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 Civic vs Honda FIT: The Civic has 370.5 complaints per year, with steering issues being most common, while the FIT has 112.9 per year, with electrical display problems leading. The Civic has 20 recalls, the FIT 51. Both have airbag concerns, but the FIT's lower complaint rate suggests fewer issues. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Honda Civic or Honda FIT more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Honda Civic
The Honda Civic, over the past decade, has been a popular compact car, but its reliability record is mixed. Owners report a high volume of steering issues, with the wheel becoming stiff or sticky, which can be alarming on the highway. There are also notable problems with the electrical system, including A/C failures and a faulty body control module that can cause the car to turn on by itself. While it has a higher complaint count, it's important to note that this may reflect its larger sales volume.
Honda FIT
The Honda Fit, a subcompact hatchback, shows a different reliability profile. Its most frequent complaints involve the electrical system, particularly the digital display that can go blank or become garbled, especially in cold weather. Air bag issues are also prominent, with one owner describing a crash where the airbag did not deploy. Fuel and engine problems, such as misfires and loss of power, are also reported, but the overall complaint rate is lower than the Civic's.
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 | 3,705 | 1,129 Better |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 20 Better | 51 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 203 | 59 Better |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 370.5 | 112.9 Better |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 140 | 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
- 01STEERING1,907
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER494
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM324
- 04FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE255
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM215
Owners report the steering wheel becomes stiff or sticky, requiring extra effort to turn, especially after driving for a while. This can make it difficult to maintain a straight line and feels unsafe on the highway.
The A/C system often fails due to refrigerant leaks, leading to weak cooling. Additionally, the body control module can malfunction, causing the car to start on its own, which is a bizarre and potentially dangerous issue.
The collision mitigation braking system can falsely detect objects and slam on the brakes when the road is empty, which is startling and could cause a rear-end collision.
“My steering gradually stiffens then suddenly releases while traveling the highway. It cycled this way during the entire trip. It acted this way for the first time Oct 22, 2025 on the outgoing part of my hour long trip. It acted this way the second time Oct 25…”
“The steering wheel becomes "sticky" and requires more force than usual to move it to the right or left. This is particularly noticeable when driving in a straight line, and the issue becomes apparent after driving for roughly 10 minutes. This causes an overco…”
Honda FIT
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM309
- 02AIR BAGS225
- 03FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM145
- 04ENGINE139
- 05UNKNOWN OR OTHER130
The digital display, which shows speed, fuel, and other info, often goes blank or becomes garbled, especially in cold weather. This leaves the driver without crucial information and is a common complaint.
There are reports of airbags not deploying in crashes, which is a serious safety concern. One owner described a crash where the airbag did not go off, despite the impact.
The car can judder, lose power, and have the engine light flash while driving at highway speeds, which is a scary experience. This is often accompanied by other warning lights coming on.
“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 — 20 recalls
The defect: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Acura MDX, MDX Sport Hybrid, RDX, TLX, Honda Accord, Civic Hatchback, Insight, 2019 Acura ILX, Honda Accord Hybrid, Civic Coupe, Civic Coupe Si, Civic Sedan, Civic Sedan Si, Civic Type R, Fit, HR-V, Odyssey, Passport, Pilot and Ridgeli…
The risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 18, 2021. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 20V…
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 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 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…
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,…
Buyer analysis
Honda Civic or Honda FIT: which should you buy?
The Honda Fit has fewer complaints per year (112.9 vs 370.5) and fewer crash-related incidents, making it a more reliable choice on paper. However, the Civic's higher numbers may be due to its popularity. In practice, the Fit's issues are less frequent, but both have significant problems to watch for.
Key differences
- The Civic has a much higher complaint rate, especially for steering, which can be a safety hazard.
- The Fit's most common issue is the display failing, which is annoying but less dangerous than steering problems.
- The Fit has more recalls (51 vs 20), but the Civic has more crash-related complaints (203 vs 59).
- The Civic has reported deaths (1), while the Fit has none, but both have injuries.
- Test the steering at highway speeds for any stiffness or stickiness, as this is a common and serious issue.
- Check the A/C system for proper cooling, as refrigerant leaks are frequent.
- Inspect the digital display for any flickering or blanking, especially in cold weather.
- Ask about any airbag recall repairs and ensure they are completed, as non-deployment is a risk.
Before you buy
- Get a pre-purchase inspection focusing on the steering system for the Civic.
- For the Fit, test the display in cold conditions if possible.
- Check the recall status for both vehicles and ensure all recalls are performed.
- Ask for service records, especially for A/C repairs on the Civic and any engine work on the Fit.
- Take both for a test drive on the highway to feel for any juddering or power loss.
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 | 218 | 35 |
| 2019 | 348 | 134 |
| 2018 | 598 | 115 |
| 2017 | 578 | 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
- 3,705
- Honda FIT total complaints
- 1,129
- Honda Civic total recalls
- 20
- Honda FIT total recalls
- 51
- Honda Civic avg complaints/year
- 370.5
- Honda FIT avg complaints/year
- 112.9
- More reliable overall
- Honda FIT
- Honda Civic top complaint area
- STEERING
- Honda FIT top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM