in organization or shape of features and interfaces. It's not an unpleasant look, but one that requires some acclimation. Despite the seeming logic of the two-tier instrument display, we still haven't adjusted to the resulting weird pod draped over the top of the dash.

The dash itself seems endlessly deep; draped across its top, in front of the driver, is a hooded opening with a digital speedometer between LCD coolant temperature and fuel level gauges. Down below, in the more common place for instruments, a large, round, analog tachometer dominates the view through the top half of the steering wheel, with warning lights to either side. Outboard of this display are large, irregular vent registers. Instrument lighting is blue on most models but red on the Si models.

Sedans share the coupe's three-spoke steering wheel (with spokes at the 3, 6, and 9 o'clock positions), which matches the spacey interior theme just as well. The Civic navigation system includes Bluetooth HandsFreeLink, a wireless telephone interface that works with Bluetooth-enabled mobile telephones for hands-free operation via steering wheel-mounted controls.

Centered in the dash above the climate control panel is a stereo control head with the pertinent accoutrements; unless you order navigation, in which case this space is shared by an LCD window combining the navigation display with audio settings. In the Hybrid, a selection of graphic depictions of the power system's functions and status occupies the same location.

To the right of this squished pod-like arrangement, the dash curves away from the front passenger and houses two more horizontally oriented vent registers; again, neither of which matches the other. A wide, but not especially deep glove box resides below a cabin-wide, clam shell-like notch dividing the upper and lower halves of the dash.

There is no center stack to speak of, which otherwise might tie together the dash and the floor-mounted controls. Instead, below the climate control panel is a shallow storage bin with a power point and an audio input jack on the left side. Forward of the metallic-trimmed block of plastic serving as a base for the hand brake and shift levers is a good-sized, rectangular storage bin. Another shallow cubby is tucked in between the shift lever housing and a pair of seat bottom-level cup holders under a sliding cover. Aft of this on all but the DX is an abbreviated, padded armrest covering another storage bin, inside of which on the EX, EX-L, Si and Hybrid is a second power point. Each door has a hard plastic map pocket. A magazine pouch is on the rear of the front passenger's seatback; on the Hybrid, there's one on the driver's seatback, too. Architecturally busy interior door panels could be friendlier to fingers in terms of grips and pulls, but armrests provide good support at the right level.

When it comes to interior room, the Civic coupe and sedan are competitive with other cars in their classes. Almost oversize rear doors provide easy rear-seat access. But the bench seats in the rear are flat and do little to keep passengers in place in twists and turns.

Cargo space, at 12.0 cubic feet, trails the class leaders by a couple of cubic feet. The Hybrid gives up an additional 1.6 cubic feet to battery and such, while the GX loses fully half its trunk to fuel storage.

2010 Honda Civic

We like driving Honda Civics. We found ride quality in the Honda Civic solid but not overly firm, with less road noise and wind whistle than is common for the class. The exceptionally stiff chassis gives the Civic a solid and planted feel. The brake feel is solid as well. Thoroughly modern front and rear suspension designs deliver impressive stability and certain steering response. The long wheelbase smoothes the ride.

The five-speed automatic is just that, a select-it-and-leave-it transmission, and it does the job admirably. We do wish, though, that Honda would insert a tab below the D setting in the gate, as we sometimes shifted past it when shifting out of Park or Reverse and ended up in the D3 notch.

The five-speed manual gearbox is a bit rubbery in the shift feel, and hitting the desired gear sometimes requires careful aim.

The 1.8-liter engine that comes standard is rated at 140 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque. Honda rates the combined output of the Hybrid's electric motor and 1.3-liter gasoline engine at 110 horsepower and 123 pound-feet of torque, on regular unleaded. The LNG-powered GX rates 113 horsepower and 109 pound-feet. The 2.0-liter Si models feature 197 horsepower and 139 pound-feet, thanks partly to a high-compression cylinder head that demands premium fuel.

EPA fuel economy estimates are 26/34 mpg City/Highway for the five-speed manual, 25/36 mpg for the five-speed automatic, and 21/29 mpg for the Si six-speed manual. The Hybrid earns a 40/45 mpg rating, the GX a gasoline-equivalent of 24/36.

The EX-L, Hybrid, and Si models come with electronic stability control, and the Si features larger front brake discs.

