Honda Civic Sport Review // Is this Civic good enough? 

Bringing Andrea on was a really good choice. I love her sober second thought, and how the chemistry between these guys works in a way that keeps things grounded.

Ever since Honda launched this 10th gen, people claimed it's "over designed" or "trying too hard" and I think this is how this car should look. The civic has always been this quirky, unique little compact that has the ability to appeal to the masses, and Honda lost their touch with it in its 9th generation. This car is unapologetically Japanese with it's design and the majority of people love it. I'm pretty sure it's one of the reasons it's the best selling compact in the U.S and the best selling passenger car in Canada.

Nope on the GTI. And I love how it drives! I went from a Honda Si to a GTI. The horror show of problems and the insane cost for repairs soured me on VW forever. Maybe you've got the $ to make the performance of it worth the headaches, I but I sure as hell don't with kids and a mortgage to deal with. Went back to Honda and regretted ever getting the GTI, no matter how much fun it was to drive

I’m with Andrea on this one, get a Honda, just pump gas and drive for years to come.

It is sooo satisfying to see that kind of video with each other bringing arguments. Since I'm in Europe and have a different perspective, it's very cool to see another pov. Great review, very interesting

I'm enjoying the dynamic of you guys!!!! Awesome episode!

Excellent video, you are so good together when you review cars. I get so much info but it's fun & easy to watch. Keep up the great work, so glad you brought Drea in. 😍

I pick my 2021 up today I'm excited

Agree with Andrea!!! I owned a 07 manual Civic it was so unbelievably reliable! I NEVER had to worry about anything with it. I loved that car! Also as Zack said I didn’t know how to drive manual I just sat in the car and figured it out it was forgiving

Good job Andrea! Be the voice of us, the silent majority. Love the video!

I owned a Sport Touring 6spd manual, the grey hatchback- still one of my favourite cars. I love the look, the power-to-weight ratio, and the overall ride. Just lacking AWD, other than that it's an excellent car.

Listening to Andrea would be smart idea. Honda any day

I got a 2020 Civic EX in August, im loving it so far, love the styling and I find it very comfortable and great on gas.

Did some extensive testing and research when I converted to a hatch. Having driven my fair share of German cars, I'm happy I went with Honda. I've had my hatchback sport since 2017 and it's been running great and not costly at all to maintain

Your wife knows her stuff, great job.

Great review! I love hearing both of your opinions on a car! It’s great to hear a review from a man and a woman! You’re such a great team and you do a great job! I enjoy your videos!

good video motormouth keep up the good work

Canadian people seem so nice and relaxed. Its refreshing.

The reviews are getting better and better especially now Andrea has become a regular and has different segments incorporated!! 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

When you mentioned the available LED tail lights, would that include the signal indicators?

I LOVE Hondas! I too have to go with Andrea on this one. Honda makes good cars and they engineer them to be reliable. If I had disposable income, reliability would not be an issue, but I don't have disposable income and I have a family. I want my car to work EVERY time I drive it. After finally letting go of an old car that constantly broke down I am so glad I do not have to put up with those "surprise" mechanic bills. For me it is Honda all the way. Honda may not offer a manual in every car but they are one of the few cars that still offer a manual. I definitely am a fan of the Honda Civic Sport platform because it made my 2019 Honda Civic Type R possible. Go team Honda!

owned two gtis and tracked one. still would go with my hondas. old fart me loves this hatch. wife calls it my storm trooper. love your reviews

Congrats on the new edition to your family! It’s an exciting time when you get your driver’s licence 🥳

Your husband knows his stuff, great job.

Found brand new 19 manual of this car, and enjoying it. Bike inside with driver and 2 passengers. Let that sink in. Drive casual and mileage is great. Sporty too when u need it. Pls keep buying manuals. Cheers from Montreal

So glad I picked up the Si =)

I have the 2019 civic sedan lx 6spd with the 2.0L. 18 months I just hit 20,000km and have been 2 the dealer twice just for oil changes. So far so good.

