For over half a century, the Honda Civic has garnished a proud reputation as one of the most popular Japanese cars in existence. With legendary reliability and tight handling, the Civic has long been the safe choice for consumers seeking foreign compact and subcompact models. Sure, their resale value might sit a bit higher than your average Hyundai Elantra or Kia Forte, but with good reason.
Of course, having a small, reliable car doesn’t necessarily mean that it has to be boring. Over the decades, Honda has frequently added some spice into various forms of the Civic lineup, and consequently created absolute legends in the process. With that said, here are our top 10 picks for the best Honda Civic models of all time.
10 10th-Gen Honda Civic Type R
On June 14, 2017, the Honda Civic Type R was finally released in the United States after decades of missing out. Prior to this, the only Type R that Honda sold in the US was the DC2 Acura Integra Type R.
During the same year that the Civic Type R finally reached the US, the car set a new record at the Nürburgring of 7:48.80, which made it the fastest FWD production car to ever circle the treacherous north course. With 306 horsepower on tap, the Type R is slightly less powerful than versions sold in other parts of the world, due to federal emissions mandates. Even so, the 10th-gen Civic Type R continues to impress.
9 Third-Gen Honda Civic Wagon
The Honda Civic Wagon, also known as the Civic Shuttle, was first unveiled in 1984 to the Honda lineup and accompanied the sedan, hatchback, and the CRX coupe. Even with this much versatility in the Civic variants alone, Honda still felt there was a need to improve, and consequently offered the Civic Wagon as a more spacious alternative.
In addition to more room, 1985 would see the advent of 4WD being offered in the Honda Civic Wagon. This was essentially a game-changer for Honda, as the cars proved quite popular. The Civic Wagon would continue through the fourth generation of the model, but would ultimately fade into obscurity. Despite its success, Honda has never offered another 4WD Civic for the North American market.
8 Fourth-Gen Honda Civic Del Sol
Produced briefly for the 1993 model year until 1998, the Honda Civic Del Sol replaced the CR-X for the USDM lineup (although it retained the CR-X name in other parts of the world).
The Del Sol tried to add some flair to the Civic by offering the platform of a two-seater, complete with a targa bar and a detachable roof panel, which could be stored in the trunk. Although it was under powered and didn’t handle as good as a Mazda Miata, the Honda Civic Del Sol still stands out as a nice gesture by Honda to offer some fun in a cheap car (which is virtually unheard of these days).
7 Fifth-Gen Honda Civic EG Hatchback
The EG Honda Civic hatchback remains an icon of the Japanese car world, particularly in the realm of tuners and racers. These cars were basic in design, lightweight, had excellent gas mileage and achieved great reliability in stock form.
On the contrary, these cars are a legendary platform for tuners and racers alike. With a feathery curb weight of just under 2,100 lbs, it didn’t necessarily take a lot to get these cars moving. On top of which, the engine bays could fit a B16 or B18 swap during the earlier days of Honda tuning, although later enthusiasts found ways to stuff the K20 and K24 into these hatchbacks. When done properly, the EG hatchback has the potential to be a potent track weapon.
6 Seventh-Gen Honda Civic Si
The Si version of the seventh-generation Honda Civic is one of the more interesting examples of the breed. From 2001 through 2005, the Si was the only trim level available for the Civic hatchback within the United States, as the other models were only offered in sedan and coupe form.
Built in Swindon, England, these hot-hatches were then shipped off to Canada for sale within the North American market. Although not nearly as loved as the Civic Si models of the 1990s, the seventh generation of the Civic Si represents an interesting turning point for the model, as after its demise in 2005, it would take over a decade for Honda to offer another Civic hatchback within the United States.
5 Sixth-Gen Honda Civic Si EK
The EK Civic Si is one of the more energetic Hondas offered to the USDM during the late 1990s.
Its B16 naturally aspirated 1.6-liter four-cylinder had an output of 160 horsepower. With 10 horsepower per 100cc, the B16 was a highly efficient engine and proved extremely reliable.
4 Sixth-Gen Honda Civic Type R
The very first Honda Civic Type R was launched on the EK9 platform on August 19, 1997. Although it was never released for the United States, the original Civic Type R was an absolute athlete of a subcompact.
The 1.6-liter B16B engine was naturally aspirated, but still managed to churn out 182 horsepower, making this engine one of the highest ratings for horsepower-per-liter, and without the use of a turbo.
3 Fourth-Gen Honda CRX Si
Originally designed as a high-efficiency commuter, Honda quickly realized the potential of the CRX’s inherent lightness and agility. By basically hacking off a decent portion of a standard hatchback, the standard CRX could achieve over 60 mpg in some cases.
The Si version of the CRX’s later years proved to be one of the most coveted examples. In 1989, its output was kicked up to 108 horsepower for the USDM cars, which was plenty to have some real fun in such a tiny package.
2 1975 Honda Civic CVCC
The Honda Civic was first sold in the United States all the way back in 1975, when the tiny hatchback was welcomed as a reliable and efficient alternative to the domestic, gas-guzzling behemoths that were soon finding no love after the OPEC crisis.
These early Honda Civics burned fuel so clean that they didn’t even necessitate a catalytic converter, as the leaner burn of their CVCC system ultimately proved better for emissions.
1 1984 Mugen CRX
The 1984 Mugen CRX was a limited series of prototypes constructed by Mugen for American Honda to test and develop parts for the US market. Only two of these extremely rare Honda Civics were ever built and, unlike later Mugen models, featured far more than just a body kit. At its core, the Mugen CRX completely transformed the sedate, economy nature of the Honda Civic into a true performance car.
Mugen strategically developed their own camshaft, valves, and springs to increase horsepower. Koni shocks were also utilized, as well as further reworking of the suspension to allow even tighter handling from these lightweight hatchbacks. These parts would later be offered as aftermarket units to the public, as well as turbocharger kits and other bits to substantially increase power from the tiny CRX. In many ways, the Mugen CRX is one of the direct ancestors of the infamous Honda tuning scene that swept the US during the 1990s and early 2000s, which is exactly why it’s at the top of this list.
Sources: Honda, King Motorsports, Bring A Trailer, Hemmings