2015 Honda Civic

Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.

77/100

Worth a look

AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 379 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Honda Civic, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.

Complaints by area, from NHTSA records for this model-year
Area	Complaints	Share
Power train	145	38%
Air bags	43	11%
Unknown or other	34	9%
Structure	13	3%
Electrical system	12	3%
Engine	11	3%
Vehicle speed control	8	2%
Fuel/propulsion system	7	2%
Steering	7	2%
Wheels	7	2%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

The contact owns a 2015 Honda Civic. The contact had experienced intermittent power steering assist failure, causing the steering wheel to lock up while driving at various speeds. The contact stated that after the failur
NHTSA complaint: Steering

The contact owns a 2015 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. An independent mechanic
NHTSA complaint: Power train

The component that failed is the paint on my Honda Civic. It is white and peeling/flaking under normal use. It has been occurring for a long time and is coming off of my whole car. It is causing safety issues by being ex
NHTSA complaint: Structure

The contact owns a 2015 Honda Civic Sedan. The contact stated while stopped at red light , another crashed into the read end of her vehicle. The contact stated that no air bags were deployed. The contact stated that she
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

The ABS system failed and the car crashed and when the ABS system failed the airbag light came on but airbags did not deploy in significant front end collision
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

I had purchased the vehicle from a private seller. It had an SRS light on at the time I purchased it. The code reader indicated high resistance to the driver airbag. While trying to change the clock spring, I removed the
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

Vehicle battery drains while vehicle not in use. Have replaced the battery twice, and replaced alternator. Problem persists. When this began, it coincided with the car's door lock feature unlocking the vehicle upon appr
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

The contact owns a 2015 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 35-40 MPH, the vehicle started shuddering. The driver pulled over to the side of the road and parked the vehicle. Upon
NHTSA complaint: Power train

Recalls on record

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2015 Honda Civic. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.

Power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm/pcm/tecm) 15V574000

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Civic vehicles manufactured January 16, 2014, to November 6, 2014 and 2015 Fit vehicles manufactured March 12, 2014, to May 12, 2015. The software settings that control the transmission operation may result in damage to the

Risk: If the transmission drive pulley shaft is damaged, it may break, and the vehicle may lose acceleration or the front wheels may lock up while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the transmission, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin October 30, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-

The seven scores

Reliability	78	good
Longevity est.	81	excellent
Maintenance	90	excellent
Depreciation	83	excellent
Performance	44	below average
Efficiency	56	average
Safety	80	excellent

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 28% of compact cars
Longevity: better than 69% of compact cars
Running costs: better than 100% of compact cars
Value retention: better than 85% of compact cars

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 78: from NHTSA recalls and complaints, divided by approximate units sold so it is comparable between models.
Longevity 81: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 2015 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 90: repair-cost data where we have it for this model, otherwise a mechanical-complexity estimate from engine size, cylinder count and drivetrain.
Safety 80: NHTSA crash testing blended with IIHS awards.

Common questions

What goes wrong with the 2015 Honda Civic?

Owners have filed 379 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and power train is the most reported area with 145 of them (38%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.

Is the 2015 Honda Civic reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 78/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density, adjusted for how many were sold so a popular model is not penalised for having more owners.

How long will a 2015 Honda Civic last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 81/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2015 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 2015 Honda Civic?

AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 77/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.

Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.