Great videos! And glad to see you two having fun with it...refreshing :-) As well, so happy to look at videos with a Canadian twist! Now; I am with Zac (for driving) and Andrea (for reliability)...but mostly, as a « careful » Canadian, I go with the Civic! Anyday, anytime... it may not be the best driver car...but you ain’t driving much when you spend your days at the dealer fixing the bugs (many many) of the GTI... Honda! Build them in Canada, and I will buy one! Remi (Montréal)

One of your best reviews guys. Great comparison too with the competitors. ( I wish Honda would get rid of that cheese grade bumper, its really ugly...enough already ) BTW I agree with Zach. I have a 2017 GTI, Performance Pack , Autobahn , manual, with the Unitronic Stage 1 ( cost $500 CDN) programming I get 297 HP, regular gas . Stage 2 and up you need 93 Octane and higher so I stuck with Stage 1. I have ZERO issues with my 2017, nothing. Footnote 2017 GTI was there best year in my opinion thats why they are so desired on resale. As for Honda , I think they need to get a whole new platform for Hot Hatch segment , they just aren't there. The R is great if you are 18 years old but embarrassing for anyone over 30 to be caught in. I would love to see Honda get a new platform with a viable competitor because the others are killing them for a HH . As is now its basically a Honda Civic trying to appeal to non enthusiasts middle of the road drivers. Like big boat SUVs that are branded as " Sport" or " GT" with packages costing 5k $ plus more in options. Honda did come out with the R but its as I mentioned geared for kids. Take the R redesign the exterior , get rid of that ridiculous spoiler and you have a real Hot Hatch Some enthusiasts hate VW especially after Dieselgate, and I can't blame them in all honesty. I am not saying to buy a GTI, simply relating my experience. As a buyer you decide on your own what best suits you and your lifestyle.

Yesss, I like this car so much, my best Civic. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🙂😲👍🏻

I have a 2020 jeep renegade that I hate. I cannot put anything in it without it being tossed around. Not even jumper cables. I want to trade it in for this car and got approved. But I’m having second thoughts. Any suggestions?

My Wife and I have a 2019 Honda Civic sport Hatch with a 6 speed. Love the car! Can haul so much with it and have had zero issues. Maintenance and fuel economy is amazing. The GTI is cool but the price difference is jarring. $28,000 for a sport hatch compared to $40,000 for a GTI in my area. Can’t really compare them for that price difference. I agree the civic sport is low on power but I didn’t buy it for HP.

I have known 4 people with VW's and all 4 have said they would never EVER buy another one. Apart from the money pit horrible reliability, it was the dealer experience where when they fail the dealers blamed the owners - even under warranty. That said it's not like the Koreans have not had problems - massive engine recalls - and the 1.5 liter Honda Dilution problems on their civics and CRV will shorten the life of their engines making them NOT a good long-term solution. In other words, if they are going to be long-term problems then at least the VW offers some performance. But the dealer experience matters too so folks really should look at this - Hyundai and Kia are apparently abysmal in the US. Toyota has a great reputation. Things to consider. But remember - Miata is always the answer. Get one of those. :)

Good looking cae. Fun to drive....

Does the 1.5 Earthdreams fuel dilution fixed already?

The misery fun factor!!! 😂😂😂 I get really mad if my car gets broken. I prefer a reliable car with a smooth quiet ride, I guess I’m getting older.

Can you guys please review the new VE Taos! I am excited to hear more about this vehicle!!!

So glad to see you’ve included Andrea in your videos lately. Your videos are twice as good now lol. Now if you can just convince your son to participate, you’d truly have something unique.

10:48 Thanks for answering my question!

I'll be interested to see what Honda does with the new Civic, 11 generation, coming out in about a year. Love my '19 Civic.

