Honda Civic 2012-2015: what to know before you buy?
The Honda Civic's 24 consecutive years at the top of Canadian car sales have, of course, seen a succession of generations, the shortest of which was the one covering model years 2012 to 2015 - the ninth in total.
It's not the Civic we remember most, and Honda has changed the formula quite a bit in designing its replacement, but for a used car buyer on a budget, it's an interesting car: examples can be found for under $10,000 (usually with over 150,000 km on the odometer, which is hardly a problem if the maintenance has been done right) and the price rarely exceeds $15,000.
The 2012-2015 Civic wasn't the most inspiring or elegant design, but hey, that's a matter of personal taste. Having fun behind the wheel and saving fuel are more important, and in this respect, Honda's compact car stood out. Both the sedan and the coupe came standard with a 1.8-liter engine developing 140 hp via a five-speed manual or automatic gearbox. A little noisy but dynamic, this engine consumes only 7.3 to 7.6 L/100 km on average. Take a tenth or two off with the continuously variable transmission (CVT), which replaced the automatic in 2014.
At the same time, Honda offered a Civic hybrid, albeit only in four-door format, with a displacement of 1.5 liters and fuel consumption of just 5.3 L/100 km, which is marvellous. Of course, you have to make major compromises in terms of driving pleasure. On the other hand, the sporty 201- or 205-hp Civic Si (depending on the year) does the opposite, with a 2.4-liter engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. Expect it to burn an average of 9.7 L/100 km. The super gasoline required further increases the bill at the pump.
Back in 2013, Honda was quick to respond to the critics with several aesthetic changes. The transformed front end was inspired by that of the Accord and CR-V. The rear section was also redesigned, as was the dashboard inside.
Still, the latter is among the strangest of the 21st century. In addition to the small instrument cluster behind the steering wheel, there was a digital display stretched widthways near the base of the windshield, more directly in the field of vision (but sometimes hidden by the steering wheel). As for the central unit, strongly oriented towards the driver, it greatly facilitated the use of the multimedia screen and temperature controls.
By the way, to help you better understand the equipment levels, this Civic is available in DX, LX, EX, EX-L/Touring and Si versions. On the practical side, trunk space is a reasonable 354 liters (sedan) or 331 liters (coupe).
The main reasons for buying a 2012 to 2015 Honda Civic are its excellent road-holding, high reliability and low maintenance costs. Even so, considering its advanced age, a full mechanical inspection is essential before going any further with the transaction. As far as recalls are concerned, there are only five for this generation, the most serious concerning a driveshaft that could detach from the constant velocity joint (models with automatic gearbox only). This too needs to be checked. Ditto for the state of the paintwork, as Honda had problems with the Civic from 2006 to 2013, to the point of having to compensate owners in a class action.
Happy shopping!
