2024 Honda Civic Hatchback Review: Hatchback Paragon
The Honda Civic nameplate is not a new one, but it's dominated by the racy Type R performance hatch that's developed a cult following over the years; that leaves the mainstream lineup of the Honda Civic Hatchback somewhat under-discussed, although it has certainly kept its footing on the podium above other reasonably-priced hatchbacks in the USA. And those rivals are good, too, with the Mazda 3 and Toyota Corolla hatchbacks being respected in their own right. But the Civic has a lot going for it, with more interior space for people and cargo than these competitors, and a choice of powertrains ranging from meek to assertive. We're expecting some interesting changes after this model year, so let's see why the 2024 Civic Hatch should still be on your shortlist.
New for 2024
With some exciting changes on the horizon for the 2025 Civic lineup - not the least of which includes a hybrid model - the 2024 Honda Civic Hatchback carries over virtually unchanged. There is a small price increase for the new Honda Civic Hatchback of a few hundred dollars.
2024 Honda Civic Hatchback Price: Which One to Buy
As the base trim, the LX is the cheapest model in the lineup, giving the 2024 Honda Civic Hatchback a starting price of $24,950. The Sport asks for $26,350 with the standard CVT, and opting for the manual won't affect that cost at all. The EX-L has an MSRP of $28,650 and the top-of-the-line Sport Touring breaks the $30k barrier with a sticker price of $31,450. These prices exclude a destination charge of $1,095.
Either of the top trims with the turbocharged four-cylinder should be your first consideration, not just for the bump up in power and responsiveness, but for the few added conveniences that come with it. The EX-L keeps the price under $30k and still adds heated front seats, leather trimming, a moonroof, and blind-spot monitoring. That represents great value for money.
LX Hatchback | EX-L Hatchback | Sport Touring Hatchback |
---|---|---|
Entry Level | Mid-Range Value | Power & Comfort |
$ 24950 | $ 28650 | $ 31450 |
2.0-liter four-cylinder (158 hp/138 lb-ft) with CVT | Based on the LX, plus:1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder (180 hp/177 lb-ft) | Based on the EX-L, plus: |
16-inch alloy wheels and LED DRLs | 17-inch alloy wheels | Optional six-speed manual transmission |
Honda Sensing with forward collision warning and lane departure warning | Blind-spot information system | 18-inch alloy wheels |
LED headlights and taillights | Eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat | Four front and four rear parking sensors |
Four-speaker sound system | Heated front seats with leather-trimmed interior | Rear cross-traffic monitor |
Power moonroof | Nine-inch color touchscreen and 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster |
Best Deals on 2024 Honda Civic Hatchback
Interior and Features
There's loads of space inside the Civic Hatch and the materials used help it feel more premium than the price implies.
Nothing changes for 2024, which isn't a bad thing since the interior of the Honda Civic Hatchback is a functional, roomy, and comfortable place to spend time. There's ample space in the back, which is impressive, and the feature count is acceptable in the base models, although most buyers expect the larger instrument cluster and infotainment display that's standard in the top model to at least be available optionally lower down. Otherwise you make do with a seven-inch display and similarly-sized infotainment hub. The materials used are of good quality, but it's only the more expensive models that get power adjustment and heating for the front seats. There's a slew of driver assists, however, and more than enough cargo space in the trunk.
Space
The 2024 Civic Hatch does duty as a family hauler in most cases, and it does this with ease. There is seating for up to five with class-leading space in the back seat: this generation of Civic Hatch has the roomiest back seat thus far, beating both the Mazda 3 and Toyota Corolla hatchbacks in terms of legroom. You could even seat three across on the rear bench, although the middle perch isn't likely to be the most comfortable place after a half hour of commuting. Headroom in the Civic Hatch is also the best in the segment, although models with the moonroof do take a slight hit in this regard.
Cargo
Another of the Civic Hatchback's drawcards is its excellent cargo space figures. The design and clever packaging mean it has the most to offer behind the rear seats at 24.5 cubic feet - trumping the Corolla Hatch soundly by almost seven cubes. The rear seats can also fold down if you need more space in a 60/40 split, but the automaker doesn't clarify how much space that frees up.
As for internal storage, there are various nooks and crannies to store small items about the cabin, with a standard center console with sliding armrest and bin, door pockets front and rear, and two cupholders up front. The higher trims get a few more thoughtful touches, like passenger-side seatback pockets, a sunglasses holder, and rear cupholders in the rear-seat armrest.