I got a 2018 Honda Civic LX Hatch. LX because I didn’t want to pay for premium fuel... and you’ll never NEVER notice those 6 hp. The nice thing about the LX is it gives you almost everything you need (heated seats, Apple Car Play/Android Auto, automatic climate control, all power options except seats) which is uncharacteristic of Hondas packaging where they often make you shell out for an EX-L or a Touring for even basic stuff. Standard. CVTs and reliability and longevity are mutually exclusive. You have pieces that are wearing constantly as the vehicle is driving vs a clutch that’s only slipping for a short time. In traffic it isn’t that bad because you can crawl it at very slow speeds and you have enough torque with the turbo to accelerate in almost any gear. Mixed city and highway driving we get 6.5l/100km. We’ve been very satisfied with ours.. same colour and rims as your first tester. One recall for fuel dilution which also fixed the heating issue and gave us an almost free oil change.

Love the review! We bought a 2017 Civic LX Hatchback for my son. He eventually didn't like it (long story), so guess whose daily driver it is now?? These are great cars and love the hatchback! Also, I'm with Andrea on this! I've owned 3 BMW's and 1 VW. Reliability rules in my book!

You guys became my favorite car channel. Does anybody knows if this car is good for snowy days/places? It's a shame that we don't get a SI hatchback. I really like the coupe, but I do have kids so it's not a good option for me 😅

I owned a 1998 Civic DX Coupe bought near the end of that year; It was tough to find, only three left in the LM at the time. 5spd manual, roll up windows, wheel covers, yet great materials inside and soft touch dashboard to boot. I loved that car, had it 6 years and put on 160000km. I miss when the Civics were more about reliability and simplicity than they are today. I guess that is just where the market has gone. I think my car was $16ish thousand at the time and offered way more reliability than the competition. I'm not in the market for a small car but I'd be hard pressed to consider the Civics as I just don't find them appealing like they once were. Guess I'm in the "old man category" now; lol (41).

Is the oil dilution issue still there??

Reliability scares are the only reason I did not shop for a GTI. I have always driven Hondas and Toyotas now and you just never have any issues. Love the looks of the GTI/R so much though. I would really love to have one as a 2nd car.

14:49 - The Swindon UK factory also produces the Civic Type R.

I've owned a couple of Honda automobiles, the last being a wonderfully reliable and fun 2004 Prelude and several two wheel Hondas. . Since that time, however, I've owned two GTI's, a MK6 and now a MK7.5. Equally reliable and all in all a superior vehicle. The Civic Hatchback is undoubtedly a good car but the GTI is iconic.

I have been with honda cars for last 20 years, my last honda is 2016 honda civic. I had many issues with the infotainment system freezing, reverse camera doesn't turn off even on the drive gear, android auto turns off infotainment screen. But the engine is awesome, Honda sensor is great and have alert me manytimes. Insurance is high for honda civic. Reliability is key for me. So I still carry GPS in this car and planning to move to Mazda this year.

Hi what camera do you use? It’s amazing quality!

Andrea, colourful and bright in that dress, nicely plays off the black Honda. Her sunny disposition complements her grounded insight that the Honda won't give you a tenth of the headaches the GTI will... take the Honda and blow the repair savings on a trip somewhere warm :)

Buy the GTI. Had the MK5 when it just came out in graphite grey color. I loved it and I miss it.

Deos the Honda Civic hatchback come with automatic transmission ??

In Southern Ontario, premium fuel (91) used to be about 10 cents more than regular 87. But the last few years, the difference in price has grown to about 25-30 cents more over regular. I can see why people give this consideration now when making a decision on a daily driver.

Is this a Honda Civic review or Voltswagen GTI review?

Have enjoyed your reviews for many years, Zack. And now great to have Andrea’s input. Keep up the good work! (BTW the conversion to MPG is way off, even when converting to US gallons. The Civic gets great mileage.) I’ve had a few VW’s and have leased a series of Hondas. The VWs were fun to drive but I always had quite old examples so can’t comment objectively on their reliability, at least from personal experience. I think the Civic HB LX is overlooked. I am currently leasing a ‘19 manual. It is quite well equipped. I really don’t feel like I’m doing without. (No sunroof. Sorry, Andrea!) It has a full suite of safety systems, Android Auto & Apple Car Play (which takes care of navi), auto headlights, auto high beam, and heated seats. The 16” wheels are, well, a little delicate looking. I think 17” would be just right. It’s not the fastest or most luxurious Honda that I’ve leased but it’s a blast to drive, rides great, and is roomy to boot. I think the numbers on paper don’t tell the whole story. (The Civic is quite light.) So much of the car just feels right. (Yeah, the styling is a bit overwrought. I think the recently refreshed sedan is the best looking of the current Civic generation.)