The Si engine is powerful. Hard acceleration is often accompanied by torque steer, a tug on the steering wheel. Around 6000 rpm the engine delivers a power surge as the i-VTEC's variable valve mechanicals shift emphasis from torque to horsepower. A helical-type, limited-slip differential enhances traction in slippery driving situations.

The Si Sedan is almost as much fun as the Si Coupe. The sedan rides on a wheelbase that's two inches longer and is a bit heavier (by 59 pounds). So, it's a little slower in acceleration, although it takes a stopwatch to notice. Steering response isn't quite as sharp, either.

The Hybrid's CVT automatic takes some getting used to, as the shiftless transmission leaves the tachometer needle roving seemingly aimlessly around the dial while the engine management system's electronic brain works to keep the engine speed at its most efficient given road speed and load. The Hybrid can deactivate up to all four of its cylinders and operate using only its compact (just 70mm wide) electric motor in certain low-speed situations. Its 1.3-liter gasoline engine features the same i-VTEC technology as the other Civics, albeit with eight valves instead of 16. By itself it produces 93 horsepower at 6000 rpm, and 89 pound-feet of torque at 4500. Because the electric motor develops its peak 20 horsepower and 76 pound-feet at different speeds (2000 and 1160 rpm, respectively), Honda rates the combined power more conservatively than simply adding the peak numbers together.

The Civic GX is powered by a dedicated natural gas version of the Civic's 1.8-liter i-VTEC engine. Because it produces close to zero regulated emissions, buyers are eligible for a $4,000 federal tax credit. Refueling is simplified when you opt for Phil, an optional home refueling appliance sold through select Honda dealers in California. Currently, natural gas is approximately thirty-five percent less expensive than gasoline when purchased at a refueling station, and can be more than 50 percent cheaper than gasoline when supplied by a Phil. The Civic GX is the only vehicle certified by the EPA to meet both Federal Tier 2-Bin 2 and Inherently Low Emission Vehicle (ILEV) zero evaporative emission certification standards. But consumers can buy the GX only through certain qualified dealers in New York and California, although it is available to fleets nationwide.

The Civic Hybrid and Civic GX are classified as Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicles (AT-PZEV) by the California Air Resources Board CARB.

	Select a make... Acura Alfa Romeo AM General Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bugatti Buick Cadillac Chevrolet Chrysler Citroen Daewoo Daihatsu Dodge Eagle Ferrari FIAT Fisker Ford Freightliner Geo GMC Honda HUMMER Hyundai Infiniti International Isuzu Jaguar Jeep Kia Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lotus Maserati Maybach Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mercury MINI Mitsubishi Morgan Nissan Oldsmobile Panoz Plymouth Pontiac Porsche RAM Rolls-Royce Saab Saleen Saturn Scion smart Spyker Subaru Suzuki Tesla THINK Toyota Volkswagen Volvo Select a model... Select a year... clear selection
	Select a make... Acura Alfa Romeo AM General Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bugatti Buick Cadillac Chevrolet Chrysler Citroen Daewoo Daihatsu Dodge Eagle Ferrari FIAT Fisker Ford Freightliner Geo GMC Honda HUMMER Hyundai Infiniti International Isuzu Jaguar Jeep Kia Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lotus Maserati Maybach Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mercury MINI Mitsubishi Morgan Nissan Oldsmobile Panoz Plymouth Pontiac Porsche RAM Rolls-Royce Saab Saleen Saturn Scion smart Spyker Subaru Suzuki Tesla THINK Toyota Volkswagen Volvo Select a model... Select a year... clear selection
	Select a make... Acura Alfa Romeo AM General Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bugatti Buick Cadillac Chevrolet Chrysler Citroen Daewoo Daihatsu Dodge Eagle Ferrari FIAT Fisker Ford Freightliner Geo GMC Honda HUMMER Hyundai Infiniti International Isuzu Jaguar Jeep Kia Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lotus Maserati Maybach Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mercury MINI Mitsubishi Morgan Nissan Oldsmobile Panoz Plymouth Pontiac Porsche RAM Rolls-Royce Saab Saleen Saturn Scion smart Spyker Subaru Suzuki Tesla THINK Toyota Volkswagen Volvo Select a model... Select a year... clear selection
[ + ] Add a Vehicle	CancelSelect

Honda Civic reviews