Used Honda Civic Cars For Sale

A history lesson…

There’s been a lot of Honda Civics over the decades: from humble beginnings, to the newest model, the Civic sits aside the Ford Fiesta and VW Golf as one of the world’s longstanding and successful hatchbacks.

The Civic has always had a whiff of the older generations about it; thanks mainly to the company’s styling of the car and practicality which appealed to those of a later age. Now though, with the 2006+ Civic, the game has been changing; the Civic is a car for young people.

What helped solidify this ideology further was the Type-R model. This 200bhp, 2.0-litre hot hatch was loved by everyone under 30 and blew most motoring journalists away with a high-revving, naturally-aspirated V-tec engine.

Bang for your buck

Even the Type-R is cheap when compared to its rivals. The Civic Type-R typically sells for about £3/4 less than an equivalent VW Golf, which is remarkable considering they have similar power and kit.

All 2006-onwards Civics come with ABS, loads of airbags, an incredible design – inside and out – push starter button, climate control, air-con and either a diesel or petrol lump. The engines range from a 100hp 1.4-litre petrol, a 140bhp 1.8-litre petrol, the 2.0-litre Type-R engine and a 2.2-litre diesel with 140bhp.

What you’ll pay

Prices for the newer Civic are reasonable. The diesel model continues to sell for more than its petrol counter-part, but be warned; they do cost more to service. A 2006 plate with around 40,000 miles will set you back around £6,000, while Type-Rs are currently going for around £9,000.

What to check

The main thing to check on a diesel is the clutch. There have been reports of continued failures with this part on the diesel Civic. With all models, you need to check the paint condition, as the newer Civic has become famous for having unbelievably soft paint, and it’s not a cheap fix if it is in bad nick.

Parts

Honda dealer prices aren’t too bad, as a new set of wiper blades are around £20, which is very reasonable. Just be careful of serving costs with the diesel, as it is a 2.2 and can get pricey.

How it drives

An overnight success? Not really, but the new Civic has become a car for the youth of today. Even the 5-door diesel looks brilliant and, thankfully, the driving experience is just as good. The only real negative is the ride which, especially on the Type-R and Type-S models, is very crashy and harsh.

Aside from that, it’s very compliant in the bends, feels solidly made and has an interior to die for. You’ll enter the Civic unaware of the sheer design brilliance inside; it’s as futuristic as Battlestar Gallatica and, more importantly, all the controls feel chunky.

The steering wheel is a lovely size, the boot could seriously carry most of the members of The Biggest Loser and the rear leg-room is superb. And as if that isn’t enough, all the engines pull well – especially the 2.2 diesel.

The 140bhp diesel has a 0-62mph of 8.6 seconds but it’s the torque which really sets this engine apart. Overtaking is a breeze, and there are even those who claim the diesel – when chipped – is quicker than the Type-R.