When I was looking to get new car I thought about the Honda Civic Hatchback, but did not to even bother test driving because I didn't think I could live with the looks and all that tech. Civic looked best in the first 4 or 5 generations and been going downhill after that. For ages I wanted a VW Golf but had been too afraid to give them a chance because of hearing so many negative things with reliability. Then I finally took a chance and got the TDI and it was such a great car I loved it so much and I had zero issues with it, although I only had it for four years until I had to give it up. I ended up replacing it with GTI, I'm not sure how reliable it is going to be since I had trouble with it pretty much from start. It better last a long time because there aren't many modern cars I would want to get.

Please review the 2021 honda Insight hybrid

so those unreliable cars have problems during a 2 year lease? lol thats really bad being a pain while leasing needing to go to the dealer often.

Have a 2019 version of the Hatch Sport Touring with standard transmission and love driving it. Wish they had the engine from the SI. Great car overall.

Fun versus misery ratio, it is an interesting concept (I had a Jetta turbo 2010 ). Yes it is fun to drive but it is not for me anymore! 😁

those tips looks better than the si’s coin slot

This was an excellent review. You both made excellent points and good arguments for this 10th generation Civic. I personally think that Civic is trying just ‘a little’ too hard to capture and capitalize on the younger market. Which is ironic, as that was the Market that Honda has always had in the past. Keep It Simple (stupid) Honda! Stick to the formula... inexpensive, cheap (to buy/run/maintain) and fun! With a manual transmission... one could never do any better. But at this price-point... I agree... go and put yourself behind the wheel of a VW GTI. You will not be disappointed. Thanks for the video, together, guys!

I’ve achieved just over 45mpg on my 2018 civic sport cvt on long trips on the highway!!

Have a 2020 Si and let me tell you this car is amazing... Incredible handling and enough power to put a smile on your face... Anyone looking for a sporty option packed car that won't kill you at the pump or wallet the Si is king... The hatch is nice but CVT equals boring in my book!!! Great review as always guys!!

I've had three GTI's from 2003 to 2017and now a Golf R and they've been incredibly reliable- gas up and drive. (enjoyably) The current R is much better than the GTI IMO, especially in Winter- the best Golf ever made. Honda really needs to work on their styling- may as well make a good-looking car to go along with their other merits.

Use the steering wheel control. As a driver I rarely use the volume control on the head unit. I use the steering wheel control.

what coupes in 2021's?

Swear god when I get my license, Imma get this Honda civic hatchback all black. Look too clean..

I went to the Honda dealership to buy a Civic Hatchback Sport, drove away in a used GTI Autobahn instead and never looked back. Love my GTI!

Andrea, what vehicle do you personally drive?

Touring means estate in the UK. Confusing naming for the Canadian one.

How about the oil dilution that happened in some of these engines? Has this been solved?

Oh god, you guys in NA/Canada talking about the 1.5T being underpowered... try owning the 1.0T 126bhp that's offered here in the UK! 😂 Joking aside, I love the car. It's not lightning fast and the 1.0T is a bit roarcus when revved out but it's a fun little beast. Compared against the likes of Kia, Hyundai and Ford it just feels premium to me.

Realistically if I'm going to pick a GTI it would have to be under a comparison with the Si and not the Sport Touring. I think if you're comparing apples to apples, a Golf (manual) vs a hathback Civic with the 1.5T (manual) I would go with the Civic ... and I did. The gear ratios are shorter and more fun, and it has a way bigger hatch. The only down side is the premium gas, the milage does help equal it out.

I can't help but think Bryan Chow is sitting at home a little bit sad because hes been replaced by a better looking CO host.

