Honda Civic Quality Issues? To buy or Not to buy?

LEl Grande on 22/11/2017 - 13:22

Thinking about getting a new Honda Civic VTI-L. I read online that people are complaining about quality issues. Should I be worried? I would love to hear from people who have owned the new Civic and what are their thoughts on the car. Also If anyone bought recently and got a good deal please share price and dealer. Thank you!

Link to one of the articles highlighting concerns.

“We’re not recommending the Honda Civic because of its poor reliability.” Owners reported issues with faulty in-vehicle electronics as well surging engines, among other things.

When asked why they aren’t doing as well as they have in the past Fisher responded, “I think Honda is kind of [moving] away from the Toyota playbook,” by making a lot of changes all at once. The Civic is completely new, with a new engine, new infotainment system and plenty of other new features. Whenever a car company makes a slew of major alterations they open themselves up to quality issues. Because of this, Fisher described Honda as “not a conservative company [anymore].”

Source: http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2016/10/fca-honda-civic-s…

Automotive

Comments

  • altomic on 22/11/2017 - 13:25
    +2

    Hmmm, published reviews/articles by motoring journalists vs anecdotal evidence.

    I think you already know that you are not buying a Honda

    • El Grande on 22/11/2017 - 13:29
      +1

      I have a Subaru that ranks 1 position below on the list and never had a problem. They are offering 7 Years warranty currently so I am a little tempted to throw caution to the wind.

  • dcep on 22/11/2017 - 13:25

    i don't know but it's hideous.

    Get a Mazda 3 instead.

    • Raq on 22/11/2017 - 13:30

      I agree about the hatchback, but the sedan is much better looking (no big mesh/grill in front/back).

      We got the 2017 Honda Civic VTI-L (Sedan) about a month ago (for $28.5k) and I'm really enjoying the car.

      It's my 2nd Honda - I had 2007 Civic Si before and never had any issue with it.

      • El Grande on 22/11/2017 - 13:33

        Yes thinking about the sedan. Any accessories and tank of fuel included in the $28.5K?

        • Raq on 22/11/2017 - 13:35

          Some premium mats, full tank, rego + CTP.

          Color was Brilliant Sporty Blue (Metallic) which (IIRC) is normally extra.

        • El Grande on 22/11/2017 - 13:37

          @Raq: Ok cool. Was it financed or any trade in? Normally that stops you from getting the best deal.

        • Raq on 22/11/2017 - 13:42

          @El Grande:

          My previous car (2015 Hyundai i30) was written off few weeks earlier (due to not at-fault accident) so we've paid for the Honda in cash (well, bank transfer)

        • El Grande on 22/11/2017 - 13:46

          @Raq: So that's the cash price without a trade in. That's what I wanted. Thank you. Let's see if anyone got better deal and hopefully a dealer in Victoria they can point me to :)

        • Raq on 22/11/2017 - 13:50

          @El Grande:

          Check Whirlpool and ask around there:
          https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=2401425&…

          That's where I found about the dealer I got my car from (Honda Hornsby).

        • El Grande on 22/11/2017 - 14:02

          @Raq: Already looking on whirlpool but normally ozbargain is the place to find bargains.

    • El Grande on 22/11/2017 - 13:31

      There is going to be an all-new Mazda 3 and Corolla in 6-8 months that rules them out as they are already showing age. Don't like Hyundai i30.

      • dcep on 22/11/2017 - 13:31

        how about i30n ?

        Pop POP pop BANG BANG!!

  • stargalaxy on 22/11/2017 - 13:30

    It is as reliable as a BMW.

    • El Grande on 22/11/2017 - 13:34

      More of a Mercedes Benz man myself just don't have the money :)

    • Roney on 23/11/2017 - 13:50

      After 3 years, BMW is as reliable as Jaguar

      • El Grande on 25/11/2017 - 23:13

        Jaguar of old or Jaguar of today? They are not bad anymore.

  • MeesusEff on 22/11/2017 - 14:43

    Got the 2012/3 model new, seems fine. Except that my Window tint is peeling. And I hate how the drivers window view is kinda blocked by the sloping interior design.

    • El Grande on 22/11/2017 - 15:18

      Tinting is from the dealers contractor. They have fixed the A-pillar issue.

