2019 Honda Civic Reliability: What To Know Before Investing In Your Purchase
2019 Honda Civic by Kevauto - CC-BY-SA-4.0
First introduced in 1972, the Honda Civic has undergone several generations of redesigns, with each version sporting improved styling, features, and efficiency. Throughout all these changes, the Civic has remained highly sought after as both a new and used car. In fact, Honda sold over 325,000 examples in 2019. But popularity doesn’t guarantee dependability. So, let’s examine the 2019 Honda Civic’s reliability to ensure you’re buying the right car.
This analysis is based on reviews from organizations such as Consumer Reports and J.D. Power. Maintenance and repair data also provides information on what owners can expect to pay to keep their Civics on the road. Lastly, filings with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provide insight into recalls and likely trouble spots.
2019 Honda Civic Reliability: Ratings
Consumer Reports (CR) gives the 2019 Civic a sub-par 37 out of 100 for reliability. Major areas of concern are the transmission and climate control system. CR also notes that build quality (in particular, noises and leaks) is a problem with this Honda. In comparison, the Toyota Corolla received a reliability score of 80, while the Subaru Impreza rated 76. Further, regarding reliability, the Civic is ranked fifth out of eight comparable small cars.
J.D. Powers’ “quality and reliability” rating is substantially better for the 2019 Civic, giving this compact Honda an 80 out of 100. It’s an “average” ranking that compares to the Corolla’s “best” score of 92 and a “great” score of 81 for the Impreza. Apparently, the Civic missed a better grade by one point—it happens.
RepairPal doesn’t provide a reliability rating for the 2019 Civic but gives all Civic models an “excellent” 4.5 out of 5.0. In addition, this dependability earns the Civic third place among the 36 compact cars analyzed by the site.
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Owners of the 2019 Civic are especially positive about their cars. Reviews via Kelley Blue Book give this car a 4.7 out of 5.0, with quality and reliability among the Civic’s best traits. These ratings beat the 4.3 score given by owners of the Corolla and Impreza.
It’s understandable to be confused by conflicting reliability ratings. Often, this is due to each review organization having different standards. Plus, consumer feedback often reflects perceptions as much as facts. The best way to approach buying a 2019 Honda Civic, or any used car, is to have a pre-purchase inspection done by a professional mechanic. It’s a small price to pay for catching potential problems.
2019 Honda Civic Reliability: Maintenance & Repair
RepairPal reports that the average Honda Civic owner pays $368 each year for maintenance and repairs. It’s substantially less than the $653 that Subaru Impreza owners pay but almost identical to the $362 annual average for the Toyota Corolla.
Repair frequency is lower for the Civic. Unscheduled service visits occur an average of 0.2 times per year, compared to 0.3 times per year for the typical compact car. The likelihood for a major (meaning expensive) repair is 10% for the Civic, while there’s an overall probability of this happening 11% of the time among all compact cars.
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2019 Honda Civic Reliability: Trouble Areas
Some automakers, like Honda, enjoy good reputations for building reliable cars. Yet, not every product is perfect. With 167 owner complaints on file with NHTSA, the 2019 Civic proves this point. However, this volume of reports is consistent with other cars in its class. The 2019 Corollas has 121, and the 2019 Impreza has 146. It’s just a fact that modern automobiles are hyper-complex machines with multiple areas of vulnerability.
A review of NHTSA data shows the most common issues faced by owners of the 2019 Honda Civic:
- Fuel/Propulsion system (28)
- Engine and/or powertrain (27)
- Electrical system (25)
- Forward collision avoidance (20)
- Service brakes (18)
2019 Honda Civic Reliability: Recalls
In addition to facing inevitable imperfections, many modern automobiles are also subject to recalls. So, seeing a recall or two doesn’t raise any eyebrows nowadays. However, what does get attention is multiple recalls for the same problem. To date, the 2019 Honda Civic (and many other Honda products) has been subjected to three separate recalls for one problem: a defective fuel pump.
Basically, each subsequent recall expands the issue to a larger number of vehicles. In other words, Honda thought it could initially limit the trouble to a smaller group of cars but eventually was forced to widen the net. Fuel pump issues can cause engines to stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. Honda dealers will replace the fuel pump module on affected vehicles at no cost.
Here are the NHTSA summaries for the three recalls currently in effect for the 2019 Honda Civic.
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Fuel Pump May Fail / December 18, 2023 —NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000
This expanded recall covers certain 2019 Civic Sedans, Coupes, and Hatchbacks. The fuel pump inside the tank may stop working, causing engine stalling.
Fuel Pump May Fail / March 25, 2021 — NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V215000
This recall covers certain 2019 Civic Hatchback models. The fuel pump could fail, causing the engine to stall.
Fuel Pump May Fail / May 28, 2020 — NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V314000
This recall covers certain 2019 Civic Hatchback and Civic Type R models. The fuel pump could fail, causing the engine to stall.
The recall status for any car can be confirmed at the NHTSA website. Recall information for the 2019 Civic and other Honda vehicles is available at authorized dealers or on Honda’s website.
2019 Honda Civic Essentials
Here are key details about the 2019 Honda Civic.
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