I will wait and see if next gen comes out with simple and classy bumpers.. too much show off. Mazda 3 is so nice without crazy bumpers

looks like you use a very nice neighbourhood in Vancouver for our driving segments....seems familiar...Shaughnessy? Point Grey? - near UBC? my alma mater.

Have sedan version in Pearl White and it's great

I’m with you Zack on the GTI I would of had one if it wasn’t for the miserable VW dealer in Red Deer AB. They still have a pile of 2019 Golf R there still but they still want $45K for them here. My friend had a brand new Civc I’d never really been in one and I was impressed, until we parked it and I climbed out and it rolled backwards almost over my foot because he forgot to apply the dumb electric park brake. Since I own 3 mini coopers I put up with the dumb stuff just because I love driving them and believe me with winter arriving the “rattle season” has begun from creaking plastic 🤷‍♂️🙄🙄 I put up with them because there just different than everything else that looks the Yawn same 🥱🥱🥱

the easiest manual would be the corolla? with the iMT.

"Get the GTI" Gets sons a Civic. LOL. Too funny.

Hi Guys. Then should I subscribe to Motormouth “or” Andrea motormouth. Is Andrea M for questions only? Or what’s the deal? I ask because I LOVE the review. You guys are so fresh compared to many others. I’m a car and motorcycle freak. I make a living on wheels and I see so much I absolutely love it! But too I’m a Honda fan even if sales managers hate me (I growled at one two Honda’s ago jijijijij). First time I bumped into you guys. Loved it. lMK.

GTI for the win

That's right

As for reliably, remember Honda has an issue with the 1.5L. And as far as i am aware of, it hasn't been fixed

Great on gas, but am now looking for hybrid/full electric.

It’s an family car, best you can buy. Why would they put the si engine in the basic civic This makes no since. Nobody cares about hp for the market this car is in. They want what it is an super reliable well made car that goes down the road. For those who want to have fun buy the si or type r

Honda over VW all day long for reliability. The GTI is awesome (and Cooper S JCW) until it breaks. How is the space in the Civic hatch? I need to get a small car in a year or two, but it has to have decent space...my 14 year old son has liked that Civic Sport hatch since he was like 10 (he loves the Type R looks). I think Honda would be my top pick. It’s been years since I owned a Honda (TWO del Sols and an Odyssey)!

I got myself a Mazda 3 it just felt a more connection to the car when driving and is just was more fun to drive. Also I didn't like cars with cvt transmissions it feels weird, the earthdreams engine has oil and fuel dillution, and lastly if u want a reliable car for years NA is the way to go.

Premium fuel is the way to go, with any vehicle, because it lowers the risk of detonation, spark-knock, and keeps the engine running cooler. So, if you're hard on your car like me, or like to go on long-distance travels, the premium fuel will pay for itself by saving you from extra wear and tear that is prevented with better fuel. These newer Honda Civics, with the turbochargers, can be easily tuned to make up the difference between the 1.5T sport touring, and the 1.5T Si.

This is the last year of the Hyundai Elantra GT in North America. Too many people seem to like CUV's

GTI runs on regular? I thought it was premium only unless you want to lose power and screw up the engine long term? Can any GTI owners confirm?

Just put regular gas and you've got 174 hp, what difference 6 hp makes?

I don't know Zack. Andrea is right on this one. Cost of cars are going up and with an uncertain world ahead, do I really want to fork out more unreliable and a thrill? Civic and or Corolla gets the job done for years. Vw at one time maybe. Times are changing.

The missing volume knob is a issue? Really that’s being a bit picky you can adjust the volume on the steering wheel!

what about the type r

I agree GTI all day.

If I were to buy new I'd get the GTI. But I'd never buy a used out of warranty GTI. I'd get civic hatchback sport touring and mod it for less than 1000$ and get at least at the same power than a GTI. The Honda even moded will last longer and be way more reliable . Plus the GTI with the same luxury and safety features is 39k CAD.

I wish Honda/Acura would bring back the Integra😪