  • mrmc on 22/11/2017 - 17:23

    Might be quality has gone down since manufacturing is done in thailand

  • bondiphil on 22/11/2017 - 18:04
    +1

    I have owned a Civic VTI-LX for over a year. I don't think quality is as good as Hondas I've owned in the past.
    My main bugbear is an intermittent rattle in the dash, which is loud and annoying when it appears, but goes away when you visit the dealer to get it fixed !
    The paint is 'soft' so don't go to a commercial car wash unless you like swirls in your paint. The CVT tends to drone a lot and the car lacks grunt.
    That said the car has many good points, I'm just not that impressed by the quality.

    • El Grande on 23/11/2017 - 00:19

      I thought 1.5 Turbo was very powerful. I test drove the VTI and I thought the car lacked go so decided to go VTI-L to get the turbo engine. Will go back and drive the VTI-L before buying.

      Can you share the price you paid for VTI-LX? I am tempted to get Honda Sensing but can't justify the 4-5K extra. I might have if it could park itself but still undecided.

    • Rayve on 29/11/2017 - 14:33
      +1

      Check the wiper assembly - this seems to be the cause of a lot of 'dash' rattle in the U.S

  • Steve J on 22/11/2017 - 18:33
    +2

    I am a owner of the 2016 honda civic, exact same model (VTI-L)

    Now, it has been over 1 year since I bought this car.

    I would like to share my experience for that.

    I bought the civic because my previous car was 2008 Honda civic hybrid which was a beautiful car.

    I was so satisfied with the quality, also there was no issue until I've driven around 140,000 km for 8 years.

    That brought me to buy new honda civic.

    However, I am SOOOOOO DISAPPOINTED WITH the new civic.

    First of all, the rattle is all around in the interior.

    You can refer my youtube video : https://youtu.be/PZ0t0wYzqzU

    the rattle from the dashboard was just a beginning.

    rattle from the speaker, door trim, backseat area.

    This car is literally full of the rattle like rattle festival!

    the problem is, you can only fix the rattle in 6 months. because the warranty does not cover the rattle after 6 months period since you've purchased.

    It is still annoying, so I gave up listening the bass-pointed music.

    and in my opinion, the quality of sound is horrible. 2008 honda civic sound system is way better than current one.

    I compared with the 2017 Honda civic RS's speaker system. the number of speaker is much more and also has woofer speaker.

    but quality of the sound is not impressive.

    Second issue is the infortainment system.

    Since 2016 civic, they put every function in the touchscreen.

    All of sudden, it had the problem such as 'cannot control the airconditioning, cannot control the volume.'

    even sometimes, you cannot turn off the airconditioning. lol

    it has been solved when I factory resetted the device.

    Third issue is the sensing issue.

    The rain sensing is the major function of the VTI-L trim which could run wiper automatically.

    However, they don't work properly. even there is a huge shower, the auto-mode doesn't work, so you should select low or high.

    Parking sensors are also trouble maker.

    You have to hear the beep sound for a long time even though there is no object in front of the car.

    Lastly, this is not a actual issue but personal preference.

    I prefer heavy steering on the highway because I could feel safe.

    You cannot deny the fact that honda civic's steering is fantastic; precise, acute, smooth and light.

    but, because of that, in the highway, I feel like very unsafe because the car is too easily turn when you control the steering wheel a little bit.

    To sum up, In 10th generation honda civic which is made in Thailand, you cannot feel the craftmanship of the honda.

    It just a poor quality thailand car made by the cheap material.

    However, I am still driving this car.

    The reason why I still have this one because it looks beautiful to me. (some people think it's ugly but I think that's just a taste)

    beautiful handling(steering) in the local area. so you can enjoy fun of driving.

    it's more larger than previous one, so it makes me feel like it's a medium car not a compact car.

    and turbo charged engine which can generate 173ps is not too bad for the price.

    If I have a chance to choose other cars in same price range.

    I would go with Toyota Camry hybrid basic trim even though slightly expensive.

    or Volkswagen New Golf 110TSI trendy or comfy line which generates about 150ps.

    or, I'd go with Holden Astra comes with 7 year warranty.

    Subaru or Mazda could be other alternative.

    DON'T go with the Hyundai or Kia. Korean car is not reliable as much as Japanese.

    • BertieBrown on 22/11/2017 - 20:26

      There was an article long youtube video about a guy in New Mexico/Nevada? who'd bought an Tesla and it had many rattling issues as well, I guess the difference is that the Tesla was much more expensive.

      We bought a second hand Mitsi Outlander and it has rattles, which are annoying, but was made in Japan (I think) so I don't think it really matters where the car is made IMO.

