2025 Honda Civic Hybrid Hatchback Evaluation: Remains a Leading Option

      Last year, we awarded our highest accolade to the new Honda Civic Hybrid: The Drive's Best Car of 2024. Now, there’s an even more functional Hatchback variant. Has the expansion of the rear and the addition of another door ruined the Civic? Absolutely not.

      **Overview**

      The current generation of the Honda Civic has been in production since 2021 (how time flies!), but it’s receiving a mid-cycle update for 2025. This refresh includes a revised front design and new wheels, with the standout improvement being the introduction of an efficient, two-motor hybrid powertrain.

      It’s the standard engine choice available in the higher-end trims of the Civic and it can be found in both the sedan and this Hatchback iteration. When comparing the top trims, the Hatchback carries a $1,200 premium over the sedan, which feels like a reasonable trade-off for enhanced practicality and, in my opinion, better aesthetics.

      The passenger space in the Hatchback remains the same as in the sedan, which is quite ample for a compact car. However, with the rear seats in use, the Civic Hatchback offers 24.5 cubic feet of cargo space compared to the sedan’s 14.8 cubic feet trunk. When the seats are folded, the five-door Civic has enough room to accommodate sizable items like a 55-inch TV. Here’s a photo of it doing just that:

      The interior will feel familiar to anyone who has spent time in a new Civic. It features a clean design with a good number of physical buttons and knobs. All controls move with a satisfying click, and the slim A-pillars enhance outward visibility. The screens—nine inches in the center and 10.2 inches in the instrument cluster in this top Sport Touring model—are user-friendly without being overwhelming.

      One drawback that might not become apparent until you've driven this car for a while is that the seats aren’t particularly comfortable.

      **Driving the Honda Civic Hatchback**

      The Honda Civic has always been known for its driving prowess that exceeds its price range, and this latest Hatchback continues that tradition. It's a pleasure to maneuver, offering a level of precision and stability that surpasses most competitors. The ride is comfortable without being overly soft, and the two-motor hybrid powertrain allows the Civic to operate as an electric vehicle for much of the time, especially during slow city driving.

      A 2.0-liter four-cylinder gas engine engages smoothly at higher speeds and on the highway, with the entire system producing 200 hp. This matches the sporty Civic Si, while the electric motor delivers more torque at 232 lb-ft, available from a standstill without any gasoline usage.

      In simpler terms, the Civic Hybrid is smooth, quick, quiet, and extremely efficient.

      If you’re on a budget or prefer non-electrified vehicles for any reason, the base Civic offers a non-hybrid 2.0-liter engine generating 150 hp, which lacks the efficiency, speed, and refinement of its hybrid counterpart.

      Standard Honda Sensing safety features include adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow, lane-keeping assistance, various collision warnings, and traffic sign recognition. While you must still keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road, the technology is advanced enough that highway driving feels almost effortless.

      **Pros and Cons**

      Good outward visibility, excellent handling, and strong everyday acceleration highlight the Civic. Recent Hondas are also some of the simplest cars to operate, with physical buttons where needed and volume controlled by a sleek knob next to the touchscreen. The knobs for climate control click pleasingly, rivaling or surpassing those found in many luxury vehicles.

      However, the seats are a notable downside as they lack comfort on long trips, particularly the bottoms. Also, all touch controls on the driver’s side exterior door handle unexpectedly stopped functioning one night, requiring me to unlock the car with the key fob manually. Fortunately, this issue resolved after a power cycle and didn’t recur during the remainder of my week with the car.

      **Honda Civic Hatchback Features, Options, and Rivals**

      The Sport model starts at $28,600 for a gas-only version and comes equipped with a seven-inch touchscreen, a seven-inch instrument cluster display, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, two USB-C ports up front, Honda Sensing ADAS, remote start, and 18-inch wheels.

      The Sport Hybrid, priced at $32,300, includes the hybrid powertrain along with features such as active sound control, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, a rear fold-down center armrest with cupholders, a passenger-side seatback pocket, a moonroof, and an acoustic laminated windshield.

      The Sport Touring (tested) starts at $34,300 and adds a larger nine-inch touchscreen with built-in Google and Alexa, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless phone charger, Wi-Fi hotspot capability, a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster