2025 Honda Civic Hatchback Sport Touring Hybrid: Nailed It

Honda’s been making hybrids for more than a quarter-century, but for years the cars were outliers in its U.S. lineup. Chalk it up to confusion in a marketplace where the words “hybrid” and “Prius” became synonymous. Honda nevertheless stuck with its knitting, steadily improving its hybrid powertrain systems and eventually ditching its dedicated hybrid nameplate, the Insight, instead offering hybrid versions of existing models. For 2023, Honda positioned hybrids in the heart of its Accord sedan and CR-V crossover lineups, recasting them as pseudo-performance models rather than as so-called “green cars.” It’s been a brilliant strategy; half of Accord and CR-V sales are now hybrids. 

It’s no surprise, then, that a 2025 freshening of the superb eleventh-generation Civic includes Honda’s hybrid powertrain moving from the fringes of the Civic lineup to primetime slots. The previous EX and Touring trims, with their 180-hp, 1.5-liter turbo engine, are gone, and now the upmarket trim levels for both the sedan and hatchback are hybrids.

The key word here is “hatchback,” as Honda’s previous hybrid Civics have been sedans only. Since the sporty Civic Si is available only as a sedan (alas) and the extremely sporty Civic Type R hatchback costs $47K, the Civic Hatchback Sport Hybrid, starting at $31K, gives us hot-hatch lovers goosebumps.

That might sound like overweening enthusiasm for a fuel-sipping hybrid, but this Prius competitor is surprisingly quick. Our friends at Motor Trend clocked the Civic Hybrid at 6.1 seconds to 60 mph, nearly a second faster than the Civic Si.

Specs: 2025 Honda Civic Hatchback Sport Touring Hybrid

• Price: $34,300
• Powertrain: 2.0-liter four-cylinder gas engine (141 hp; 134 lb-ft) with generator, single electric motor (181 hp; 232 lb-ft), and 1.1-kWh lithium-ion battery
• Combined Output: 200 hp; 232 lb-ft
• Layout: Front-wheel-drive, four-door, five-passenger hatchback
• EPA Fuel Economy: 50 mpg city, 45 mpg highway, 48 mpg combined
• Competitors: Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Si

A whole lot goes on when you bury the right pedal. Honda’s latest hybrid powertrain consists of a 2.0-liter, 141-hp DOHC four-cylinder (yes, it has VTEC) and two electric motors—one charges the batteries and the other provides propulsion. In most driving situations, the gas engine is merely a supporting character, working in tandem with the motor-generator to charge the battery, which then powers the second electric motor. Under full acceleration, though, the gas engine connects directly to the front wheels, combining forces with electric power to produce a robust 200 hp and 232 lb-ft of torque. The transitions between these situations are virtually imperceptible to the driver. Just savor the seamless acceleration.

Like many hybrid cars, the Civic lets you pull up a digital image on the driver-info display that depicts how energy is being directed from battery pack to drive axle; from engine to electric generator/starter motor; and from regenerative braking to the battery pack. The Civic expands the digital party trick by presenting a facsimile of a traditional tachometer in the driver-information display, but instead of engine rpm, the needle indicates the percentage of battery power that’s being summoned. Mash the accelerator, and the needle sweeps back and forth between 75 and 100 percent—purely unnecessary but surprisingly entertaining.

During a 240-mile romp across lower Michigan, the Civic hammered authoritatively over pockmarked two-lanes, the ride firm but forgiving. Michigan’s farm roads are mostly in grid formation, but the Civic was eager to be pitched into the rare curves, the crisply communicative steering allowing us to carve through with abandon. Balancing mechanical and regenerative braking, the brakes have sizable bite from the first hit of the pedal, which remains beautifully modulated through its travel. This car just feels right, and it’s no exaggeration to compare it with highly regarded front-wheel-drive hatches like the Volkswagen GTI and Mini Cooper. And after a day of brisk driving on a variety of roads, during which we never went easy on the go pedal, we achieved 43 mpg, against official EPA ratings of 50/45/48 mpg (city/highway/combined).

Like any good Honda, the Civic Hybrid hatch is sensibly put together. The battery pack and its associated hardware are 24% smaller than before, so there’s no loss of cargo space (24.5 cubic feet behind the rear seats) versus the non-hybrid Civic hatch. Fold down the rear seats, and a bicycle can easily be laid in sideways. The relatively thin and upright windshield pillars help provide good sightlines from the pilot’s seat, which itself calls to mind the grand thrones once found in Saabs. Speaking of the past, the 9-inch display screen pops from the dash like it’s 2012 all over again, but it works well and there are twist knobs for radio volume and HVAC.

If you’re Honda, and your products are known for superb engineering, build quality, and longevity, you don’t have to bolt expansive display screens across your instrument panels to catch the attention of buyers. Your reputation speaks for itself. And our Sport Touring model, even with its modest touchscreen, was stuffed with plenty of technology, including Google Built-In, which allows you to use a variety of Google apps via voice command; and a full suite of passive and active safety equipment. On the traditional front, you get leather trim for the steering wheel, gearshift lever, and heated front seats to complement the modern-look strip of metallic trim that dissects the instrument panel. 

If anything, for some buyers the Civic hybrid’s chief competitor is the Civic Si sedan, which is similarly equipped and priced but, as noted, available only as a sedan. Its standard six-speed manual transmission might give it the edge. For us, we’ll take the hybrid hatch, a decision we could not imagine having made in the past.

2025 Honda Civic Hatchback Sport Touring Hybrid 

Highs: Hybrid powertrain that brilliantly balances performance with efficiency. Excellent roadholding and handling. Roomy cargo area, pleasant cabin.

Lows: More road noise than expected, even with specific soundproofing for hybrid models.

Takeaway: At last, a successor to the Insight that’s not an oddity but instead hits the heart of the market. That it appeals equally to efficiency and performance enthusiasts is a very Honda trait, indeed.