The Lemon Index2021 Honda Civic.
The 2021 Honda Civic is one of the most reliable years by owner complaints: 81 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 32, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about automatic emergency braking, it has 4 recalls, and it gets 25 to 36 mpg combined. The best Honda Civic year is 2011.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
Fixes owners look up most.
From 97 YouTube videos about the 2016–2021 Honda Civic, 36.0M views. The 2021 is the same car.
- Heat, A/C & blend door992K views
How To Recharge A/C 10th Gen Honda Civic 2016-2021 R1234YF In-Depth | TSB Recall Condenser IssuesEyeOnAiman · 367K views · 4 videos - Transmission & shifter840K views
Honda Civic CVT Filter Replacement & Fluid Change DIY Transmission Maintenance 10th Gen 2016-2021 SISal's Garage · 310K views · 3 videos - Infotainment, battery & electrical709K views
2016 Honda Civic - Radio Reset / RebootBreezy Productions · 337K views · 3 videos - Brakes & ABS437K views
DIY 2016 + Civic Rear Brake Replacement With EPB Using Honda Tech ManualRob's Garage Woodworking · 264K views · 2 videos
Show 4 more
- Oil changes & service377K views
How To Do An Oil Change on your 10th Gen Honda Civic! (2016-2021)RevolveAuto · 248K views · 2 videos - No-start: theft light, key & ignition331K views
Fix & Solved Honda Civic 10th Gen Car Won't Start Brake System Problem & Error Messagesmacdaddypimpping · 331K views - Steering & suspension251K views
Replacing Honda Civic Rear Shocks 2016 -2020 DIYRob's Garage Woodworking · 126K views · 2 videos - Timing chain & engine191K views
Must Have Power Mods | 10th Gen Civic X Bolt On GuideMAPerformance · 191K views
Before you buy, watch
2016 - 2021 Honda Civic problemsBCauto_ · 200K views
How to Check a Used Honda Civic (2016+) For Hidden ProblemsJustin Pritchard · 148K views
Common problems with HONDA CIVIC 2016 to 2021.El papá de los autos · 136K viewsViews show how many people looked up each fix, not how often it breaks. Videos belong to their creators; we link to them.
How serious. Out of 158 owner complaints, owners reported:
Every Honda Civic year. 2021 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 9K to 56K miles on the car (17 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
Recalls 4
- airbags 2026
The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.
- airbags 2024
The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.
- fuel system, gasoline 2023
The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Show all 4 recalls
- brakes 2023
The tie rod fastener that connects the brake booster and the brake master cylinder may have been improperly assembled during manufacturing, which can cause the brake master cylinder to separate from the booster assembly.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Honda told dealers about
Honda sent dealers 87 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc
- Service Bulletin - American Honda is extending the warranty on the A/C condenser to 10 years
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Safety
Crash test details
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda CIVIC 4 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Honda CIVIC HATCH 5 HB FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
Fuel cost and engines
About $1800–3200 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 1.5L 4-cyl, 2.0L 4-cyl.
In owners' words
What is going down the highway and my car almost went into oncoming traffic
2021 Honda Civic owner · NHTSA complaint 11549147
More owner reports
Steering wheel tries to stick in place randomly. Does not happen daily but has happened multiple times. The only way to make it stop is to stop driving the car for a few hours.
NHTSA complaint 11513124
Car will randomly hit the brakes when adaptive cruise control is on. It will hit the brakes even though it doesnât detect anyone in front, it will slow down a good 10-15mph before speeding back up.
NHTSA complaint 11460227
Quick answers
Is the 2021 Honda Civic reliable?
Yes, it is one of the most reliable by government complaints. It drew 3.1× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 32; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Honda Civic year by this measure is 2011.
What are the most common 2021 Honda Civic problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are automatic emergency braking (44%), steering (30%) and brakes (17%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2021 Honda Civic have?
4 safety recalls (latest: airbags). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2021 Honda Civic get?
25 to 36 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
Is the 2021 Honda Civic safe?
NHTSA gave it 5 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.
Does the 2021 Honda Civic have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues aren't among its top 5 complaint areas.
How much does the 2021 Honda Civic cost in fuel a year?
About $1800 to $3200 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2021 Honda Civic have?
1.5L 4-cyl, 2.0L 4-cyl.
What Honda Civic year is better than the 2021?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2011, 2013 and 2015.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works