2023 Civic: Problems to Consider When Buying a New Honda Civic

In 2022, we saw the new generation of the Civic which should have become legendary thanks to those major changes that the company made to the model. But we don't see any significant changes in sales. And we also don't see people screaming with joy when they write their reviews about this new Honda. Why? Let's try and look closer at this vehicle.

Today, we'll tell you more about some of the most possible common problems with the 2023 Honda Civic that you may encounter if you buy this car. We'll not only look at reviews, but we'll also talk with car mechanics who gradually become more and more pessimistic about Honda products. Also, we'll take into consideration the engines and transmissions that you can get in the new Civic.

Here's what exactly we will be talking about:

• What should you know about the new 2023 Honda Civic?
• How long will the Honda Civic survive?
• What are the engine and transmission options for the new Civic?
• What are the common problems with the new Honda Civic?
• How can you drive your Civic longer with no major problems?

Let's get started!

The 2023 Honda Civic - what should you know about it?

Within the last decade, Honda has sold over 250,000 cars a year which is a colossal number of vehicles given the COVID-19 drop and huge competition. The 11th generation of the Civic appeared in 2022 and didn't change much the figures of sales. The car is really good, it looks beautiful and feels great when you drive it. But, as some Honda fans say, it lacks the spark that was present in the previous generation.

Okay, this is quite an individual explanation of why the 2023 Civic is still not the leader on the market, but we agree with it. The new Civic looks as if it was designed a dozen years ago. When you get into the car, things change and you are greeted with a wonderful and up-to-date interior that is filled up with all those necessary technologies. But the overall design seems to be too reserved.

Here are the key facts to know about the Civic before you decide to buy it:

• the base 2-liter 4-cylinder engine delivers just 158 horsepower which is certainly not a lot for this car;
• another option is the 1.5L turbocharged engine with 180 horsepower which is better but a little expensive because of the higher trim;
• the Type R trim is available with the marvelous 2.0L turbocharged engine with 315 hp but this is not affordable at all;
• while the starting price is about $25,000, the Type R trim will cost at least $44,000 and this is certainly too much for the Civic;
• you can choose between a hatchback and a sedan, there is also a separate Si trim and the Type R trim for those who don't care about money;
• for the base engine, you can choose the 6-speed manual or the CVT, the 1.5L engine is only equipped with the CVT, while the Type R is only available with the manual transmission.

We can't say the Civic surprised us with something when we first saw the vehicle. A lot of writers and editors in the team have had experience with previous generations of the Civic, so we knew what to look at. But we didn't notice anything extremely beautiful or refined. Yes, it looks cool but we can see better-looking cars out there.

If you read the reviews, you'll be surprised to know that people adore the way the new Civic looks, and a lot of them traded their 10th-generation Civic vehicles for the new generation and they say all the good things you can come up with. But bear in mind that those are purely Civic lovers and Honda fans, so they aren't always unbiased.

How long will the new Civic survive?

This is a very individual question as it depends hugely on how you drive your car. We know that Civic vehicles are not usually family cars and they are very often driven aggressively. So, the longevity should be below average due to this feature. But Honda vehicles aren't bad, so the Civic will still go a decent number of miles.

Due to the CVT, the best mileage to sell your 2023 Civic is 120,000 miles. After that, you may be getting all sorts of problems that are hard and expensive to solve. Most engines in the new Civic can go up to 200,000 miles. But the Type R engine will probably last up to 100,000 miles because it's not driven like a usual car.

We don't think this is a bright result. We remember those times when you bought a Civic and could drive it till it reaches 200K miles and only then you could think you needed a new car. And even when you sell it, the new owner enjoys another 50-70 thousand miles of driving with no major problems. The 2023 Civic is not like this at all. After 120,000 miles, it's going to take quite a lot of money out of your pocket.

What are the possible common problems with the Honda Civic in 2023?

We've tried to take into account all types of problems that can happen with your 2023 Honda Civic. But we've still looked at true issues that require your attention. We don't have time and space on this page to write about issues like uncomfortable seats or lack of space over your head. These disadvantages are very individual and should be considered when you take the new Civic on the test drive before paying your money.

Instead, we've found these possible problems:

1. Engine issues starting at 40,000 miles

The most popular engine is going to be the 1.5L turbo. And actually, this is not a bad engine with good power and torque, wonderful fuel consumption, and quiet work. It's going to last at least 160,000 miles with no major problems. But all those minor issues are still possible. For example, you'll need to have the valves adjusted every 50,000 miles or so. This is an archaic engine construction with no valve lifters.

Also, these engines eat up the ignition coils as if they are some kind of snack for it. Those coils are going to cost you a fortune. But we should say that the engine doesn't show a lot of major problems. This is a very well-known engine that has been manufactured since 2013, so we know a lot about it.

The 2-liter engine is not going to deliver a lot of problems. But it's still not a very enjoyable engine for the new Civic.

2. CVT problems that you can't ignore

We don't know why Honda keeps using CVT transmissions that will inevitably fail at 120,000 miles or even sooner than that. This means you will have to replace or repair the transmission if you want to drive your vehicle further.

Unfortunately, Honda CVT transmissions are quite expensive to repair, so the replacement seems like the best option. But again, you will need to spend a huge amount of money and will still have all those CVT problems along with poor longevity.

3. Steering system curse

We believe Honda vehicles are cursed by their competitors and the steering rack is the part that took all the power of curse on it. Unfortunately, the steering system is really bad in the Civic and it gets more complaints than any other part of unit in the vehicle.

Even if you have only driven about 4,000 miles, you can start experiencing problems with the steering rack. The first thing you should do is to go to the dealer and file a complaint to get the free repair or replacement under warranty.

4. Modern software issues

We've seen hundreds of complaints from Honda Civic owners and all of them said that software and sensors are causing a lot of problems. For example, the Civic can throw some error messages at you when you drive. Then you just restart the vehicle and the messages are gone. But you aren't sure now that the vehicle works just well.

Also, the adaptive cruise control feature works pretty poorly and always needs your attention. It's just not worth paying for.

How can you drive your new Civic longer?

Unfortunately, we can't give any good advice because the CVT won't allow you to drive the vehicle much longer. It will still fail at pretty low mileage and you will have to spend a fortune to get it back on track.

To prolong the lifespan of the CVT, you should warm it up a little before you start driving, and also you shouldn't drive at a constant speed for a long time. Change the speed from time to time to avoid overheating.

The only other recommendation is just to follow the maintenance plan that the manufacturer offers.

Final words

We like the 2023 Civic but we still think there are some better cars out there. Especially if you look under the hood and understand that you can get a more or less good engine for about $45K in the Type R trim only. Still, if you love the way the new Civic looks and how it goes, you may decide to spend your money on it because it's a decent car with a very bright history.