      I think actually to be fair that Hyundai & Kia are darn close to Japanese built cars, I'd happily buy a Korean built car (not a Daewoo or Sangyong) so pretty much Hyundai and Kia, in fact one of the reasons we didn't buy a Korean car is because they were more expensive.

    • El Grande on 22/11/2017 - 23:38

      Thank you for writing out such a detailed post. I have a 2008 Impreza RS and a 2013 Impreza both cars have a rattle on the Driver side A-pillar and every time I get the cars serviced I complain. They put more insulation free of charge. It goes away for 3-4 months and comes back again. Both cars are made in Japan.

      The AC not responding issue I saw during a youtube review of the car. It was a Malaysian guy he turned the AC on and it was blowing hot air and he went maybe it takes time to start with the cold air. Has this issue been resolved with the factory reset? I don't like how they don't have dedicated buttons for the AC.

      Rain-sensing vipers are a non Issue for me as I don't intend to use those. Its got variable speed vipers I will just use that.

      I test drove the car and parking sensors were working fine. You should contact the dealer and point this out. Is there a front parking camera. My friends new Tiguan has this feature. Great for when you can't see if the sidewalk would hit the car.

      • Steve J on 23/11/2017 - 00:05

        You are welcome.
        Yes. Rattle is common in every cars. Even the Volkswagen and BMW has the serious rattle issue. So it is important to check it before you agree to own it.

        AC and infortainment issue has been solved with the factory reset.
        There IS a AC dedicated button, however, once the infortainment system fails, the all button include volume nut is not working. But as I mentioned, it can be easily fixed with reset.

        The VTI-L trim has only rain sensing. There is no variable speed vipers. You can only choose sensitive of rain sensing. So I have appointment with Honda service centre to solve that issue.

        Honda has a lane watch which can see the blind spot. It is great feature.

        To be honest, the issues which I mentioned in previous reply is not a big deal. Rattle from dash board has been fixed. You can adjust bass and tremble level if there is a rattle on speakers. AC and infortainment system can be fixed with one touch.
        Sensing problem could be solved under warranty. Steering wheel is the thing that I should compromise.

        But I don't like visiting service centre and concerning about the cars and consuming time. That's why I was disappointed with honda this time. Overall, I am satisfied with the car itself and I will keep it at least next 4years.

        I wish you make the best decision ever mate.
        Cars account for our daily lives pretty much.
        Regards.

        • meddy on 23/11/2017 - 08:34

          Bought one for the Wife a few months ago. the RS model with the 1.5 turbo engine.

          So far it seems to be OK, Wife loves it.

          Had a small issue when we first got it there was a spot of paint missing on the drivers side B pillar near the door lock where it had obviously been a small flaw sanded back during production but not finished off. The dealer also missed it during their pre-delivery, they were apologetic about it as you would expect and had it fixed promptly. no other issues to date.

          7 year warranty on them at the moment, so you would think Honda are confident about them.

  • paulinspace on 23/11/2017 - 09:22
    +1

    I have been driving around in a 2001 Holden Astra that cost me $5k for five years now. Still running perfect. Not a cent spent outside of usual tyres, brake pads and oil change. If it was to disintegrate tomorrow I would still be a winner. Buying new cars to get the warranty is a fools game not worthy of ozbargainers.

    • El Grande on 23/11/2017 - 11:47

      Is that $5K in maintenance over 5 years? or $5K including the car and maintenance over 5 years?

  • Aussie Smurfette on 23/11/2017 - 10:36

    When you have to buy a part, any part for a Honda you are going to get quite a shock. Honda parts prices are frightening.

    • El Grande on 23/11/2017 - 11:52

      How often do we buy parts though? I have never bought parts for the car. Only every changed brake pads and that was done through the dealers $400 for a set of 2 and $200 for machining the surface. Doesn't matter if a Subaru or Toyota they are all the same. You can get it done for $250 for Pads and $80-$100 for machining outside but they don't last long enough. Original brakes get me 80-100,000Kms without any issues. Outside brakes about 35-45,000Kms. So it works out the same.

  • [Deactivated] on 23/11/2017 - 15:57

    Honda are offering a upgrade to 7 year unlimited kilometer warranty until December 31st: http://www.caradvice.com.au/603464/honda-offering-seven-year…

  • Toph Beifong on 24/11/2017 - 12:09

    I have a 2009 FD1 Civic and its very reliable indeed. I believe this generation and the subsequent generations have all been made in Thailand, presumably as part of Honda's cost cutting exercise. Door panels, bumpers, internal plastics… everything feels a bit lighter and cheaper but the engine, transmission and internal electrics are still very reliable.

