The Honda Civic is the best-selling compact car in America, and it earned that position largely thanks to its exceptional efficiency. When it first debuted in 1972, the Civic shocked the world by meeting emissions standards without any of the power-choking emissions equipment American manufacturers were using. Given that history, it’s somewhat remarkable that the Civic was only available as a hybrid for a few short years in the late 2000s. However, that is set to change. For the new year, the 2025 Honda Civic is not only getting a styling update, but it is also receiving a brand-new hybrid powertrain that will be available for both the sedan and hatchback variants!
The Most Efficient and Most Powerful Civic Yet
Honda is intent on positioning its latest hybrid powertrains as the premium sporty option. This trend began when the Accord and CR-V were redesigned for the 2023 model year and relegated their traditional gasoline engines to their entry-level trims, while the top trims came standard with hybrid powertrains. Now, the 2025 Civic is following a similar trend. The base LX and Sport trims will continue to offer the 2.0L gasoline engine that powers the 2024 model, while the better-equipped Sport Hybrid and Sport Touring Hybrid trims will be powered by a version of the 2.0L hybrid powertrain used by the Accord and CR-V.
As you might expect, the hybrid version is incredibly efficient, with Honda estimating that it will achieve 50 MPG combined. That is a substantial improvement over the already exceptional 36 MPG combined of the 2024 Civic Sedan with its optional 1.5L turbocharged engine and will make the 2025 Civic the most fuel-efficient model in the entire Honda lineup (excluding, of course, the fully electric Honda Prologue). If you are looking to upgrade your commute, the new Civic Hybrid will go toe-to-toe with the more established Corolla Hybrid, which is also rated at 50 MPG combined, although the Honda falls a bit short of the Prius with its best-in-class 57 MPG combined rating.
However, as trim names indicate, Honda believes the Civic Hybrid is more than just efficient––it is also built to be sporty and fun to drive. While the Corolla Hybrid limps along with 138 hp, the Civic Hybrid is slated to be the second most powerful Civic ever after the track-ready Civic Type R. With 200 hp and 232 lb-ft of torque, the 2025 Civic will blow the doors off its Toyota rival without burning any more fuel. Is there any better way to celebrate the Civic’s 50-year legacy of practical performance?
More Tech, Fewer Options
While the new hybrid powertrain is the highlight of the 2025 Civic, it is not the only change that Honda is making. Honda has given the model a mild facelift and upgraded the available technology with Google built-in. This allows you to run Google apps natively for navigation, entertainment, and more without connecting your smartphone. Google built-in is becoming an increasingly popular feature in recent models, although Honda has unfortunately decided to limit it to the top Sport Touring Hybrid trim for the 2025 Civic.
In another unfortunate decision, Honda has eliminated the optional six-speed manual transmission from the Civic Hatchback. This isn’t exactly unexpected, seeing as the Civic Sedan lost its manual option back in 2021, but it is likely to disappoint shoppers looking for an affordable and fun manual car. There also isn’t any word yet on how the 2025 refresh will affect the performance-oriented Civic Si and Civic Type R, which have only been offered with manual transmissions since their introduction. Given that the new Civic Hybrid is significantly more powerful than the Civic Si, it is difficult to see much of a place for this classic enthusiast model in the future, although the 315 hp Type R is far more likely to continue unchanged.
A New Era for Compact Cars
Honda says that it expects the hybrid option to make up 40% of future Civic sales, and given its incredible blend of efficiency and performance, we certainly believe the 2025 Civic Hybrid should be at the top of your list if you are looking for an enjoyable and efficient car for commuting and running errands. While we are certainly sad to see another manual transmission option bite the dust, we expect that the new Civic is going to force all competing manufacturers to ramp up their games. Other hybrid sedans like the Corolla Hybrid, Elantra Hybrid, and even the Prius have lost a lot of their shine when compared to the new Civic Hybrid, and models that don’t offer a hybrid option will find it difficult to compete when Honda offers greater efficiency and performance.
