I gave the 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid a second chance — and it smashed my expectations
Being a hybrid, the Civic was supposed to get a combined fuel economy of 49 mpg. Instead, it came up way short at a disappointing 36.2 mpg — so that's why I decided to borrow it again to see if a change in scenery could make a difference.
I'm glad I did because after driving the Honda Civic Sport Hatchback Hybrid for a week, its $30,150 starting cost makes it way more obtainable than any of the best electric cars I've tested. Here's all of my pros and cons.
2025 Honda Civic Sport Hatchback Hybrid
Engine
2.0L Direct Injection Atkinson Cycle
Fuel Economy
50 mpg city / 45 mpg highway / 48 mpg combined
Fuel Tank Capacity
10.6 gallons
Horsepower
200 hp
Wheels
18-inches
MSRP
$30,150
Price Tested
$31,300
What a difference a change in season makes because this time the Civic Hybrid exceeded my expectations around its fuel economy. In driving a total of 248.5 miles in my week's worth of testing, the 2025 Honda Civic Sport Hatchback Hybrid achieves an average fuel economy of 48.1 mpg combined, compared to the 36.2 mpg I got from my prior test.
That's a big difference I attribute to the change in season because clearly the warmer weather of summer propels the Civic Hybrid to reach its EPA-estimated claim. The other is that I'm driving the hatchback version of the Civic Hybrid instead of the Sport Touring version — with both trims offering 200 hp performance from their 2.0-liter hybrid engines.
There's certainly an art to how to best drive a hybrid car because in a handful of instances, I was getting better fuel economy than what it's rated for. For example, one short distance drive on mostly local and county roads yielded 63.1 mpg fuel economy. That's bonkers because if I were somehow to sustain that throughout a full gas tank, it would result in a range of 668 miles.
So far, this Honda Civic hatchback beats every other hybrid car I've tested this year — like the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid and Toyota Camry Hybrid.
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2025 Honda Civic Sport Hatchback Hybrid
2025 Honda Civic Sport Touring Hybrid
2025 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid
Total miles driven
248.5 miles
133 miles
182.1 miles
Average Fuel Economy
48.1 mpg
36.2 mpg
39.8 mpg
Best short distance fuel economy
63.1 mpg
N/A
50 mpg
Best long distance fuel economy
50.2 mpg
50 mpg
48.6 mpg
I complain about how most electric cars are obscenely expensive, which is why I always recommend thinking about getting a hybrid. With the 48.1 mpg combined average I got from driving the 2025 Honda Civic Sport Hatchback Hybrid for a week, it's one way to help you to cut back on gas prices.
Yes, you can save more out of your pocket by going with the non-hybrid version of the Civic — which starts at a lower $24,595 cost — but I'd tell you to pay the extra for the savings you'd get long term with the hybrid model.
At the same time, I'm thrilled that the Civic Sport Hatchback Hybrid doesn't compromise on power. In fact, its 200 hp performance delivers excellent acceleration for a hybrid. Getting to cruising speed from a dead stop doesn't feel like the engine's working on overdrive to achieve it.
I didn't think it'd be this responsive, but I find the Civic fun to drive. Sure, it's not quite as thrilling compared to the Hyundai Elantra N, a sporty sedan specifically tuned for driving performance. I would much rather choose the balance of the Civic with its strong driving performance, modest pricing, and excellent fuel economy.
If you look at the photos I took of the Civic Sport Touring Hybrid from earlier this year, you'll see how it differs from this trim. That's because this one is a hatchback, and with that comes the extra utility of being able to fit more challenging stuff into the car.
Thankfully the design remains almost the same, except for the hatch that swings up in the back. I had no problem throwing in my JackRabbit OG2 Pro micro ebike into the trunk space, which I couldn't do with the other trim.
In some vehicles, adaptive cruise control is often available in an optional package, so I'm thrilled that it comes as standard with the Civic Sport Hatchback Hybrid. It works similar to other cars I've used, in the sense that it manages to accelerate, brake, and keep me centered in my lane.
I try to use cruise control whenever I can, especially on the highway when it does a decent job of detecting other cars that leave and enter my lane. On top of that, it's not too generous with the acceleration when it's trying to reach cruise control speed.
Just like before, I can't get over the antiquated interface the Honda Civic uses with the 9-inch main dashboard display. It's certainly long overdue for a makeover, making it feel like I'm interacting with a car from the '90s or something.
However, the saving grace is that it supports CarPlay and Android Auto — albeit, with a wired USB connection.
Manual seats in 2025 just feel wrong, but they still do exist. Even though the bucket seats in the Civic Sport Hatchback Hybrid are comfy, I can't get over the fact that they're manual seats.
I'd be a little bit more forgiving if it were just the passenger seat, but it's hard to believe that the driver's seat is also an all-manual affair.
Similarly, the backup camera offers the same low quality look as before. While it gets the job done in getting me out of tight parking spots, the quality makes it look like a camera phone from the last decade with its soft and fuzzy appearance.
Even though this sedan can seat up to five people, your passengers in the back may feel squished because of the small amount of legroom there. You'll be able to comfortably accommodate children, but grown up adults will find the tight legroom challenging for long drives.
Most of the stuff I didn't like about the 2025 Honda Civic Sport Hatchback Hybrid aren't big deal breakers in my opinion, especially when you look at how the car pairs excellent fuel economy with a modest price that most people could afford.
Really, it's pointless to argue about how hybrid vehicles are underpowered. Not only does the Civic Sport Hatchback Hybrid offer a fun drive backed by a strong acceleration, but its 48 mpg combined fuel economy drives the point home that you shouldn't just settle on any gas-powered vehicle. You want to get a gas hybrid at the very least and the Civic Sport Hatchback Hybrid is a worthy one, especially when it's backed by that Honda reliability.
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