    • El Grande on 24/11/2017 - 14:51

      Engine comes from Japan I have been told.

  • JackOfNoTrade on 25/11/2017 - 13:47

    Just wanted to mention that you should really bargain for a good price if you do end up buying a Civic. I bought the Honda Civic VTI-LX (top of the range) 2017 Sedan last week. In all honesty i went in for just a test drive, and thought I'd also see how low I can go for the price, just for the heck of it. The LX is going for 38,200 with metallic paint. I said I'd give 33,500 (with mats) fully expecting them to say " you're dreaming" as online on whirlpool and a couple of other forums I saw the lowest price for that model as being 34,900. But the guy asked " Are you buying today?". When I said " If I get it for 33,500 with mats, yes." 5 minutes later I was the owner of a brand new Honda Civic. I didn't do any finance, it was an outright purchase. During the negotiations, just mention that you're looking at the Subaru Impreza 2.0i S model (top of the range again) which is just 32,700 with ALL the bells and whistles and they'll consider your offer I believe. In all honesty I may have gotten it for 33,000.

    So if you have reservations about the quality, you should just go as low as possible for the price of the model you want. Check here https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=2401425&… for(its a big thread so you'll have a tough time combing through it) to see what people paid for the VTI-L. Its listed at 32,140 right now for Melbourne. I'd probably suggest $28,000 to see how it goes. If they dont agree, you can always try another dealership.

    Also, I've had it for less than a week and driven it only twice, and already the driver's side door seal is coming off. And yeah, the rain sensing wipiers are definitely crap, but thats the case on my 2016 Subaru Outback as well. So yeah…quality IS questionable. But with the peace of mind of 7 year warranty and 7 year roadside assist, hopefully the car will hold some value for the next few years at least.

    Good luck.

    • El Grande on 25/11/2017 - 23:12

      Did you buy during the 4 day sale event during 17-20 Nov. They had factory bonus of $1000 on all civics at that time. I couldn't test drive it then so planning on waiting for a similar offer as something should come up around christmas/New years.

    • El Grande on 24/01/2018 - 21:29

      Ended up getting the Impreza top model instead for $31300 drive away. Yes the engine is weaker but car drivers nicer and the infotainment felt better to me. It could be I test drove base model Civic and Top model Impreza that could be the difference. Saw on whirlpool that people bought for $30K but None of the vic dealers would give it to me for that price (its achievable in NSW but shipping and rego difference was $800). I got 31K on the other side of town but would rather buy local for extra $300.

      • Thbloke on 31/01/2018 - 11:25

        good decision

      • pharmdude on 31/01/2018 - 11:31

        There is a black 2017 Impreza 2.0i-S in Qld listed for $28,888 driveaway.

        https://www.bartons.net.au/cars/details/66899/2017-subaru-im…

        • El Grande on 31/01/2018 - 14:35

          It was new and MY18 comes with Reversing sensors as standard ($900 option on 17). It also has automatic reverse braking which is missing on the MY17's. One more thing I can't remember. I got $600 in Accessories too and VIC has the Inchscape/Terivtte Cartel so you can't do NSW/QLD prices which are better (due to competition). Oh and 2 Year Extended Subaru Australia Warranty.

  • bung on 02/02/2019 - 13:16

    Purchased a new Honda Civic 2017 December. 12 months old now. Dissapointed with the quality of the paint. Took the vehicle the dealer for 20K service, actually 18K on the clock. Had an issue with the GPS and some rubber window seals. Told nothing wrong with the GPS but would call handa and get back to me, and parts on order for the window and would contact me. Also informed that the tyres were worn out. I was shocked at this information. Took the car directly to my tyre dealer, who confirmed they were worn on the edges. Had new tyres fitted and a wheel alignment. Picked the car up and informed that the wheels were out 5mm on all 4 wheels. This is something that should have been attended to in pre deliver. 3 months on still no contact from the dealer about the GPS or the window parts. Contacted Honda Australia about these issues. Got the usual reply, we have no involvement of the day to day running of dealers. Sorry about your tyres. Not our fist Honda but looks like being our last.

  • grem323 on 02/02/2019 - 13:35

    Why dont you consider the VW Golf? this is practical too! def worth a test drive IMO

    • cwongtech on 02/02/2019 - 14:19

      VW Golf has known issues with DSG..

      • grem323 on 02/02/2019 - 19:48
        +1

        not the new ones….specially not the mk7series onwards….

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join