Honda Civic Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2006 draws 6.07 complaints per run and the 2005 1.74, a 3.5-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 4 years of age, so 67.5% land after the 3-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Air Bags, with 2,482 complaints, typically at 6.4 years.

Honda Civic years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Honda Civic — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2022	8.48	882	104	too new
2021	1.81	145	80	too new
2020	2.05	225	110	yes
2019	2.28	338	148	yes
2018	2.55	583	229	yes
2017	2.61	588	225	yes
2016	4.93	1045	212	yes
2015	3.08	363	118	yes
2014	2.99	275	92	yes
2013	2.92	283	97	yes
2012	3.05	405	133	yes
2011	1.85	146	79	yes
2010	2.69	344	128	yes
2009	2.31	349	151	yes
2008	3.78	775	205	yes
2007	5.6	975	174	yes
2006	6.07	1171	193	yes
2005	1.74	261	150	yes
2004	1.79	293	164	yes
2003	2.4	434	181	yes
2002	2.61	558	214	yes
2001	4.03	863	214	yes
2000	1.83	231	126	yes
1999	1.86	288	155	yes
1998	1.98	356	180	yes
1997	1.56	307	197	yes
1996	1.51	234	155	yes
1995	1.27	157	124	yes
1994	1.2	137	114	yes
1993	1.11	102	92	yes
1992	1.16	72	62	yes
1991	1.22	79	65	yes
1990	1.09	61	56	yes
1989	1.17	42	36	yes
1988	1.06	37	35	yes
1987	1.13	27	24	yes
1986	1.13	27	24	yes

ROWS 37·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Does the market discount it? In our listings a 2006 Civic asks a median $4,000, against $4,400 for a 2007, the next model year: about 9% less, so sellers do price some of the trouble in.

Among the 14 Honda Civic years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2006, 2007, 2016; the three worth hunting are 2005, 2004, 2019.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Honda Civic — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	1427	11.5%	covered
1 year	1433	23.1%	covered
2 years	1166	32.5%	covered
3 years	1252	42.7%	you pay
4 years	1216	52.5%	you pay
5 years	1010	60.7%	you pay
6 years	986	68.6%	you pay
7 years	830	75.3%	you pay
8 years	690	80.9%	you pay
9 years	657	86.2%	you pay
10 years	571	90.8%	you pay
11 years	361	93.8%	you pay
12 years	271	95.9%	you pay
13 years	229	97.8%	you pay
14 years	153	99%	you pay
15 years	120	100%	you pay

ROWS 16·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 3 years / 36,000 miles. Only 32.5% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 67.5% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (5 years / 60,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 18% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

On the Honda Civic, the early trouble is Steering and Service Brakes — reported at around 4 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Air Bags at 6.4 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Honda Civic — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Air Bags	2482	6.4 yrs	851	20
Steering	2079	4 yrs	106	4
Power Train	1482	5.5 yrs	56	9
Electrical System	1316	5.2 yrs	50	51
Unknown Or Other	1181	5 yrs	57	12
Engine	1003	7.9 yrs	24	31
Service Brakes	818	3.4 yrs	183	5
Suspension	704	2.9 yrs	35	1

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the Civic's vehicle class. Per production run, the Ford Mustang draws 3.88 and the Chevrolet Camaro 1.98, against 2.82 for the Civic.

FIG.05·Honda Civic — rivals in the same class
Same class as the Civic	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Ford Mustang	10,707	315	1981–2026
Nissan GT-R	33	9	2009–2026
Chevrolet Camaro	3,459	199	1981–2026
Toyota Supra	109	35	1981–2026
Nissan Sentra	6,185	158	1982–2026
Honda Prelude	406	63	1981–2026

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Honda Civic

Recalls413 campaigns Fuel economy49 mpg best Common problems15,962 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Cargo space27 cu ft Used prices15,240 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car1981–2026

Frequently asked questions

Is the Honda Civic reliable?

By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 2.82 against 3.73 for the average car, and in the middle of its class rivals.

Which Civic years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2006, 2007, 2016. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2005, 2004, 2019. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do Civic problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 4 years of age. The most reported system is Air Bags, typically at 6.4 years, followed by Steering.

Will the warranty cover Civic problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 3 years / 36,000 miles, and only 32.5% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 18% of the complaints here.

Is the Civic more reliable than the Ford Mustang?

Yes: 2.82 complaints per production run for the Civic against 3.88 for the Ford Mustang.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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