We recently tested the BMW i4 and loved it – here was an EV that was a BMW first and foremost. And we couldn’t stop thinking about that with our time in the 2025 Civic Hybrid.
Lately, the Civic has been a sparkling, delightful and well-priced small sedan and hatch. We especially liked the sporty Si model. So when we heard that the new Hybrid model will be the most powerful non-Type R ever – we couldn’t wait to get our hands on one.
And now we have. So, is the Hybrid the Civic of our dreams? You might be surprised at the result!
Enhanced Design
The entire Civic line got a freshening for 2025, and they took an already great design and made it just a little better to our eyes.
Up front a new grille and fascia look a little meaner, with a hungrier lower grille and side gills that swipe around to the front of the wheel arches. With major parts blacked out, the crisp LED headlights and driving lights look even more aggressive than before.
The big difference from the sideview of our recent Si tester would have to be the Sport Touring’s unique new machine-finished wheel design that’s not only sporty, but we think offers more visual sizzle than the Si’s-blacked out wheels.
One other note – while our tester was the sedan, you can also get the Civic Hybrid in a 5-door hatchback, giving you added flexibility in hauling stuff.
The rear is your best clue that this is not an Si. There’s no blacked out rear spoiler or meaty looking dual exhaust pipes hanging below the lower fascia. We actually like the subtleness of the Hybrid’s rear – it works beautifully with the boomerang-shaped taillights, and the lack of overt fuss gives off a more restrained, tasteful vibe.
Finishing things off was our tester’s optional Urban Gray Pearl paint – a new color for ’25 – and it just adds another layer of sophistication to the hybrid. All in all, this is one of the nicest looking Civics ever. We constantly found ourselves turning around to take a second glance!
Luxe Deluxe
Inside, things are similar to our 2025 Si tester, but there’s been a swap of sport for an elevated sense of luxury.
Let’s start with the common ground – the high-quality materials, the horizontal line with a cool metal trim panel that hides the vents, and good solid design with logical locations of controls –typical Honda.
Where the Si had a red sport seats and signature trim, the Touring is more restrained with a new gray color unique to the hybrid that looks elegant and expensive. The high level of standard equipment helps reinforce the lux-life vibe – Sport Hybrid models enjoy a standard moonroof, heated front seats and dual zone climate controls.
We recommend stepping up to the Sport Touring Hybrid model like our tester, serving up leather seats, 12-speaker Bose premium audio system, larger 9-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto™ plus wireless smartphone charger. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are on board as well.
It all works well to coddle you. A few nits to pick – we would have liked a lumbar support for the driver seat and a heated steering wheel. But overall you really feel spoiled for goodness. And the driver’s seat is power-adjustable for height – a nice touch. We also liked the cupholders better on our Hybrid, located to the right of the shift lever. On the Si, they’re behind the shift lever, a perfect place to get in the way when you are snicking through the gears.
The gauges are also unique to the hybrid, with displays for power usage, and clever small windows that can show info-tainment displays, vehicle status, and on our Sport Touring Hybrid trim, it can even show a Google navigation map.
Speaking of Google, unique to the Sport Touring Hybrid is the Civic’s first integration of Google built-in. This includes apps like Google Assistant, Google Maps and more on Google Play.
Google Assistant, puts your voice in command, and you talk to Google to easily call or text a friend, set reminders, navigate or change the temperature in the car. More you say? You can ask Google to skip to the next track or rewind a podcast and lets you download various third-party apps. OK, we’re easily amused, but you can even ask Google to tell you a joke!
This is a load of tech, and we had a friend with a new $60,000-plus BMW showing off all the things it could do. He got tired of us saying, “Yeah, we have that on the Civic, too.” (Actually, we had some stuff he didn’t – even on that Bimmer at nearly twice the price!)
Civics are sensible cars, and we found the rear seats to be adult friendly, and the seats fold flat with a nice pass through for plenty of room. As mentioned before, if you need more space the Civic Hybrid is also offered in a 5-door hatchback model that’s virtually indistinguishable from the outside.
A Driving Revolution
It’s the improved Hybrid system that completely wowed us and made us rethink which Civic of our modestly priced dreams.
While the two-motor Honda hybrid system has been with us since 2014, the new improved fourth generation bowed in the 2023 Accord and CR-V, and now with slight variations, in the 2025 Civic as well.
With a strong 200 horsepower and a stout 232 lb.-ft. of torque, this is the most powerful Civic outside of the racy and expensive Type R. Basically, a pair of electric motors are combined with a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine. It’s a clever system that can function in EV mode, or with the four-cylinder feeding power to the generator. Once you get above 50 mph or so, the engine can also send power directly to the front wheels.
While it sounds complex, it never feels that way. You can whoosh around in silky smooth EV mode, and when the gas motor kicks in during regular driving you barely notice. And with 50 mpg city, and 47 mpg EPA highway, the fuel efficiency is phenomenal.
What’s really surprising is what’s in store for those who love to drive. Shift it into Sport Mode and you get some nice piped-in engine sounds, and the CVT does an excellent impression of a traditional automatic with “shifts” that put a grin on your face. With all that torque low down thanks to the battery power, the hybrid feels strong off the line and pulls hard and enthusiastically in a very linear way. You even have paddle shifters – but they just let you adjust the regenerative braking that feeds braking energy back into the hybrid system.
This is very different from the Si model that needs to (and loves to) be revved hard and shifted manually to get performance. And sorry Si fans, the hybrid is faster!
We love manual transmissions, but the Hybrid CVT setup is excellent for those who have to spend plenty of time in traffic, and it’s a thrill to drive – just in a different kind of way. And flogging it around we still averaged 42 mpg!
While the Si chassis maybe set up for performance, and is nearly 300 lbs. lighter, the Hybrid still keeps the handling sweetness we’ve found in all the Civics for 2025, with nice, precise steering, flat cornering and a supple ride. This is a great balance of efficiency, comfort and fun!
It’s also confident, with the impressive Honda Sensing suite of safety and driver assist tech, including Collision Mitigation Braking with Pedestrian Detection; Forward Collision Warning; Road Departure Mitigation with Lane Departure Warning and Lane Keeping Assist. We loved the Adaptive Cruise Control with stop and go, and all Sport models are now equipped with Blind Spot with Rear Cross Traffic Alert.
Hybrid, High Price?
Another reason we love this new Civic – it’s a great value. You can get into the entry-level Civic LX sedan starting at $24,250. For a stylish, nicely equipped, tech savvy sedan, it’s a smart buy. Our tester Hybrid Sport Touring sedan comes fully loaded at $31,950. The only option was Urban Gray Pearl paint ($455). Add in $1,150 for Destination, and we rang the bell at $33,555. (If you opt for the hatchback version, it’s a tad more at $34,755).
Competitors would include the all-new Toyota Prius at $35,532, another good choice, but we think the Civic is more usable on a day-to-day business. We’d also look at the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid, at $31,395. It’s got more features and a lower price than the well-equipped Civic, but the Civic is nicer inside and is dramatically quicker and more fun to drive.
Outstanding performance and efficiency, great looks, tech and value, the 2025 Civic Hybrid is easily best in class and our favorite Civic too!
Ben Lewis grew up in Chicago, and after spending his formative years driving sideways in the winter – often intentionally – moved to sunny Southern California. He now enjoys sunny weather year-round — whether it is autocross driving, aerobatics, and learning to surf.