⌘K
Find a vehicle
RecallsCompareNewsPricing
Your vehicle
VIN decoderWindow stickerProblems by systemTitle brands
Federal filings
Service bulletinsOwner complaintsInvestigationsEarly Warning reportsWarranty extensionsDriver-assist crashesTrouble codes
Browse the record
GuidesRankingsAll makesQuarterly reportsWhat is in the data
Paperwork
Repair Claim KitCar CheckFor attorneysFor expert witnessesFor repair shopsRecall disclosure formRecall fix sheets
Tools and data
Recall WatchFleet VIN checkCost calculatorsCar crosswordAPI & data
Sign inGarage
Your vehicleHome›Honda›Civic› 2021
Honda · Midsize Sedan

2021 Honda Civic

Gas
Midsize Cars
8 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
D
Safety Signal
68 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
Counts recalls, not crash safety — this vehicle earned 5 of 5 stars from NHTSA. A much-recalled best-seller scores low here; see the methodology.
Recalls1 critical 4
Complaints7 crash · 3 fire · 3 injured reported 161
Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★
Fuel economybest combined, EPA 36 mpg
20262025202420232022202120202019201820172016

The 2021 Honda Civic is sold in the U.S. as a gas midsize sedan with 8 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Civic 4Dr, is EPA-rated at 36 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of D. Owners have filed 161 complaints, most often about the steering. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

2021 Honda Civic

Trims & pricing

Source: manufacturer press kitCompare a trim →
TrimPowertrainDriveMSRPHPTorqueMPG combSeatsCargo (2nd row)Wheels
LXGasFWD—158 hp138 lb-ft33 mpg515.1 cu-ft16 in
SportGasFWD—158 hp138 lb-ft32 mpg515.1 cu-ft18 in
EXGasFWD—174 hp162 lb-ft36 mpg515.1 cu-ft17 in
EX-LGasFWD—174 hp162 lb-ft36 mpg515.1 cu-ft17 in
TouringGasFWD—174 hp162 lb-ft33 mpg514.7 cu-ft18 in

MSRP excludes destination. Open a trim for the complete spec sheet and standard/optional equipment. Have the car in front of you? Decode its VIN to see which of these trims it is and what it was priced at.

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
Civic 4DrGasFWD1.5L 4-cyl turbo324236$1,850
Civic 5DrGasFWD1.5L 4-cyl turbo314034$1,950
Civic 4DrGasFWD1.5L 4-cyl turbo303833$2,050
Civic 4DrGasFWD2.0L 4-cyl303833$2,050
Civic 4DrGasFWD2.0L 4-cyl293732$2,100
Civic 5DrGasFWD1.5L 4-cyl turbo293732$2,550
Civic 5DrGasFWD1.5L 4-cyl turbo293532$2,550
Civic 5DrGasFWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo222825$3,300

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 43356, 43056, 43355, 43358, 43357, 43055, 43057, 43643.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates
ConfigurationSmog ratingEmission standardWhere it can be sold newSmartWay
Civic 4Dr, Civic 5Dr3–7 / 10California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / California LEV-III ULEV125All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standardsSmartWay
Civic 5Dr3 / 10California LEV-III ULEV125 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 125All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Also on file Beside the 2021 Civic
Other years The 2026 Civic Recalls Honda recalls
Advertisement

Factory warranty running out?

The 2021 Honda Civic is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.

