Used car safety, rank #145 of 181
Honda Civic Safety Rating (2019-20)
Real IIHS driver death rates for the 2019-20 Honda Civic, a small car, compared with its class and with the current model.
The 2019-20 Honda Civic has an IIHS driver death rate of 49 per million registered vehicle years against a small cars average of 60.5, which is 19% below the class average. That places it #145 of 181 used vehicles with a safety score of 26.5/100.
What the Honda Civic death rate means
At 49 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, the Honda Civic beats the small cars average of 60.5 by 19%. The 95% confidence interval is 29 to 69, so the upper end of the range overlaps the class average and the advantage is not certain.
The other-driver death rate of 47 measures the opposite risk: how many drivers of other vehicles died in crashes with a Honda Civic. It is no higher than the Honda Civic's own driver death rate. Remember that death rates describe vehicles and their drivers together: IIHS adjusts for driver age and gender, but not for where or how carefully people drive. Our score weights this model's own rate at 70% and its class at 30%; see how we rank used cars.
Compared with similar used cars
The safest small cars in the IIHS study, by our score, with the Honda Civic highlighted. It ranks 6 of the 9 shown; the class leader is the Chevrolet Bolt at a death rate of 8.
| Vehicle | Years | Death rate | Score | Reliability | Used price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Bolt | 2017-20 | 8 (0 to 19) | 65.3 | n/a | n/a |
| Toyota Prius Prime | 2017-20 | 23 (0 to 45) | 52.5 | n/a | n/a |
| Subaru WRX | 2017-20 | 38 (19 to 58) | 34.2 | n/a | n/a |
| Toyota Prius | 2017-20 | 45 (23 to 67) | 29.6 | n/a | n/a |
| Subaru Impreza sedan | 2017-20 | 46 (18 to 74) | 28.4 | n/a | n/a |
| Honda Civic (this page) | 2019-20 | 49 (29 to 69) | 26.5 | n/a | n/a |
| Toyota Corolla | 2020 | 58 (31 to 86) | 19.5 | n/a | n/a |
| Honda Civic hatchback | 2019-20 | 78 (26 to 130) | 13.6 | n/a | n/a |
| Hyundai Elantra | 2020 | 103 (48 to 157) | 10.1 | n/a | n/a |
Class average for small cars: 60.5 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years.
The new Honda Civic
Death rates lag the market by several years. For the current Honda Civic we score IIHS crash tests instead; here is how the latest model years rate on our new-car scale.
| Model year | Model | IIHS award | New-car score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Honda Civic | TSP | 89.1 |
| 2026 | Honda Civic | No award | 80.0 |
New-car scores use a different scale (crash tests, not death rates) and are not directly comparable with the 26.5 used-car score above.
International crash test results
Euro NCAP (2022)
ANCAP (2022)
International test results are for the same-generation model sold in those markets. Body structures are typically identical across regions. Euro NCAP vs IIHS explained.
Safety recalls for the Honda Civic
A recall is a defect the manufacturer must repair free of charge, however old the car and whoever owns it now. On a used car this matters more than on a new one: the work is only done if a previous owner took it in.
5 recall campaigns on the 2020 model year, covering air bags, fuel system, gasoline, service brakes, hydraulic.
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Air bags: sensor, occupant classification, front passenger
Risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge.
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Air bags: sensor, occupant classification, front passenger
Risk: An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge.
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Fuel system, gasoline: delivery, fuel pump
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024.
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Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components, master cylinder
Risk: Brake master cylinder separation can cause a loss of brake function and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair the brake booster assembly as necessary, free of charge.
-
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery, fuel pump
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 18, 2021.
Recall campaigns from the NHTSA recalls database, retrieved 2026-09-04. A campaign covers a range of build dates, not every car of the model year, and IIHS reports this nameplate across several years while these results are for 2020. Confirm against the VIN. Recalls do not affect the death rate on this page.
Honda Civic: Common Questions
Is the Honda Civic a safe car?
Yes, by the measure that matters most. IIHS recorded a driver death rate of 49 per million registered vehicle years for the 2019-20 Honda Civic, 19% below the class average (60.5 for small cars). That earns a used-car safety score of 26.5 out of 100 and rank #145 of 181 used vehicles.
What is the Honda Civic driver death rate?
49 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, with a 95% confidence interval of 29 to 69. Drivers of other vehicles that collided with a Honda Civic died at a rate of 47 per million. Source: IIHS driver death rates by make and model, covering 2019-20 models.
How does the Honda Civic compare with other small cars?
The small cars class averages 60.5 driver deaths per million; the Honda Civic sits at 49. Among the 9 small cars compared above it ranks 6 by safety score; the top of that group is the Chevrolet Bolt with a death rate of 8.