2019 Honda Civic

The volume LX sedan uses the carry-over naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder at 158 hp. The refreshed 2019 sedan also offered a 174-hp 1.5-liter turbo on EX and above and a 205-hp turbo in the Si.

The representative LX's 2.0-liter engine makes a modest 138 lb-ft at 4,200 rpm. Turbo sedans provide substantially more low- and midrange torque, but they are not the volume configuration used for the raw value.

Consumer Reports' instrumented base-engine result is representative of the volume LX/CVT. The turbo CVT and manual-only Si are meaningfully quicker but belong to higher or specialized trims.

The base 2.0-liter is smooth and predictable in ordinary driving, while the available turbo delivers strong, largely seamless midrange pull. Both become vocal under heavy load, and the base engine lacks urgency, keeping refinement short of the top band.

Honda's CVT is unobtrusive and smooth at normal throttle and avoids gear hunting, but hard acceleration produces delayed response, sustained revs, and noticeable drone. A well-regarded six-speed manual was available on LX, Sport, and the Si, though the volume LX was commonly CVT-equipped.

Every 2019 U.S. Civic sedan was front-wheel drive; Honda offered no AWD system on any trim. That is simple and efficient but provides no added-traction choice.

The sedan covered economy, stronger mainstream, and performance buyers with 2.0-liter naturally aspirated, 1.5-liter turbo, and higher-output Si turbo calibrations, plus manual and CVT choices. The U.S. 2019 tenth-generation sedan offered no hybrid, PHEV, or EV, limiting breadth below the top band.

The volume-oriented EX CVT is the representative configuration and earns an EPA 36 MPG combined. The refreshed 2019 sedan ranged from 32 MPG combined for the Sport CVT to 36 MPG for EX and EX-L.

The turbocharged EX CVT's 32 MPG city is strong for a non-hybrid 2019 compact sedan, though it lacks electric assistance for stop-and-go driving.

The EX CVT's 42 MPG highway is the 2019 sedan lineup's efficiency peak and a notably good result for a gasoline-only compact sedan.

Honda specifies a 12.4-gallon tank and EPA rates the representative trim at 36 MPG combined, yielding about 446 miles of combined-cycle range. That is useful road-trip range despite the Civic's compact dimensions.

EPA's current standardized estimate is $1,700 per year for the 36-MPG representative configuration. Its high gasoline efficiency keeps annual energy cost competitive even without a hybrid system.

All regular Civic sedan trims run on inexpensive, widely available regular unleaded, with no charging or specialty-fuel needs. This is nearly the simplest and least costly fueling arrangement possible.

The exact 2019 Civic four-door FWD earned NHTSA's maximum five-star overall rating, with five stars in the overall frontal, side, and rollover categories.

IIHS rates the 2019 sedan Good in every listed crashworthiness test, including both driver- and passenger-side small overlap. It received no Top Safety Pick award because all available headlights were Poor, so it falls short of the highest safety tier despite excellent occupant protection.

The 2019 refresh made Honda Sensing standard on every sedan trim, bringing AEB, adaptive cruise, lane keeping, lane-departure warning, and road-departure mitigation even to LX. The suite is incomplete by current standards because conventional blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were unavailable; EX and above used a passenger-side LaneWatch camera instead.

The standard Collision Mitigation Braking System earned IIHS Superior ratings for both vehicle-to-vehicle and daytime pedestrian prevention. IIHS did not publish a nighttime pedestrian result for this model, keeping it just below the top band.

No 2019 Civic sedan trim offered bilateral blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, active intervention, or safe-exit assistance. EX and higher trims provided Honda LaneWatch, but that is only a passenger-side camera and is absent from LX and Sport.

Standard LKAS, lane-departure warning, and road-departure mitigation provide useful hands-on steering support. This early Honda Sensing implementation applies mild corrective torque rather than the smooth, continuous centering delivered by newer highway-assist systems.

Adaptive cruise is standard, and the volume CVT configuration includes Low-Speed Follow for stop-and-go use while working with LKAS on highways. Manual-transmission cars lack Low-Speed Follow, and the system has none of the lane-change or traffic-jam refinements of newer integrated assists.

No hands-free driving system was offered on any 2019 Civic sedan trim. Honda Sensing's ACC and LKAS require continuous driver supervision and hands on the wheel.

IIHS rated every one of the four available 2019 headlight variations Poor, including the halogen systems on volume trims and LED systems on upper trims. Some variants include high-beam assist, but none is curve-adaptive and the measured illumination remains a major weakness.

The Civic's manageable footprint and broad glass area make general sightlines workable, though its low seating position and fastback-like roof create rear-quarter blind zones. A multi-angle rearview camera is standard and LaneWatch helps on the passenger side from EX upward, but no surround-view camera is offered.

The sedan has two complete outboard LATCH positions and a center tether, but IIHS rates ease of use only Acceptable because the lower anchors are recessed too deeply in the seat. The rear bench works for two child seats, while three-across is constrained by compact-sedan width.

The volume Civic sedan has two front seats and a three-place rear bench.

The volume non-moonroof LX supplies excellent front headroom for a compact sedan; the moonroof reduces it substantially on EX and above.

Front legroom is comfortably within compact-sedan norms and is unchanged across mainstream sedan trims.

Rear headroom is adequate for most adults, though the fast roofline and moonroof make upper trims slightly tighter.

The Civic offers generous adult-usable rear legroom for the compact class.

The mainstream sedan's 15.1-cu-ft trunk is among the largest in the compact class, though Touring audio hardware and Si packaging reduce capacity.

A large configurable center console, two-tier phone cubby with cable pass-through, useful armrest bin, and sizable cupholders make storage a genuine class strength, despite narrow door pockets.

Supportive, compliant front seats remain comfortable on long drives, the power driver's seat has broad adjustment, and the rear bench is also comfortable; the low seating position is the main compromise.

The Civic delivers a segment-leading blend of impact absorption and disciplined body control; Sport trim is firmer but remains comfortable.

Additional 2019 sound insulation improved refinement, but coarse-road noise and some CVT/engine drone keep it from being a class leader.

Automatic climate control is standard, while EX adds dual-zone control, heated front seats, remote start and a power driver's seat; Touring adds leather, a power passenger seat and heated rear outboard seats, but ventilation and a heated wheel are unavailable.

The refreshed 2019 Civic sedan's entry price was exceptionally low for a compact sedan, even after including destination.

The automatic LX was the mainstream volume configuration; Edmunds also identifies the LX 2.0L CVT sedan as the model's most popular trim.

CarEdge's Civic model estimate includes scheduled service, wear items, and expected repairs; its low total is consistent with RepairPal's $368 average annual repair cost for the 2019 Civic.

The value uses KBB's observed 2024 resale figure for the 2019 LX sedan divided by its original MSRP. KBB also named the Civic its 2019 compact-car Best Resale Value winner, supporting the unusually strong retention.

Honda's standard new-vehicle coverage sits at the bottom of the category's 3-to-5-year scoring band.

The conventional Honda powertrain warranty is adequate but sits at the bottom of the category's 5-to-10-year band.

Honda included useful 24-hour roadside assistance for the full 3-year/36,000-mile basic-warranty term, but no complimentary scheduled maintenance. That earns the bottom of the basic-roadside-only band.

$21,145 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (64.1% retained, or about $13,554) leaves about $7,591 in depreciation. Add the projected $1,786 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $9,377 in total.

Owner-derived evidence is respectable but not top-tier: J.D. Power is favorable, while Consumer Reports places the 2019 Civic near the middle of its model-year peers. This mixed result supports an above-average but restrained score.

Honda has a strong long-run reputation, but period dependability data did not place it among the elite brands. Its 2019 J.D. Power result was worse than the industry average, making a mid-to-upper-pack score more defensible than a top-five score.

Three NHTSA recalls are more than a clean record, and the fuel-pump defect is safety-relevant because it can stall the engine while driving. Owner-survey evidence also identifies climate-system trouble, so this generation does not merit the rubric's typical-or-clean band.

The volume LX sedan's naturally aspirated 2.0-liter/CVT combination has the simpler and stronger durability reputation. The available 1.5-liter turbo prevents a higher range-wide score because earlier tenth-generation examples had fuel-in-oil concerns and received a warranty extension, although the cited campaign applied to 2016-2018 Civics rather than the scored 2019 year.

The cabin uses visible plastic but provides unusually good touch-point materials and perceived quality for a mainstream compact. Multiple contemporary reviews characterize it as roomy, modern, and better than an economy-car penalty box.

Contemporary testing found notably tight, solid construction inside and out. Scattered owner reports of aging squeaks and rattles keep it short of an exceptional score.

Honda's roughly one-thousand-dealer U.S. footprint gives Civic owners dense nationwide access to warranty and routine service. Service experience varies by franchise, so network breadth earns more credit than implied satisfaction.

