Financial system automobiles are usually not precisely identified for being enthralling driving machines. For probably the most half, they’re meant to deliver you from level A to level B as effectively and with as little fuss as doable. However, generally an financial system automotive generally is a entire lot greater than that. Enter the 2025 Honda Civic Hatchback Hybrid.
Honda determined to position its good little dual-motor hybrid system from the Accord and CR-V into the Civic Hatchback and Sedan for the 2025 mannequin year, and the result’s a car that simply is perhaps the most effective NPC-mobile your hard-earned cash should purchase. Truly, the Civic Hybrid is so great it has damaged freed from the NPC allegations. What Honda has here’s a handsome, sensible, economical, well-equipped hybrid that may win over nearly anybody — together with lovers who look to the Si because the budget-focused enjoyable choice.
Full Disclosure: Honda flew me all the way down to Nashville, put me up in a swanky resort and handled me to the whole lot the Music Metropolis needed to supply, all so I might drive the Civic Hatchback Hybrid.
I’ve pushed a hell of lots of hybrids in any respect totally different value factors from all types of producers, and I’ve gotta say, the Civic’s is nearly the most effective within the biz in terms of slick operation and actually stable effectivity. What we’ve acquired right here is Honda’s “Two-Motor” hybrid system that makes it probably the most highly effective non–Sort R Civic ever made. The naturally 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle inline-4 is attached to a two-motor sequence hybrid system. There’s no actual transmission, despite the fact that Honda says it has an “eCVT.” This little energy unit produces a complete of 200 horsepower (the identical because the Civic Si) and a extremely sturdy 232 pound-feet of torque that’s accessible from 0 RPM. By itself, the gasoline motor makes 141 horsepower, and the AC Synchronous Everlasting-Magnet Electrical Motor makes 181 horsepower.
The entire package deal makes for a extremely peppy driving expertise whereas nonetheless returning implausible gasoline financial system. Honda says the Civic Hatchback Hybrid will get 50 mpg metropolis, 45 mpg freeway and 48 mpg mixed. Granted, I couldn’t obtain these numbers on my 45-mile check loop, however I used to be driving like a goofy goober by means of the backroads exterior of Nashville, Tennessee. I’ve little doubt that when you drive this factor extra gently in Financial system mode you’ll hit these marketed numbers after which some.
The issue is that the Civic Hatchback Hybrid is so goddamn enjoyable to drive that you just gained’t need to drive it like a boring commuter automotive. Like all Civics, it’s a superb handler. Certain, it weighs a bit greater than the Civic Si — Honda says it’s someplace within the 3,400 pound-range — however the returned suspension, a 0.4-inch-lower middle of gravity and wholesome energy figures means you’ll be able to have enjoyable when the highway will get twisty. The Hybrid’s steering really feel can be glorious, as you might have anticipated from the engineers at Honda.
There’s no actual approach to management the “transmission,” nevertheless it does make faux shifts nearly as good as any CVT I’ve pushed. Truthfully, it feels loads like a extremely well-tuned automated with actual gears. Driving the Civic onerous isn’t precisely horrible for gasoline financial system, both. There’s selectable regenerative braking with 4 modes managed by paddle shifters, and whenever you put the automotive in Sport mode, the regen degree you chose will keep the place you left it (it defaults to 0 regen in Regular and Econ mode). I used to be capable of nearly fully recharge the automotive’s battery utilizing regenerative braking whereas in Sport mode, which was fairly neat to see. The Sport Touring trims additionally get an Particular person drive mode that allows you to customise your drive setting.
Like all Eleventh-gen Civics, the Hybrid Hatchback is a great-looking automotive. Not an excessive amount of has modified on the surface, however for 2025 the Civic will get a extra aggressive grille and entrance fascia, borrowing from the Civic Si. The Hybrid additionally loses the tailpipes out again for a extra eco-conscious look. Different minor tweaks embody new 18-inch wheels, black window trim, black aspect mirrors, and physique coloration trim for the grille encompass, entrance spoiler and again bumper insert. The automotive is simple, for positive, nevertheless it’s nonetheless extraordinarily good-looking. When you ask me, it’s the best-looking of all of the compact automobiles you should buy proper now.
Inside it’s the same story to the surface. Not an excessive amount of has modified, however the updates actually do make a distinction within the total package deal. I drove a completely loaded Sport Touring Hybrid with a $34,500 as-tested value; the bottom Sport Hybrid begins at $31,045, together with vacation spot. In your cash, the Sport Touring Hybrid has principally each in-car function you might hope for, together with a brand new 10.2-inch totally digital gauge cluster and a 9-inch infotainment display (each of that are tremendous simple to make use of and have a slick operation), implausible adaptive cruise management and lane-keeping help (amongst a slew of different Honda Sensing security options), dual-zone local weather management, heated entrance seats, two USB-C ports up entrance, Google Constructed-In with a 3-year knowledge plan (solely accessible on Sport Touring), a 12-speaker Bose audio system, leather-based seats, a sunroof and, after all, wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
What extra might you actually need from a automotive that prices greater than $17,000 lower than the typical new automotive? You’ll be hard-pressed to seek out one other sub-$40,000 automotive with a nicer inside. It’s simply laid out so rattling effectively, the whole lot is strictly the place you count on it to be.
There aren’t any gimmicks contained in the Civic, and that’s a great factor. Construct high quality can be actually good for such an inexpensive automotive. There are many nicer-than-the-price-would-suggest supplies, particularly on high-traffic touchpoints. The within of this automotive offers lots of higher-end autos an actual run for his or her cash.
Honda is launching the Civic Hybrid in each Hatchback and Sedan types, and when you’re keen to pay the additional cash for the hatch, I actually recommend you do. Neglect the appears and all of that great things, the hatch merely has extra room on the within to your stuff and your issues. Honda says this little automotive has 99 cubic ft of passenger quantity and 24.5 cubic ft of rear cargo room. That’s on par with lots of smaller crossovers. Rear-seat passengers will even be handled to 37.1 inches of headroom and 37.4 inches of legroom, each the identical because the Civic sedan. At 6-foot-1, I might pretty comfortably sit behind my very own driving place. That’s not one thing I can do in lots of similar-sized automobiles.
Proper now, hybrids are extra common than ever, so it is smart for Honda to deliver this automotive to the market. There’s stiff competitors on the market from the likes of Kia, Hyundai and Toyota. Vehicles just like the Prius and Corolla Hybrid are each compelling packages, however they fall in need of the brand new benchmark the Civic Hatchback Hybrid has set. For related costs, there’s simply no beating the Civic’s implausible mixture of appears, efficiency and practicality.
Once I was first assigned this journey, I used to be principally excited to drive the 2025 Civic Si. Nonetheless, after spending a day with Honda’s little hybrid, I’ve acquired to say it gained me over in an enormous manner. Regardless of its economy-focused underpinnings, this Civic is an actual performer, and I’ve acquired a sense it’s going to win over the hearts and minds not solely of parents who need stable efficiency however individuals who might have been a crossover. To be sincere, the Civic Hatchback Hybrid is so compelling, I can’t consider a purpose you’d select an much more NPC-like compact crossover over it. It simply might have reset the benchmark for financial system automobiles all over the place.