Honda Civic Hatchback | Mazda 3 Hatchback | Toyota Corolla Hatchback | |
---|---|---|---|
Seating | 5 Seater | 5 Seater | 5 Seater |
Headroom | 37.6 - 39.3 in. front 37.1 in. rear | 37.5 - 38 in. front 36.5 - 37.2 in. rear | 38.4 in. front 37.6 in. rear |
Legroom | 42.3 in. front 37.4 in. rear | 42.3 in. front 35.1 in. rear | 42 in. front 29.9 in. rear |
Cargo Volume | 24.5 ft³ | 20.1 ft³ | 17.8 ft³ |
Materials and Colors
Don't expect too many options when it comes to interior colors and materials to kit your Honda Civic Hatch in, because it's rather limited. The base LX and Sport come with only black cloth upholstery, while the EX-L and Sport Touring upgrade to leather and make gray an option to consider (although it's paired with specific exterior colors only). If you were hoping for something racier or more lively, you'll have to upgrade to the Type R to get a red interior.
Only the top three trims have a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. The dashboard is trimmed with metal honeycomb paneling which goes a long way to modernizing a rather drab theme otherwise.
Features and Infotainment
Although there is a generous list of safety equipment, the features in the base models of the Honda Civic Hatch aren't as numerous. Only the top-end trims get access to heated and power-adjustable front seats, large touchscreens, dual-zone automatic climate control, and wireless charging, for example, while the LX and Sport make do with automatic climate control, wired Apple and Android integration for smartphones, push-button start, and manual seat adjustment.
On the base models, a seven-inch driver's information screen is standard and the infotainment lives on a seven-inch color touchscreen. Four speakers are standard, but four more are added when you opt for the Sport. There's a much nicer 12-speaker Bose setup reserved for the Sport Touring, however, and that model also gets the largest displays - 10.2 inches for the digital instrument cluster and nine inches for the infotainment. Navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and HD Radio are reserved for the top trim, too.
LX Hatchback | EX-L Hatchback | Sport Touring Hatchback | |
---|---|---|---|
Seven-inch digital cluster and seven-inch infotainment display | S | S | N/A |
10.2-inch digital cluster and nine-inch infotainment display | N/A | N/A | S |
Eight-way power driver's seat | N/A | S | S |
Heated front seats | N/A | S | S |
Dual-zone climate control | N/A | S | S |
Performance
Buyers can choose from a 158-hp four-pot or a turbocharged inline-four with 180 hp, but all Civics are efficient.
When it comes to performance, the 2024 Honda Civic Hatchback is available in three flavors, ranging from mild to spicy, with the most potent version reviewed separately in Type R guise. That leaves the mainstream lineup with two options: a 2.0-liter inline-four in the LX and Sport that puts out 158 horsepower and 138 lb-ft of torque, or a turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-four with 180 hp and 177 lb-ft. All models are front-wheel drive only, but the Sport-monikered trims get the option of switching out the standard CVT for a six-speed manual transmission.
Performance in the base models is rather meek, with more than nine seconds needed for the entry-level Honda Civic to go from 0-60 mph. There's much more enthusiasm in the EX-L and Sport Touring, that dispatch the benchmark sprint in the low-seven-second range. Of course, this potency is reserved for merging and overtaking on the freeway, or getting up to speed when you're late for work - these aren't the track variety Civics, but at least those with the turbo engine won't frustrate you.
The Civic is also renowned for fun driving dynamics and a comfortable ride, and that hasn't changed with the latest model.
Fuel Efficiency
Gas mileage figures for the Honda Civic Hatch vary depending on trim and transmission, with the most frugal option being the turbocharged EX-L with its 17-inch alloy wheels. That car manages 31/39/35 mpg city/highway/combined, thanks to the frugal-minded CVT. This drops to 30/37/33 mpg for the Civic Sport Touring, since it's a little heavier and has bigger wheels. Switching out for the manual six-speeder, however, drops that to 28/37/31 mpg.
Honda Civic Hatchback models with the 2.0-liter engine can get fuel economy figures as good as 30/38/33 when equipped with the CVT in the base model. The Sport is a little heavier, so it gets 29/37/32 mpg, and if you want to row your own gears, expect the worst ratings of 26/36/29 mpg.
All models have a fuel tank capacity of 12.39 gallons, which makes for a best range of over 430 miles and a worse of just 360 in the least economical configuration.