The mass-market Civic has abundant OEM and aftermarket support, while measured repair spending is substantially below the compact-car average. That combination fits the rubric's top band.

The representative volume trims use Honda's sole 7-inch Display Audio touchscreen. The entry LX is a meaningful exception because it has no center touchscreen at all, while no larger factory screen was offered.

The 2019 refresh materially improved daily use by restoring a volume knob and hard shortcut buttons, but the small, low-resolution interface remained slow and somewhat confusing. Physical climate controls and wired phone projection keep it usable rather than poor.

Wireless projection was not offered. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are wired and begin with Sport, leaving the LX without either system.

Touring alone has Honda's embedded satellite navigation, voice recognition and live traffic; the system is functional but dated, and other touchscreen trims rely primarily on Siri or Google voice through wired projection. That makes native capability useful but narrowly available.

Sport and EX-family cars have an adequate 180-watt eight-speaker setup, and Si/Touring offer a credible 450-watt ten-speaker system with a subwoofer. It is a substantial factory upgrade, though unbranded and short of a premium-audio benchmark.

Every refreshed 2019 sedan gained the Driver Information Interface, a crisp central digital gauge/readout controlled from the steering wheel and customizable for trip, phone, audio and driver-assistance information. It is useful and relatively advanced for its year, but not a modern full-width, freely configurable cluster.

The 2019 Civic lacks the embedded connected architecture for recurring whole-vehicle OTA feature updates. Honda's year-specific documentation describes dealer/USB-style system support and connected phone content, not remote firmware or feature delivery.

HondaLink provides basic phone-connected vehicle information and service conveniences, but this Civic does not support the rich subscription telematics functions found on newer Hondas—no app-based remote start, lock/unlock, live location or digital key. Remote start, where fitted, works from the key fob.

Device power is sparse and dated: USB-A only, low 1.0/1.5-amp output, and all connections are in the front console. There are no rear USB ports, USB-C ports, wireless charging pad or household outlet.

Smart Entry and push-button start are standard from Sport upward, and remote engine start is included on CVT Sport and EX-family/Touring cars. LX retains conventional remote entry, and the range has neither phone-as-key nor hands-free trunk access.

All trims have a multi-angle rear camera, and EX upward add the passenger-side LaneWatch camera, but neither substitutes for modern parking assistance. The factory range offers no surround-view camera, parking sensors or automated parking.

No head-up display was offered on any 2019 Civic Sedan trim or option package.

Adult-usable rear legroom, two complete LATCH positions, a folding rear seat and a large trunk make family logistics unusually easy for a compact sedan. The low roof, wide sills and sedan trunk opening remain compromises when loading children, rear-facing seats and bulky strollers.

For the 2019 refresh, Honda made Honda Sensing standard across the regular sedan range, putting collision mitigation braking, lane keeping and adaptive cruise on affordable trims, while crashworthiness is excellent. Poor base headlights, no blind-spot monitoring or rear-occupant alert, and only Acceptable LATCH usability keep it below the very top band.

The roomy rear bench, composed ride and 15.1-cu-ft trunk support four-person trips better than most compact sedans. Rear passengers lack dedicated vents, charging ports and entertainment, while the low seating position and road noise become more noticeable on long days.

The smooth volume-trim CVT, light controls, balanced ride and standard adaptive cruise with low-speed follow make the Civic exceptionally low-effort in traffic. A low seating position, road noise and occasionally over-eager collision warnings are the main daily irritants.

The gas sedan is exceptionally frugal on regular fuel, with the volume LX CVT rated at 33 mpg combined and the turbo EX/EX-L reaching 36 mpg combined, plus inexpensive compact-car consumables. Despite the run metadata listing hybrid availability for the nameplate, Honda offered no U.S. Civic Hybrid for model year 2019, so this score uses the actual gasoline sedan lineup.

Compact width, a tight turning circle, light steering and a standard multi-angle rear camera make the Civic easy to place in urban spaces. Its fastback-like rear pillars restrict over-shoulder visibility, and it offers neither factory parking sensors nor a surround-view camera.

The Civic can carry sales samples or small tools in its generous trunk, but it has no bed, meaningful payload headroom, factory tow package or published U.S. tow rating. It is a passenger car rather than a work vehicle.

The mature tenth-generation platform and Civic's strong reliability record support light fleet use, particularly with the naturally aspirated 2.0-liter engine. Low clearance, carpeted passenger-car trim and no heavy-duty cooling, suspension or interior package make sustained abuse inappropriate.

