The Honda Civic has always been a very popular automobile. From the first generation Civic introduced back in 1972 as a subcompact, it has maintained its staying power as a fun to drive car with great fuel economy and a high resale value. From just over 32,000 sales in that first year, today the Honda Civic has an impressive sales base of over 325,000 vehicles in 2018.

If you’re thinking about buying a Honda Civic Hatchback, this car has a very good reputation for quality and long-lasting reliability. As a matter of fact, the Civic remains in the list of some of the longest-lasting cars still being built today. Second and third-generation Civic owners routinely enjoy an impressive 300,000-mile lifespan.

Honda Civic surges ahead of the competition

When you consider the entire Honda lineup, the company is rebounding from a few months of lagging sales figures. This year, the CR-V crossover has experienced a 28 percent increase over last year – selling a record 44,235 units. But, it is the multiple body styles of the Honda Civic that have surged and put Honda clearly back in the black.

This latest generation Civic was launched in 2016 with record sales. This year, Civic deliveries rose 1.3 percent higher through August. Most impressive, the Honda Civic has surged ahead of the Toyota Corolla, its closest rival in compact car sales, by a whopping 20,000 units this year. While these numbers still don’t match the automaker’s 2016 numbers, it is an impressive gain for a compact that has survived stiff competition in its market sector. 

The Mazda 3 vs. the Honda Civic provides a shocking comparison. Mazda reported a 13 percent sales decline of the Mazda 3 in 2018, which totaled 64,638 vehicles sold.

In the suburbs, through the city, and along country roads, the Honda Civic’s versatility and wide range of style options seem to be a favorite choice over the rising tide of compact SUV offerings.

The Civic: a car with many faces

A major selling point for the Honda Civic may be the many offerings of style, trim, and powertrain options to fit a wider range of auto buyers. First, you can choose between your preferred body styles – coupe, hatchback, or sedan. Next, you’ll have a half-dozen featured trim choices to fit your level of automotive luxury and budget. Finally, powertrain choices include:

• Sedan/Coupe – standard 158-horsepower, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine
• Hatchback – turbocharged, 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine with 174 hp
• Six-speed manual transmission, or a continuously variable automatic transmission.
• A choice of high-performance models, the Si and the Type R, with 205 and 306 hp, respectively.

To back up the company’s smart design choices, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gives the Honda Civic stellar ratings for 2018. This may be due to an impressive safety package that includes forward-collision warning, adaptive cruise control, and lane departure warning on some trim levels.

To sum up, if you’re looking for a five-passenger car that is known for its excellent leg- and headroom, and you desire some cargo space to haul your adventure gear, then the Honda Civic Hatchback is the go-to compact car. And if you’re looking for an inexpensive sedan, the Honda Civic LX is the entry-level option starting at around $20,000. You’ll also have the choice of a touring coupe or a Honda Civic sport-injected model.