What to check before you buy →

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Recalls (4)

Source: NHTSA recall database
▲high

Air Bags

98,892 vehicles 32% reported repaired
Problem 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 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash. Risk Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury. 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, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.
Filed with NHTSADefect report PDFOwner letter PDFDealer notice PDF
NHTSA campaign 26V332000 reported May 21, 2026 Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Air Bags

XHP, VHQ
750,114 vehicles 58% reported repaired
Problem 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 RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended. Risk An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury. 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 are XHP and VHQ.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 24V064000 reported Feb 1, 2024 Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Fuel System, Gasoline

KGC, KGD
2,490,460 vehicles 79% reported repaired
Problem 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, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail. Risk Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. 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 expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 23V858000 reported Dec 18, 2023 Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
!critical

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

VEU, AEV, ZET
124,077 vehicles 88% reported repaired
Problem 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, which can cause the brake master cylinder to separate from the booster assembly. Risk Brake master cylinder separation can cause a loss of brake function and increase the risk of a crash. 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 are VEU, AEV, and ZET.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 23V458000 reported Jun 29, 2023 Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Civic

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2021 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Honda publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Honda’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2021 Honda Civic, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Advertisement

Parts & accessories for the 2021 Honda Civic

Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.

Find parts for this Civic →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
161complaints filed

7 involved a crash · 3 a fire · 3 injuries · 0 deaths reported

9.7 per 10,000 built · Honda reported 166,281 Civic built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2021: 5 · 2022: 19 · 2023: 17 · 2024: 40 · 2025: 46 · 2026: 34

Most-cited components

Steering 67
Forward Collision Avoidance 43
Electrical System 21
Service Brakes 18
Unspecified 13
Lane Departure 12

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

The contact owns a 2021 Honda Civic Hatchback. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V064000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. Several local dealers were contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
Air Bags Aug 12, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11680183
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Civic Hatchback. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.
Steering at 82,000 miles Jun 9, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11665790
While operating my 2021 Honda Civic Type R (VIN: ) in high-ambient temperatures (approximately 95°F), the vehicle experienced a sudden and total loss of motive power during acceleration while exiting a busy intersection. This resulted in an immediate engine stall in the path of oncoming traffic, creating a severe risk of a collision.
Electrical System Mar 25, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11727070
Head Gasket failure, coolant was found while inspecting a spark plug at my local Honda dealership. Noticed spark plug in cylinder 2 was damaged. Stuck a camera down to find coolant mixed with oil
Engine Sep 10, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11763354
The contact owned a 2021 Honda Civic Type R. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 mph, the vehicle suddenly lost automotive power and stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The transmission was replaced and the failure was remedied.
Power Train at 4,000 miles Nov 5, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11623703
Car abruptly shut off after start up. Then car started and ran normally for 2 days. Then after start up CEL came on for emissions problem. Took to dealership and said it had a P0546 (small evap leak) code. Performed a leak down test and no leak was found. Then said fuel was present in charcoal canister.
Fuel/Propulsion System Jul 25, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11604579

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Honda itself: 52 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 1 killed, 59 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 31 per 100,000 built. Every Civic model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 30k

miles, typically

Half the 18 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 15,000 and 58,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

Too few readings for a curve — the 18 on file: 4 under 10k, 3 10k–20k, 1 20k–30k, 3 30k–40k, 1 40k–50k, 2 50k–60k, 1 70k–80k, 2 80k–90k, 1 100k–150k.

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
4 DR FWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★10%
5 HB FWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★10%
5 HB FWDnot ratednot rated★★★★★★★★★★10%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning.

Driver-assist crash reports (4)

Source: NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01
4reports filed

2 no injury reported · 2 severity unknown

Sep 2021 to Feb 2022 · 3 with an air bag deployment · 4 towed

What was engaged, and what was hit

System named: not named in the filings

Crash partner: Unknown 2 · Animal 1 · Heavy Truck 1

Filed by: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

IncidentSystemStruckInjury allegedStateSpeedReport
Feb 2022Level 2Unknownno injury reportedCA—62-2450
Nov 2021Level 2Heavy TruckunknownFL—62-1587
Oct 2021Level 2UnknownunknownAL—62-1386
Sep 2021Level 2Animalno injury reportedNY75 mph62-1581

From the manufacturer’s own filing

The reporting entity’s narrative as NHTSA published it, with anything identifying removed and nothing added. A narrative is a notice, written before the entity had verified what happened.