There are almost no jobsite provisions: no household outlet, factory hitch, roof rails, external tie-downs, washable floor or work-upfit catalog. Available cargo accessories provide ordinary organization rather than commercial utility.

Supportive seats, a settled ride, strong fuel economy and standard adaptive cruise with low-speed follow make the Civic a capable compact-class highway car with roughly 400-plus miles of nominal range. Road noise, limited rear amenities and imperfect adaptive-cruise responses cap its endurance score.

It can manage maintained gravel roads and carry bikes on an aftermarket rack, but every regular sedan is front-wheel drive with passenger-car clearance. No AWD, factory roof rails, tow rating, camping outlet or underbody protection is offered.

A 15.1-cu-ft trunk is excellent for a compact sedan, and most trims' 60/40 folding rear seat accommodates skis and long boxes. The fixed parcel shelf, sedan aperture, lack of roof rails or factory hitch, and LX's one-piece folding seat limit bulky-gear flexibility.

The tenth-generation Civic sedan is unusually composed and engaging for a mainstream compact, combining strong body control with a compliant ride. The 2019 refresh did not alter that fundamentally excellent chassis.

Steering is quick, accurate, and well matched to the agile chassis, though its light weighting keeps it just short of truly rich enthusiast feedback.

The firm, progressive pedal inspires confidence in normal and hard use, but instrumented-performance commentary indicates that ultimate stopping ability trails the best competitors.

The volume 1.5-liter turbo/CVT combination is responsive and flexible, with convincing everyday acceleration and well-integrated operation. CVT behavior under sustained acceleration prevents a higher score; the naturally aspirated 2.0-liter in LX/Sport is slower.

Honda added sound insulation for 2019, but the turbo engine's coarse growl and CVT-induced drone remain evident under load. Noise is noticeable rather than genuinely disruptive.

The representative EX sedan has the smaller 35.4-foot turning diameter, which is maneuverable for the class; trims with 18-inch wheels require 37.4 feet.

A broad seat-adjustment range, generous telescoping wheel travel, and sensible primary controls suit drivers of varied sizes. The low seating position and fastback-like rear roofline modestly limit outward visibility, while the restored volume knob improves 2019 usability.

Immediate steering, an athletic chassis, and responsive available turbo power make the ordinary Civic sedan one of the rare mainstream compacts that is enjoyable even outside its Si variant.

The refreshed 2019 sedan made the full Honda Sensing driver-assistance suite standard from the base LX upward, unusually generous safety content at a $20,345 delivered starting price. The volume-oriented EX also included the 1.5-liter turbo, moonroof, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, smartphone integration, and LaneWatch.

The Civic paired near-segment-entry pricing with standard active safety, excellent space and economy, and a strong 174-hp turbo option; KBB specifically judged its competitive price, low running costs, and retained value best in class. Even the enthusiast-oriented Si sedan delivered 205 hp and a limited-slip differential for roughly $25,000.

The sedan alone offered five well-spaced mainstream trims from LX through Touring, two engines, manual and CVT choices on lower trims, plus the separate manual-only Si performance sedan. It was front-wheel-drive only and, importantly for this exact year, there was no U.S. Civic Hybrid, so drivetrain breadth was not absolute.

Civic was the U.S. compact-car sales leader in 2019 and the country's second-best-selling passenger car after Camry. Its 325,650 sales narrowly beat Corolla and were nearly twice Elantra volume, demonstrating exceptional acceptance despite the market's migration toward crossovers.

Honda's reliability and resale reputation gave the mainstream Civic unusually strong buyer pull, while the Si and Type R supplied a credible enthusiast halo. KBB called Civic the segment's resale champion and ranked it the second most-awarded vehicle of 2019.

The exceptionally popular Civic generally relied on ordinary dealer negotiation rather than large factory cash or subsidized-rate offers. Contemporary buyer reporting indicated no Civic promotional APR and roughly 4.9% standard Honda financing, so buyer benefit existed mainly through below-MSRP negotiation rather than meaningful incentives.

The 2019 sedan was year four of the tenth generation, but a substantive mid-cycle refresh kept it fresh: revised styling, a new Sport trim, standard Honda Sensing, and improved touchscreen controls. With the eleventh generation not arriving until the 2022 U.S. model year, redesign risk was not imminent at purchase.

Reception was class-leading: KBB awarded Civic its fifth consecutive Compact Car Best Buy, while Car and Driver gave the range 9/10, Editors' Choice recognition, and included Civic variants in 10Best. Reviewers consistently treated the Civic as the compact benchmark, with only minor infotainment and styling complaints.