Head-to-head reliability
Honda Civic vs Honda FIT
How the Honda Civic and Honda FIT compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Honda FIT averages fewer NHTSA complaints per year. Honda Civic has 3,714 complaints and 38 recalls on record; Honda FIT has 1,130 complaints and 51 recalls. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Honda Civic | Honda FIT |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 3,714 | 1,130 Better |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 38 Better | 51 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 204 | 59 Better |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 371.4 | 113.0 Better |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 142 | 60 Better |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 1 | 0 Better |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Honda Civic
- 01STEERING1,912
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER496
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM326
- 04FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE255
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM215
“The component that has failed is my electric power steering motor. Yes, it is available for inspection upon request. While driving, the steering wheel should turn in a fluid motion, without requiring much force to turn the wheel. When i turn my wheel, it some…”
“Vehicle: 2021 Honda Civic Mileage: Approximately 58,000 miles Over the past couple of months, I have experienced a steering issue that appears to be worsening. While driving at highway speeds, the steering wheel intermittently feels as though it “sticks” or c…”
Honda FIT
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM309
- 02AIR BAGS225
- 03FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM145
- 04ENGINE139
- 05UNKNOWN OR OTHER130
“The dealership changed the oil on my 2020 Honda Fit, and the Oil Life display was reset to 100%, on 1/8/24. Two days later the LCD panel, which shows the fuel gauge, odometer, remaining range, oil life, etc. began to intermittently go blank or become garbled…”
“DIGITAL DISPLAY (MILEAGE, OIL LEVEL, FUEL GAUGE, ETC) FAILS WHEN TURNING VEHICLE ON DURING COLD WEATHER. IT REMAINS BACKLIT, BUT ALL TEXT DISAPPEARS. TYPICALLY, THIS HAPPENS WHEN DRIVING ON EITHER HIGHWAY OR CITY STREETS. THIS MEANS AS A DRIVER I'M UNABLE TO…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Honda Civic — 38 recalls
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Civic, 2020-2023 Ridgeline, 2021-2023 Passport, 2021-2022 Pilot, and 2020 Acura MDX vehicles. The tie rod fastener that connects the brake booster and the brake master cylinder may have been improperly assembled during manufacturing, w…
The risk: Brake master cylinder separation can cause a loss of brake function and increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and repair the brake booster assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 7, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall ar…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura R…
The risk: An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls ar…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV,…
The risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansi…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022…
The risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH,…
Honda FIT — 51 recalls
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura R…
The risk: An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls ar…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Fit and 2019-2022 HR-V vehicles. The rearview camera image may not display when the engine is started with a key, due to a design error in the audio display power circuit. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of…
The risk: An inoperative rearview camera display can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the display audio unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 13, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is 6DW. This recall has…
The defect: Honda (America Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Fit and 2019-2022 HR-V vehicles that were previously recalled under NHTSA recall number 23V-046. The rearview camera image may not display when the engine is started with a key, due to a design error in the audio display power circuit.…
The risk: An inoperative rearview camera display can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the display audio unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 8, 2024. Owners may contact Honda service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are TIQ and DIR. Vehicles previou…
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022…
The risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH,…
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | Honda Civic | Honda FIT |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 220 | 35 |
| 2019 | 348 | 134 |
| 2018 | 598 | 116 |
| 2017 | 580 | 42 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Honda Civic or Honda FIT in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Honda Civic vs Honda FIT
- Honda Civic total complaints
- 3,714
- Honda FIT total complaints
- 1,130
- Honda Civic total recalls
- 38
- Honda FIT total recalls
- 51
- Honda Civic avg complaints/year
- 371.4
- Honda FIT avg complaints/year
- 113.0
- More reliable overall
- Honda FIT
- Honda Civic top complaint area
- STEERING
- Honda FIT top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM