After a several-year absence, Honda is bringing back the Civic Hybrid, offering it as an option for both sedan and hatchback buyers for the 2025 model year. While if will offer as much as 50 mpg fuel economy, the new hybrid will put more emphasis on performance than past versions, the automaker said Tuesday.
The 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid will be offered in multiple trims and in both sedan and hatchback body styles.
Honda delivered an unwelcome surprise, a few years back, dropping the Civic Hybrid option in favor of the Insight. With that gas-electric-only model now gone, Honda has reversed that mistake and is bringing back the hybrid under the hood of the 11th-generation Civic.
The automaker will expand its availability, offering the high-mileage package in not only four trims – starting with the LX and Sport – but making it available to both Civic sedan and hatchback buyers.
And acknowledging current trends, the next-generation Honda Civic Hybrid will put a premium on that “fun-do-drive factor,” as well as fuel economy – though few buyers are likely to complain about getting as much as 50 miles per gallon.
Strong demand
The interior of the new Honda Civic Hybrid.
Honda was a pioneer in the hybrid market, its original Insight model arriving in U.S. showrooms months ahead of the better-known Toyota Prius. Today, the smaller of the two Japanese automakers offers hybrid and plug-in hybrid options on a growing share of its U.S. line-up. So, it’s decision to pull the gas-electric version of the 10th-generation Civic came as a shock and, to many potential buyers, a big disappointment.
The plan was to move hybrid buyers over to the dedicated gas-electric Insight model. But Honda has long had trouble selling niche models and, just like the original Insight of a quarter-century ago, the latest version received a ho-hum reception from U.S. buyers.
Honda is a lot more optimistic about the hybrid version of the gen-11 Civic, forecasting it will wind up generating about 40% of overall sales going forward.
Power and mileage
The Civic’s new 2-motor hybrid system.
We’ve been seeing a significant shift in the auto market over the last several years, automakers putting more emphasis on performance, even while continuing to deliver solid fuel economy numbers from their latest hybrids. The 2024 Prius, for example, got a 40% boost in horsepower in hybrid form, 70% for the plug-in model.
The new Civic Hybrid doesn’t quite make that big a leap. Still, at 200 hp and 232 lb-ft, it should deliver more neck-snapping acceleration than before – especially when compared to the lackluster Insight.
To get those numbers, Honda opts for a revised version of its two-motor hybrid system. The electric side of the driveline is paired with a small internal combustion engine – but Honda has yet to release specific details, including displacement. Though it uses a CVT-style transmission, Honda claims, a new Linear Shift Control “further elevates the driving experience by mimicking the vehicle speed-linked rev feel typically associated with a conventional drivetrain shifting gears under acceleration.”
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Other updates
The Honda Insight was available only as a hybrid but never caught on with U.S. buyers.
For those who don’t want – or can’t afford the hybrid package, other versions of the Civic will be powered by the same 2.0-liter inline-4 internal combustion engine currently available on the compact model.
For 2025, all versions of the Honda Civic will receive updates to exterior and interior designs, as well as onboard technologies. These includes revised grilles and garnish and new colors.
All versions of the 2025 Honda Civic sedan will be produced at the automaker’s plant in Alliston, Ontario, Canada. The hatchback will roll out of the Honda plant in Greensburg, Indiana.
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