Honda Civic Mk8 Review (2005-2010)

What is the Honda Civic?

When the Honda Civic hatchback arrived in 2005, it stood out for its ground-breaking looks. The cabin was every bit as striking as the exterior, with its split-level dashboard and digital instruments. Honda hoped the radical appearance would reel in younger buyers without scaring off its more conservative, older customers.

Initially a five-door only, Honda added a three-door version to the Civic range in 2007, known as the Type S. With its hot-hatch styling and tuned suspension, the Type S promised entertainment at an affordable price and without the scary insurance premiums of a full-fat hot hatchback. That three-door structure would later form the basis for the full-fat hot hatchback version that followed, the Type R.

How practical is it?

The massive 485-litre boot is one of the Civic’s trump cards, because it has more space for your bags than most rivals, such as the Ford Focus, the Vauxhall Astra, and the Volkswagen Golf. There’s enough space for adults to be comfortable in the back seats, provided they aren’t too tall, because the sloping roof compromises rear headroom slightly. It also contributes to very poor rear visibility, as does the shallow rear window with a chunky spoiler slashing across it.

One particularly nifty thing is the Civic’s ‘magic seats’ feature. In addition to conventional splitting and folding, the rear seats also flip up like cinema seats to sit against the seat backs, and can be locked in place. This allows you to carry particularly tall and bulky items in the rear footwells and, in effect, gives you two entirely separate luggage compartments. It’s clever stuff, and makes you wonder why more manufacturers haven't nicked the idea.

The Civic started off a exclusively a five-door hatchback, but it was later joined by the three-door Type-S and Type R variants, and by a four-door saloon model that was offered exclusively in hybrid form.

What's it like to drive?

The engine line-up wasn’t especially extensive, with an 83bhp 1.4-litre petrol, a 138bhp 1.8-litre VTEC petrol, or a 138bhp 2.2-litre i-CTDi diesel. The 1.4-litre engine is fine for town driving, but a bit slow on the open road. It was replaced in 2009 with a more willing 99bhp engine.

The 1.8-litre VTEC is a better all-rounder than either of the smaller petrols. For high-mileage drivers, the 2.2 i-CTDi diesel offers punchy performance and very good fuel economy. It’s ideal for long motorway drives, and much stronger than the 1.6-litre diesel engines fitted to some rivals. Also, if you want an automatic gearbox, you’ll need to stick with one of the petrol engines, because the diesel was only offered with a manual gearbox.

The Type R followed the Type S into showrooms in the spring of 2007. This was no warm hatch, but a proper red-blooded performance car, with a 197bhp engine capable of revving all the way to 8,000rpm. However, the stiff ride and peaky engine make it a harder car to live with every day than a Volkswagen Golf GTI of the same age, and purists complained that the relatively unsophisticated rear suspension was a compromise too far for a hot hatch. It was still a hoot to drive, though, with sharp handling and precise steering.

With the notable exception of the Type R, the Civic’s driving experience doesn’t live up to its exciting looks. The rear suspension uses a simple torsion beam rather than a more complex multi-link set up, and the ride is quite firm (firmer still on the Type S, with its lower suspension). However, improvements made as part of the 2009 facelift mean you feel bumps in the road a little less in later cars. The steering is light, but short on feedback. It’s not a bad car to drive by any means, just a bit uninspiring.

Technology, equipment and infotainment

Safety standards are good for a car of this age. When tested by Euro NCAP in 2007, the Civic scored four out of five stars for adult occupant protection. When the facelifted car was tested in 2009, it scored five stars overall.

As for trim levels, the entry-level S is best avoided, because it has very little equipment: like, not even a CD player or a clock. SE does have a radio/CD player and a digital clock, along with climate control, a cooled glovebox, active headrests and 16-inch alloy wheels. Sport adds 17-inch alloys and HID headlights.

ES and EX are the top two trim levels and the ones to look out for. According to Honda’s specification list, they have broadly the same levels of equipment, including cruise control, dual-zone climate control, a panoramic glass roof, automatic lights and wipers, and a leather steering wheel. The only real difference we could see was the ES had 16-inch alloy wheels and EX had 17s.

Honda Civic running costs

For the lowest fuel bills, go for the diesel, because fuel economy of 50mpg or more is achievable. Officially, the Civic Hybrid should better the diesel, with a combined figure of 61.4mpg. Realistically, expect mpg in the high 40s.

Driven gently, the 1.8-litre petrol should return around 40mpg, while the 1.4-litre engines ought to go slightly further on every gallon. You won’t be surprised to discover that the Type R is not the Civic to choose if fuel economy is a priority. Drive like a saint with a sore right foot, and you might get close to 30mpg. Use the performance, and you’ll be a frequent visitor to the local petrol station. Sitting in insurance group 34 of 50, it will also cost the most to insure.

Other models attract more affordable premiums. The early 1.4 sits in group 11, the livelier 1.4 VTEC fitted to later cars is in group 13. There’s a bit of jump to group 21 if you choose the stronger-performing 1.8-litre petrol, while the 2.2-litre diesel is in group 23 or 24 depending on the specification.

Servicing is due every 12,500 miles or once a year, whichever comes first. Honda offers fixed-price service plans that can be arranged for used cars. Pricing will vary depending on the car’s age, mileage and condition, and the plans last for between one and four years. Owners either make a one-off payment or spread the cost of servicing monthly.

Whether you go for a fixed price plan or not, the cost of servicing and maintenance should be reasonable. However, if you choose a Type R and want to keep it on high-performance tyres, be ready to budget accordingly, because four Bridgestone Potenza R001 tyres will not come cheap.

Honda Civic reliability

There’s not a lot to worry about in terms of reliability. Honda's reputation for building durable, trouble-free cars is well deserved.

The Civic tends to ride high in both reliability and owner satisfaction surveys, and there are very few common problems. Some Civic diesel owners report burnt out glow-plugs, and it’s worth regularly checking that the engine isn’t using too much oil.

Choose carefully when shopping for a Type R, not because it’s necessarily less reliable than other models in the range, but because it is more likely to have been used hard. Look for a full service history as evidence the car has been well cared for, and check the tyres and alloys are in good condition. A creaking sound from the suspension could be as simple as the front subframe mounts needing to be greased. Some Type R models jump out of third gear, which is a sign of a worn synchromesh. Fortunately, it's not expensive to put right.

Some early Civics were recalled due to a fault that could lead to power steering failure, and affected cars could lose steering assistance without warning. Further recalls included a fault with the handbrake mechanism on 2006/07 cars, which allowed the handbrake to release accidentally. There has also been a problem with the brake pedal needing to be depressed further than normal because of a missing pin. This applies to cars made in 2010.

The gov.uk website allows you to check if any car you are thinking of buying has any outstanding recalls, so long as you have the registration number, and it’s a couple of minutes well spent.