2025 Honda Civic Type R

With hybrid powertrain demand on the rise, Honda is seizing the opportunity to give customers what they want with the new 2025 Civic hybrid. Two new hybrid-powered trim levels join the Civic lineup to bring Prius-rivaling fuel economy; the top-tier model offers a fresh take on technology with the Google built-in app suite.

We expect the new Civic to keep its affordable starting price of around $25,000 for the entry-level LX model. The Civic Sport slots in above that, followed by two new hybrid variants. Honda says the Civic Sport Hybrid will start “under $30,000,” with the top-trim Sport Touring Hybrid costing a bit more.

For 2025, the base Civic LX and Civic Sport will keep their current engine. That’s a 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 158 horsepower and 138 lb-ft of torque. Those numbers are unchanged for the new model.

Further up the trim ladder, the EX and Touring levels are gone, and so is the upgrade 1.5-liter turbocharged engine that powered them. In their place are the new Civic Sport Hybrid and Civic Touring Hybrid. They use the same powertrain found in the Accord and CR-V hybrids — a 2.0-liter four-cylinder paired with two electric motors — though it's slightly detuned here, for a total output of 200 hp and 232 lb-ft. We expect the new hybrid models to accelerate quicker than the outgoing Si, which is down 40 lb-ft. Aside from the additional thrust, the Civic hybrid will get an EPA estimate of 50 mpg in combined city/highway driving, according to Honda.

Another shake-up for the new model is Honda doing away with the manual transmission in the Civic Hatchback. The Civic is now CVT-only across the board, and if you’re a fan of three pedals, the Si and the Type R are now the only models to offer a manual transmission.

In the Civic, Honda's hybrid system is smooth and torquey off the line. Honda's Linear Shift Control system mimics traditional gear changes instead of letting the engine rage against its rev limiter when you demand full power. There's more than enough pep when you need it and excellent fuel economy when you tone things back down.

Though you might associate hybrids with dynamic boredom, that's not the case here. The Civic is eager to turn in and neatly pivots into tight bends. Hybridization has in no way dulled the sharpness that we've come to know and love in the Civic. The new car is also quieter than before, especially at highway speeds, making it a more relaxing cruiser.

Honda didn’t make any major changes to the updated Civic’s interior but we’re OK with that — this was already a great cabin for a vehicle at this price point. Our current rating gives the car high marks for its attractive design and easy-to-use controls. Small tweaks for 2025 include two USB-C ports in the front and a new gray interior color option on hybrid models.

The Civic is surprisingly roomy inside, given its compact size. Taller passengers fit in the front row without issues, and the back seats can take on average-size adults. This is also a great car for overall visibility. Thin front pillars and a low-slung dash make it easy to see forward — there are also virtually no significant blind spots.

The big news here is with the top-trim Civic Sport Touring Hybrid. Honda is finally adding the excellent Google built-in software to the Civic, but only on the one model. This brings Google Maps, the Google-powered voice assistant and the ability to add third-party apps such as Spotify. The Sport Touring also gets the upgraded 9-inch touchscreen and a 12-speaker Bose audio system.

Like we’ve said with the Accord, it would be nice to see the Google technology across more trim levels since it’s such a positive addition to the car’s tech experience. Honda still includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard on the Civic, along with a smaller 7-inch touchscreen. But if you prefer the best tech that Honda has to offer, then only the Sport Touring will get the job done.

Honda is more democratic with the Civic’s safety kit, which includes a healthy number of standard features. Adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane keeping assistance come standard on the car, while blind-spot warning and parking sensors are optional extras.

A little more fine-tuning of its driver assistance systems means adaptive cruise control follows the car ahead of you more consistently and is able to find the center of the lane and hold you there. There's no ping-ponging between lane lines at all — even with torrential rain and truly abysmal visibility on my drive route outside of Montreal. The Civic's safety systems were always some of the best, but just like the rest of the car, they have only gotten better for 2025.