Short answer
Among Honda Civic model years through 2024, 2013 has the fewest NHTSA recall campaigns on record (0) and 2001 has the most (14). Recall counts are not a reliability score; they show how often a safety defect had to be corrected.
Quick read
Honda Civic: Key Facts
- Model years with data
- 27 (2000–2026)
- Distinct recall campaigns
- 61
- Fewest recalls
- 2013 (0)
- Most recalls
- 2001 (14)
- Most recalled system
- Air bags (92)
- 5-star overall rating
- 2016, 2017, 2018 and 8 more years
Honda Civic Recalls and Ratings by Model Year
| Model year | Recall campaigns | Overall crash rating | Most recalled systems |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Recent: still collecting recalls | 1 | 5 stars | Steering |
| 2025 Recent: still collecting recalls | 2 | 5 stars | Fuel system, gasoline, Steering |
| 2024 | 3 | 5 stars | Steering, Seats |
| 2023 | 5 | 5 stars | Seats, Steering, Service brakes, hydraulic |
| 2022 | 4 | 5 stars | Air bags, Steering |
| 2021 | 4 | 5 stars | Air bags, Fuel system, gasoline, Service brakes, hydraulic |
| 2020 | 5 | 5 stars | Air bags, Fuel system, gasoline, Service brakes, hydraulic |
| 2019 | 4 | 5 stars | Fuel system, gasoline, Air bags |
| 2018 | 6 | 5 stars | Equipment, Fuel system, gasoline, Air bags |
| 2017 | 6 | 5 stars | Air bags, Equipment, Fuel system, gasoline |
| 2016 | 5 | 5 stars | Air bags, Engine and engine cooling, Exterior lighting |
| 2015 | 1 | 4–5 stars | Power train |
| 2014 | 2 | 4–5 stars | Power train, Tires |
| 2013 | 0 | 4–5 stars | None on record |
| 2012 | 3 | 4–5 stars | Fuel system, other, Power train, Steering |
| 2011 | 9 | 3 stars | Air bags, Fuel system, gasoline |
| 2010 | 8 | Not rated | Air bags |
| 2009 | 8 | Not rated | Air bags, Fuel system, gasoline |
| 2008 | 7 | Not rated | Air bags, Fuel system, gasoline |
| 2007 | 9 | Not rated | Air bags, Exterior lighting, Fuel system, other |
| 2006 | 13 | Not rated | Air bags, Equipment, Exterior lighting |
| 2005 | 10 | Not rated | Air bags, Fuel system, other, Seat belts |
| 2004 | 10 | Not rated | Air bags, Fuel system, other, Seat belts |
| 2003 | 11 | Not rated | Air bags, Electrical system, Exterior lighting |
| 2002 | 11 | Not rated | Air bags, Exterior lighting, Engine and engine cooling |
| 2001 | 14 | Not rated | Air bags, Fuel system, gasoline, Seat belts |
| 2000 | 6 | Not rated | Air bags, Seat belts, Electrical system |
No model years match your search.
The scale of the difference
Recall Campaigns by Model Year
Distinct NHTSA recall campaigns per model year. Years after 2024 are recent and still collecting recalls.
- 20261 recall
- 20252 recalls
- 20243 recalls
- 20235 recalls
- 20224 recalls
- 20214 recalls
- 20205 recalls
- 20194 recalls
- 20186 recalls
- 20176 recalls
- 20165 recalls
- 20151 recall
- 20142 recalls
- 20130 recalls
- 20123 recalls
- 20119 recalls
- 20108 recalls
- 20098 recalls
- 20087 recalls
- 20079 recalls
- 200613 recalls
- 200510 recalls
- 200410 recalls
- 200311 recalls
- 200211 recalls
- 200114 recalls
- 20006 recalls
Honda Civic: Analysis
How to read recall counts
A recall campaign is a safety defect that the manufacturer or NHTSA required to be fixed. Counts depend on how long a model year has been on the road, so recent years look better than they will in time; this page therefore ranks only model years through 2024. A high count can also mean a manufacturer reacts quickly to small defects, so it says little about breakdowns or running costs.
What the recalls were about
Across all model years, the systems named most often in Honda Civic recalls are air bags (92), fuel system, gasoline (16), steering (11), fuel system, other (9) and exterior lighting (7). The number in brackets counts model-year entries, so one campaign that covers several years is counted in each.
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA has an overall star rating for 16 of these 27 model years, and 2016, 2017, 2018 and 8 more years earned 5 stars. Ratings before 2011 come from an earlier version of the program and are not directly comparable with later years. A range such as 4–5 means versions of the same model year were rated differently.
FAQ: Honda Civic Best and Worst Years
What are the best years for the Honda Civic?
By NHTSA recall campaigns, 2013 are the cleanest model years through 2024, with 0 each.
Which Honda Civic model years have the most recalls?
2001 has the most, with 14 recall campaigns each.
Does a recall mean the car is unreliable?
No. A recall is a safety correction filed with NHTSA, usually repaired free of charge. It does not measure breakdowns or running costs, so use these counts together with a vehicle history report and an inspection.
Sources & methodology
Recalls and crash ratings come from the NHTSA datasets and APIs, retrieved on 2026-10-03. A record counts for this model when its make matches and its model name starts with the same words as "Civic", so variants such as body styles are included. Only model years from 2000 are used, and each recall campaign is counted once per model year. The data does not say whether an individual car was repaired, so check a specific car by VIN.
NHTSA, US Department of Transportation; this page is not endorsed by NHTSA. Maintained by Artsiom Dusau. Editorial policy