2025 Honda Civic Hybrid: The Long Awaited Return

It’s not the first time Honda has offered a gas-electric Civic. The original launched in 2003 and retired in 2015 after a long yet low-profile career. Then the automaker introduced the new Insight as a successor, but that one lasted only four years (2019-2022). Remember, the Insight made its Canadian debut all the way back in 1999—even before Toyota’s Prius hit the market—as an experimental two-door compact car.

Both the Insight and the Civic Hybrid enjoyed little success due to extremely limited availability. You see, Honda didn’t want to hurt sales of the Canadian-built Civic. The story is different with the new 2025 Civic Hybrid, which is manufactured in Alliston, Ontario. Sure, the Americans will want their fair share, too, but dealers on this side of the border will have a lot more units to sell than they did in the past. Maybe not enough to meet demand without creating a backlog, but customers can still expect to get one in a few short months.

• Also: Updated 2025 Honda Civic Si Doesn’t Want to Fall Into Oblivion
• Also: New 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid is Cheaper Than Equally Potent Civic Si

Game-Changing Hybrid

When it comes to driving dynamics, we already know that the Honda Civic trumps other Asian sedans including the Hyundai Elantra, Kia Forte, Nissan Sentra and Toyota Corolla. The latest hybrid variant adds a new dimension to the experience with output that matches the sporty Civic Si and significantly more torque.

The numbers are 200 horsepower and 232 lb-ft, to be exact, resulting in delightful performance—the kind that is far more inspiring than what you get with similar four-door hybrids. Sure, the 2025 Civic Hybrid is late to the party, but with 60 horsepower more than rivals from Toyota and Hyundai, the wait was worth it. Not only that, but combined fuel consumption is just 0.2 L/100 km worse than what the most fuel-efficient Corolla manages to achieve.

We don’t want to sound like a broken record, here. It’s just that the Civic Hybrid is much more pleasant to drive than its direct competitors, in addition to offering superior comfort and stability. Also, the ride is even quieter than what the current-generation Civic (introduced for 2022) has demonstrated so far.  

Really, five minutes behind the wheel are enough to win over most potential customers. The problem is that the hybrid powertrain is exclusive to the Sport (also available with a gas engine) and Sport Touring models, the latter replacing the Civic Touring and its turbocharged 1.5-litre engine. Styling is sleeker and chrome is completely gone, which is a good thing, but with an all-inclusive price just shy of $40,000 (exactly $38,750), the top dog in the 2025 Honda Civic lineup will prove shockingly expensive for many, even though it comes with Google built-in, a 12-speaker Bose sound system, leather seats and multiple advanced safety systems.

You could save $3,500 by settling for the Civic Sport Hybrid, which commands a premium of $1,895 over the conventionally powered model and offers better value. Of course, at $35,250, it remains substantially more expensive than the aforementioned competitors in base trim. According to some of the Honda dealers we talked to, an entry-level Civic LX with a hybrid powertrain at around $31,000 would be a tremendous deal.

A Hatchback is Coming

Following the sedan, the 2025 Honda Civic Hatchback will be arriving in a few weeks and also available as a hybrid with loads of equipment. That’s excellent news for drivers who wish to combine the looks and practicality of a five-door body style with a more potent and more efficient powertrain. All units will come from the U.S., and none of them will feature a manual gearbox. As a matter of fact, the only manual Civic left for 2025 will be the four-door Si, which has yet to add an automatic or dual-clutch option.

With Honda launching a Civic Hatchback Hybrid, will Acura do the same with the closely related Integra in the near future? It only seems logical at this point. Both hatchbacks are built at the same plant, too.  

Ultimately, the new Civic Hybrid outclasses the competition in terms of power and handling, but don’t forget that you can purchase a similarly priced Toyota Prius XLE AWD ($40,530) with the added benefits of all-wheel drive and extra space. That car boasts exceptional technology, though not the same content as the Civic. A Prius Limited AWD would be a more fitting comparison, but it happens to cost an additional $6,000.

Our Verdict

The 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid is remarkably designed and built, fun to drive, easy on gas, offers an ideal driving position along with impeccable ergonomics and impressive technology. Excellent predicted reliability and low maintenance costs make it even more compelling. On top of that, the various design revisions and new colour options for 2025 are quite refreshing.