Showing the 2012 Civic Hybrid-L. NHTSA's VIN data shows it with a 1.8 L engine, but that may not be every version of it, so the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
About every 2012 Civic
The 2012 Honda Civic has 25 to 44 mpg combined and a 5-year fuel cost of $7,380 to $16,100 at U.S. average prices, based on 15,000 miles per year. NHTSA gives it 4 overall stars. The 4 recall campaigns cover transmission and drivetrain, steering, and fuel system, and may apply to this car. Owner complaints total 474, most for air bags with 153, followed by steering with 74.
Written by AI from public EPA and NHTSA data. Not a review.
Fuel economy
25–44 mpgcombined; city 22–43, highway 31–44; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$7,380–$16,100U.S. average; Ohio $6,600–$15,170 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026. Other versions: $7,500, EPA's own estimate, for a fuel EIA has no price for; not priced for any state
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2012 Civic. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 474 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Civic. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Air bags
153
36
0
29
Steering
74
3
0
1
Electrical system
64
2
2
0
Power train
53
4
0
0
Vehicle speed control
40
11
0
8
Service brakes
37
12
0
9
Structure
36
11
1
6
Engine
35
2
1
0
Unknown or other
35
1
2
0
Fuel/propulsion system
18
0
0
1
Seat belts
16
6
0
13
Seats
13
0
0
1
16 more parts
Electronic stability control (ESC)
11
1
0
0
Exterior lighting
10
2
1
2
Wheels
10
1
0
2
Fuel system, gasoline
9
0
1
0
Visibility
7
0
0
0
Suspension
6
1
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
4
1
0
1
Service brakes, hydraulic
4
2
0
1
Equipment adaptive/mobility
3
2
0
0
Tires
3
0
0
1
Visibility/wiper
3
0
0
0
Equipment
1
0
0
0
Hybrid propulsion system
1
0
0
0
Interior lighting
1
0
0
0
Latches/locks/linkages
1
0
0
0
Parking brake
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2012 Civic over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Acura ILX, 2013 Acura ILX Hybrid, 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid, and 2007-2008 Honda Fit vehicles with a manual transmission and 2009-2013 Honda Fit vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The drive shafts' protective coating may not have been applied properly during manufacturing, making it more susceptible to damage from road salt, or other contaminants, and potentially cause it to break.
Risk: A broken drive shaft may cause a sudden loss of drive power. The vehicle could also roll away if the parking brake has not been applied before the vehicle has been exited. Either condition can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the drive shafts, replacing either the left or right drive shaft, if necessary, free of charge. Owners were notified of the safety risk with an interim letter mailed February 2, 2021. A second letter will be sent once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are P9M, PAV, BAY, TAX, CA0, and MAZ.
Honda is recalling certain model year 2012 Civic passenger vehicles, manufactured from October 26, 2012, through October 30, 2012. These vehicles were assembled with the incorrect steering column assembly.
Risk: The steering column may not have proper energy absorbing characteristics, which could increase the risk of injury during a vehicle crash.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the steering column, as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began on December 10, 2012. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009.
HONDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 HONDA CIVIC VEHICLES. DURING ASSEMBLY, THE PROCESS REQUIRED TO SEAT THE DRIVER’S SIDE DRIVESHAFT AND SET THE RETAINING CLIP WAS NOT COMPLETED. AS A RESULT, THE DRIVESHAFT MAY SEPARATE.
Risk: IF THIS OCCURS, THE VEHICLE WILL HAVE A LOSS OF DRIVE POWER AND MAY ROLL AWAY IF THE PARKING BRAKE HAS NOT BEEN SET WHEN THE GEAR SELECTOR HAS BEEN PLACED IN THE “PARK” POSITION, INCREASING THE RISK OF CRASH OR PEDESTRIAN INJURY.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver's side driveshaft and install a new driveshaft as needed, free of charge. The safety recall began on June 21. 2012. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.
HONDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 CIVIC 2-DOOR AND 4-DOOR VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 21, 2011, THROUGH MAY 2, 2011. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT AN O-RING, WHICH SEALS A CONNECTION IN THE FUEL FEED LINE, IS MISALIGNED. IF THE O-RING IS MISALIGNED, A SMALL FUEL LEAK MAY OCCUR.
Risk: FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL FEED LINE ASSEMBLY FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 83 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2012 Civic, the latest on Jun 24, 2021. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: fuel system (20), engine and engine cooling (15), electrical system (13), other (12), power train (12).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Defect petition DP22005 Pedestrian alert sounds · covers 43 makes
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2012 Civic.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: compact cars. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Civic Front-Wheel Drive
1.8 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 5-spd
Regular Gasoline
28 / 38 / 31
Civic Front-Wheel Drive
1.8 L, 4 cyl
Manual 5-spd
Regular Gasoline
28 / 35 / 31
Civic Front-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Premium Gasoline
22 / 31 / 25
Civic HF Front-Wheel Drive
1.8 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 5-spd
Regular Gasoline
28 / 39 / 32
Civic Hybrid Front-Wheel Drive
1.5 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (variable gear ratios)
Regular Gasoline
43 / 44 / 44
Civic Natural Gas Front-Wheel Drive
1.8 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 5-spd
Natural Gas
27 / 38 / 31
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data