The customer was stopped at an intersection when a dump truck rear-ended the customer's vehicle, causing it to hit the vehicle in front of the customer. The customer alleges that both the Lane Keep Assist System and Adaptive Cruise Control were engaged.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) report 62-1587 Nov 2021 NHTSA SGO filing
Customer was driving on a highway and hit a deer. Customer stated that the 'seat belt airbags' deployed in the accident, as well as Lane Keep Assist System and Adaptive Cruise Control. 2/[redacted]/22 Update - Changed the 'AUTOMATION SYSTEM ENGAGED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT' field from 'ADAS' to 'Unknown, See Narrative'
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) report 62-1581 Sep 2021 NHTSA SGO filing
Customer contacted Honda to praise her vehicle's safety systems. Customer was driving on a highway when another driver from the opposite direction merged into the customer's lane to cause the crash. 2/[redacted]/22 Update - Changed the 'AUTOMATION SYSTEM ENGAGED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT' field from 'ADAS' to 'Unknown, See Narrative'
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) report 62-1386 Oct 2021 NHTSA SGO filing

A report under the General Order is a notice the manufacturer or operator must file within days of hearing of a crash in which a Level 2 driver-assist or automated-driving system was engaged within 30 seconds of impact. It is filed before anything is verified, and entities with telematics hear of far more crashes than entities that rely on complaints, so counts say as much about the reporting as about the car and are not comparable across makes. Nothing is normalised by fleet size. Every report on file, by make and year → · NHTSA’s page and files

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Extended coverage on file 7 filings by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

1 more in this page’s JSON.

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every Honda warranty extension (66) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 95
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-25
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 85 service bulletins, 10 others

Most often about: Electrical System, Visibility/Wiper, Engine, Service Brakes, Fuel/Propulsion System.

  • A26-009 Service bulletin
    2026-09-25 · Engine
  • Service Bulletin - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, and/or misfire. In some cases, DTCs P0300 through P0304 may also be stored (DTCs are not required for repair).
  • A26-008 Service bulletin
    2026-09-25 · Engine
  • Service Bulletin - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, and/or misfire. In some cases, DTCs P0300 through P0304 may also be stored (DTCs are not required for repair).
  • 2026-08-26 · Engine
  • Dealer Message - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, misfire, and/or DTCs P0300 through P0304 stored.
  • A26-009 Service bulletin
    2026-08-26 · Engine
  • Service Bulletin - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, misfire and/or DTCs P0300 thru P0304 stored.
  • A26-008 Service bulletin
    2026-08-26 · Engine
  • Service Bulletin - Under certain conditions, the cylinder head gasket effectiveness may be reduced which may cause vehicles to experience overheating, coolant loss, misfire and/or DTCs P0300 thru P0304 stored.
  • A25-062 Service bulletin
    2025-10-13 · Engine
  • Service Bulletin - Water could enter the hood scoop and accumulate down inside the no. 4 spark plug hole. This can corrode the ignition coil, plug tube, and spark plug, leading to a misfire to the no. 4 cylinder. If a misfire is detected, DTC P0304 is stored.
  • A25-089 Service bulletin
    2025-09-17 · Engine
  • Service Bulletin - Oil leak at the cam chain tensioner inspection cover due to and insufficient sealant adhesion on the inspection cover.
  • A25-062 Service bulletin
    2025-08-19 · Engine
  • Service Bulletin - Water could enter the hood scoop and accumulate down inside the no. 4 spark plug hole. This can corrode the ignition coil, plug tube, and spark plug, leading to a misfire to the no. 4 cylinder. If a misfire is detected, DTC P0304 is stored.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

CodeWhat it meansMost often filed underWhere it appears
P0304
P0304 on Honda →		Cylinder 4 is misfiring.Engine · Ignition coils →11 bulletins
P0300
P0300 on Honda →		Misfire detected, but not isolated to one cylinder.Engine · Ignition coils →9 bulletins
P0172
P0172 on Honda →		The engine is running rich on bank 1: too much fuel for the air going in.Fuel/Propulsion System · Oxygen sensor →4 bulletins · 1 owner report
P0087
P0087 on Honda →		Fuel rail pressure is below what the system commanded.Fuel/Propulsion System · Fuel pump →3 bulletins · 1 owner report
P0420
P0420 on Honda →		The catalytic converter on bank 1 is not cleaning up the exhaust as well as it should.Engine · Catalytic converter →2 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2021 Honda Civic failed the emissions check on 1.8% of first inspections — close to the 1.9% for every 2021 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.6% (every 2021 vehicle: 1.5%).