2.0L Inline-4 Gas 6-Speed Manual FWD | 2.0L Inline-4 Gas Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) FWD | 1.5L Turbo Inline-4 Gas 6-Speed Manual FWD | 1.5L Turbo Inline-4 Gas Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) FWD | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Power | 158 hp | 158 hp | 180 hp | 180 hp |
Top speed | Est. 130 mph | Est. 130 mph | Est. 130 mph | Est. 130 mph |
MPG | 26/36/29 mpg | 30/38/33 mpg- LX 29/37/32 mpg - Sport | 28/37/31 mpg | 31/39/35 mpg - EX-L 30/37/33 mpg - Sport Touring |
0-60 | Est. nine seconds | Est. nine seconds | Est. 7.3 seconds | Est. 7.3 seconds |
Safety
Safety is a strong suit for the Honda Civic Hatch, thanks to a full house of driver assists and standard safety features.
As far as the safety review of the Honda Civic Hatchback goes, it's a feather in the car's cap. Achieving a Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS for 2023, the 2024 version carries over with top scores of Good in all categories, barring an Acceptable rating for the updated side test. The NHTSA underscores this with full marks on all but the frontal crash tests where it scores four stars.
These excellent results are courtesy of a full consignment of airbags, including front occupant knee airbags and side curtain airbags (a total of ten), a multi-angle rearview camera and standard brake assist - but that's not all. The Honda Sensing suit is comprehensive, imbuing all models with collision and road departure mitigation, adaptive cruise control with low speed follow (CVT models only), lane keeping assist, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, traffic jam assist (CVTs only) and traffic sign recognition, and a driver attention monitor. The EX-L gets a blind-spot information system additionally, and the Sport Touring comes with rear cross-traffic monitor and front and rear parking sensors.
LX Hatchback | EX-L Hatchback | Sport Touring Hatchback | |
---|---|---|---|
Adaptive cruise control | S | S | S |
Lane keeping and lane departure warning | S | S | S |
Forward collision warning and collision mitigation braking | S | S | S |
Blind spot information system | N/A | S | S |
Rear cross-traffic monitor and front and rear parking sensors | N/A | N/A | S |
US NHTSA Crash Test Result
Overall Rating | Frontal Barrier Crash Rating | Side Crash Rating | Rollover Rating |
---|---|---|---|
5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 |
Reliability
There's already been one recall that affects the 2024 model year with a notice issued for an incorrectly assembled steering rack. It also affects 2023 and 2022 models. Despite this, reliability expectations for the Honda Civic Hatchback are high, earning an 82 out of 100 from JD Power's consumer-based survey.
The warranty for the 2024 Honda Civic Hatchback is par for the course in the segment, with cover for three years or 36,000 miles. The powertrain is covered for five years or 60,000 miles.
Warranty
Basic | Drivetrain | Corrosion | Roadside Assistance |
---|---|---|---|
3 Years / 36,000 Miles | 5 Years / 60,000 Miles | 5 Years / Unlimited Miles | 3 Years / 36,000 Miles |
Design
The Honda Civic is more fastback than hatchback in terms of exterior design, but we're fans of the overall look. It's sleek and suave with the front end being elegant without looking bland. The rear is a little more futuristic, but it works in this application. All trims get auto-on/off LED headlights and LED brake and taillights, but only the top trim comes with LED fog lights as well. The EX-L and Sport Touring are equipped with a one-touch power moonroof, and the most expensive version has dual exhaust finishers at the rear.
Wheel sizes vary, with the base model riding on 16s and the EX-L on 17s. Both the models with the word 'Sport' in the trim name have 18-inch alloys filling the arches. The Sport model comes with gloss black power side mirrors that pair well with blacked-out wheels to make it look a little more menacing.
Verdict: Is The 2024 Honda Civic Hatchback A Good Car?
One of the stalwarts in the segment, the Honda Civic Hatchback remains one of the best value buys in the USA. It's easy to drive, it gets relatively efficient fuel economy figures, and both safety and reliability rank highly, making it a good starter car in many respects. It's also generous in terms of passenger and cargo space, and if you can live with the dreary interior color schemes and don't mind paying slightly more to get the best features, the Civic hatch won't disappoint. It's also worth noting that it's actually fun to drive, too, and as one of the few cars that will still allow you to shift gears yourself, it earns a few extra points in our rankings. You can still get a good deal for under $30k, but even if you opt for the top model, we doubt you'll regret it.