Shoppers looking for a fuel-sipping hybrid with an attractive price can add the 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid to their list. 

When the 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid arrives in dealers on June 19 it will carry a 50 mpg city fuel economy rating and cost $29,845, including a $1,095 destination fee. It’s nicer to spend time in than a Toyota Corolla hybrid and features better packaging and space than a Toyota Prius.

Here’s what I learned after driving a 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid prototype in Montreal last week.

Civic Hybrid feature’s Si-like power

The refreshed Civic lineup gets a new engine family this year.The base 2025 Honda Civic gets a new engine: a 2.0-liter inline-4 rated at 150 hp and 133 lb-ft of torque with EPA fuel economy ratings of up to 32 mpg city, 41 highway, and 36 combined. Those numbers are all up 1 mpg across the board over the outgoing 1.5-liter turbo-4.

The Civic Hybrid takes that engine and pairs it with two electric motors, one of which directly connects with the gas engine for a combined output of 200 hp and 232 lb-ft. That’s the same horsepower as the sporty Si model, and actually 35 lb-ft more. Power is sent to the front wheels and all-wheel drive isn’t an option like it is on the Toyota Corolla hybrid.

Around town and from a stop the Civic Hybrid is straight zippy with the instant torque from the electric motors thrusting the compact car forward. In Normal mode the powertrain can be a bit touchy with the instant torque kicking in so quickly the car lunges forward. Flicking the console-mounted drive mode selector to Economy takes care of the situation as it remaps the throttle to deliver a smoother more progressive power curve. Sport mode remaps the throttle to the end of the spectrum and cranks the powertrain to max output off the line. It’s quick, but not as satisfying as the Si or Type R as the powertrain doesn’t rev to the heavens. Individual mode can be tailored to the driver’s delight with various steering weights, throttle maps, and engine sounds along with different digital gauge cluster designs.

Civic Hybrids have four levels of regen with the first doing a good job of mimicking engine braking. The steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters control the levels of regen, but wouldn’t engage the other three levels in my prototype. Another journalist experienced the same situation, but two others found the system to work fine. I look forward to testing a production car in the future.

All Hybrids feature a more controlled and composed ride than previous Civics thanks to retuned spring and damper rates, stiffer front upper suspension mounts, a more rigid rear subframe and lower suspension mounts. On a cobblestone road going faster than I probably should’ve, the Civic Hybrid was composed for a car that in Sport Touring trim costs $32,845.

Civic Hybrid earns 50 mpg rating

Honda said the Civic Hybrid will carry EPA fuel economy ratings of 50 mpg city, 47 highway, and 49 combined. In mixed driving that included sitting in a parking lot for photos, I saw an indicated average of 42.9 mpg over the course of 38 miles of driving. That was with a heavy foot. It seems reasonable to hit the Civic Hybrid’s EPA ratings in the real world.

Civic Hybrid blends in, looks like a Civic

It’ll take a keen eye and knowing what to look for to determine if a Civic has a hybrid powertrain lurking beneath its metal skin. The LX and Sport models sit at the bottom end of the lineup with the Sport Hybrid and Sport Touring Hybrid topping the lineup. Every Civic features a new grill and smoother front fascia this year along with darker tinted taillights. Sport Hybrid and Sport Touring Hybrid models get black side mirrors, blacked-out trim, a body-colored grille surround and front spoiler, along with 18-inch aluminum wheels.

Inside, Civics come with a 7.0-inch digital gauge cluster and 7.0-inch touchscreen featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Top-shelf Sport Touring models upgrade to a larger 10.0-inch digital gauge cluster and 9.0-inch touchscreen display with Google built-in. Actual buttons and knobs for the climate control system and audio volume remain, thankfully.

A 5-foot-10 I could sit in the rear seat comfortably with plenty of knee-, foot-, and headroom despite the front seat being adjusted for myself. Getting in and out of the Civic is easier than in the Prius, which has extremely raked A-pillar for style and aerodynamics.

Safety comes standard in Civic Hybrid

Every Civic continues to come standard with automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and active lane assist. The entire suite of active safety tech has been improved with better sensors for more visibility (for the system). Lane assist no longer ping-pongs the car within its own lane and does a great job keeping the vehicle centered in its lane, even around corners. The attention monitoring device is a sensor array mounted in the steering wheel, and in my prototype it didn’t seem to care if my hands left the wheel for an indefinite period of time. That might need a software update as this is not a hands-free driver-assist system.

Honda Civic defines value

The base 2025 Civic LX costs $25,345 while the Sport model costs $27,345, which puts the Sport Hybrid at a $4,500 premium over a base car and $2,500 more than a Sport model. The loaded Sport Hybrid Touring I drove will cost $32,845. But the Civic Sport Hybrid costs basically the same as a base Toyota Prius with a nicer, more comfortable interior. The Corolla Hybrid costs at least $5,000 less than the Civic Hybrid, but its interior is rental-car grade. 

For buyers seeking a fuel efficient grown-up sedan that flies under the radar, the 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid just makes sense.

Honda paid for travel costs and I got very little sleep to bring you this first-hand review