New York inspections 1.8%

failed emissions

5,982 initial inspections of 5,903 vehicles.

MeasureThe 2021 CivicEvery 2021 vehicleBehind it
Failed the emissions check1.8%1.9%5,972
Failed the safety inspection1.6%1.5%5,982
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit0.28%0.19%5,982
Miles driven a year9,57710,343odometer at inspection
Average odometer51,04854,681odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2021 vehicle” is every 2021 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Civic by model year

all years, side by side →
Year Safety Recalls Complaints
2026 A 1 32 49 mpg2025 B 2 105 49 mpg2024 C 3 142 36 mpg2023 C 5 336 36 mpg2022 C 4 961 36 mpg2021 this page D 4 161 36 mpg2020 D 5 237 36 mpg2019 C 4 456 36 mpg2018 D 6 756 36 mpg2017 D 6 606 36 mpg2016 C 5 1,083 35 mpg

Common questions about the 2021 Civic

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2021 Honda Civic have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 4 recall campaigns for the 2021 Honda Civic, 1 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 23V458000, covering Service Brakes, Hydraulic. 1 campaign is phased, so the repair reached some model years before others. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2021 Honda Civic?

NHTSA gave the 2021 Honda Civic 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 5-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it D (68/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2021 Honda Civic?

Across the 8 EPA-rated configurations of the 2021 Honda Civic, the best EPA combined figure is 36 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What do owners complain about on the 2021 Honda Civic?

Owners have filed 161 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Honda Civic, most often about steering, forward collision avoidance, electrical system. Of those, 7 involved a crash, 3 a fire, 3 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2021 Honda Civic?

The EPA smog rating for the 2021 Honda Civic runs 3 to 7 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, California LEV-III ULEV125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2021 Honda Civic?

The manufacturer has filed 95 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2021 Honda Civic, most often covering electrical system, visibility/wiper, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-09-25. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2021 Honda Civic do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2021 Honda Civic failed the emissions check on 1.8% of first inspections — close to the 1.9% for every 2021 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.6% (every 2021 vehicle: 1.5%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

DataHeldSourceWhat it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations8 configurationsEPA certification recordsEvery configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates8 configurationsEPA emission certificatesSmog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls4NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints161NHTSA complaint databaseAlso complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings3 testedNHTSA NCAPOnly the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins95NHTSA manufacturer communicationsEverything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
InvestigationsnoneNHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationNo defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports4NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01Crashes the manufacturer or operator reported with a Level 2 or automated-driving system engaged. Notices, filed before verification; not comparable across makes.
Specifications filed with NHTSAnoneNHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patternsWe had no VIN pattern to decode for this model year, or the manufacturer filed nothing usable.
Trims, pricing & equipment5 trimsManufacturer press kitTranscribed from the manufacturer's own press material, every value carrying the document it came from.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Where to go next

pages beside this one
Other years The 2026 Civic The Civic model year with the cleanest record on file — grade A, 1 recall.Recalls Every Honda recall on file All campaigns filed against Honda vehicles, newest first, with the manufacturer's own number.Recall Watch Watch this Civic by VIN Give it the VIN and you hear the night a campaign is filed — from $29 a month for a lot, free for ten.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly. Trim-level specifications and pricing are transcribed from the manufacturer's official press kit; every value carries its source in the data file.

JSON for this page · API