A used Honda Civic is an incredibly affordable option that your young driver can rely on for a long time, and you can find terrific safety features on these models to help protect your kid on the road. But you likely want more details than that, so we're going to look at this model much closer so you can have a better sense of what a used Civic has to offer. 

Whether you're already looking for a used Honda Civic for sale near North Bergen or you are still exploring different options, there's a lot about the Civic in particular that makes it an amazing pick. For a great price, you can get a vehicle that you know your high school grad can depend on each day, plus they'll pay less on things like gas and insurance. Specifics depend on a range of different factors, so let's take a closer look, and you'll see what we mean...

Generations and Model Years

Before we get into more details, we should mention something very important: you'll find a variety of different features when looking at used Civics based on their model year and generation. The Honda Civic has been around since the 1970s, but you don't want to go that far back when looking for a reliable used car for your teen driver. 

The oldest we'd suggest is a tenth-generation Civic, which was available from the 2016 model year through 2021. Note that during this time, the Civic was still available as a two-door coupe, which is probably not a great choice for a young driver. You're better off going with a sedan or hatchback model for an attractive price, lower insurance, and overall safer driving.

You'll also want to skip the Type R and Si variants, which are more performance-focused and typically not a good idea for a recent high school grad driving around North Bergen. If you're looking for something with more modern features, then the eleventh-generation Honda Civic is a terrific choice; it started with the 2022 model year and continues today. 

You'll only find hatchback and sedan models during these years, so you don't have to worry about a coupe showing up when exploring different options. When looking at tenth-generation Civic models, a facelift and update for the 2019 model year makes that iteration a great one to check out, while the eleventh generation just received an update for the 2025 model year with a variety of enhanced features.

A Great Vehicle at a Great Price

One of the biggest reasons many of our customers love the Honda Civic as the first car for a new high school graduate is its price. The Civic is a compact car, which means new models are already sold at a very accessible price. When looking at used models, you can find them at low prices that make them attractive and easy to buy for your teen. Even if you can't buy one for cash, a modest down payment is all it takes to keep monthly payments very low for your new graduate, well within reach even with a part-time job. 

Just as importantly, this also means insurance for the vehicle will be lower than with a lot of other vehicles. The age of your teen driver impacts insurance rates, but so does the kind of vehicle; something with a low price is less expensive to replace, which can keep costs down. Despite a low price, Honda cars are highly regarded for long-term dependability, so you nevertheless get a car your teen can rely on.

Impressive Fuel Efficiency 

Year after year, the Honda Civic is one particularly efficient vehicle, which means your teen can make fewer stops for gas and keep their costs down over time. The last thing you want is a late-night phone call because your son or daughter has run out of gas and is stuck somewhere; better gas mileage can help avoid that. 

For example, a 2020 Civic, with its standard engine, can get an estimated 30 MPG in the city and 38 MPG on the highway.^[a] A 2023 Honda Civic, with its standard engine, can get an estimated 30 MPG in the city and 40 MPG on the highway; even the more powerful engine on the 2023 model gets an estimated 33 MPG in the city and 42 MPG on the highway.^[a]

Easy to Maintain and Drive 

We cannot overstate the importance of proper vehicle maintenance, but handling scheduled service is not the strong suit of most teen drivers. Teaching our teenagers how to care for their vehicles is important, and the Honda Civic makes that easier because it keeps maintenance simple. 

You don't have to worry about exotic parts that can be hard to get or taking the vehicle to an exclusive mechanic somewhere far away. We are here at Hudson Honda to help with everything you need, including routine service. Plus, parts for the Civic are typically very affordable, which makes service simple and repairs not as expensive as they could be with a luxury vehicle or an exclusive European import.

Driver Assistance Features

Any parent of a teen driver knows the anxiety and stress that accompanies the first time their kid goes for a drive all on their own. Although we can't promise to eliminate that entirely, knowing that your new graduate is protected by an incredibly safe vehicle does help. Year after year, the Civic is among the safest vehicles on the road. 

One thing in particular worth looking for with a used Civic is the Honda Sensing suite of driver assistance features that includes things like a Collision Mitigation Braking System to help drivers avoid or lessen the severity of a collision and a Road Departure Mitigation System to help keep the vehicle safely on the road and in the right lane. Prior to the update for the 2019 Civic, Honda Sensing was an available option; you'll find it as standard on all Civic models from 2019 and later, giving your teen driver more tools to complement careful driving.

More Great Tech They'll Love

It's not all safety features and fuel efficiency with the Honda Civic; this is also an incredibly fun car to drive, which your new high school grad will appreciate. Tech features in the Civic can be fantastic, though keep in mind that some of these will depend on the model year and trim level you find when shopping for a used car. Looking at a 2020 Honda Civic, for example, a five-inch infotainment display and four-speaker sound system are standard, with a seven-inch screen and 10-speaker sound system available. 

Meanwhile, a 2023 Civic will have a standard seven-inch infotainment display and a seven-inch driver screen, with available options including a nine-inch infotainment screen, a 10.2-inch driver display, and a Bose premium 12-speaker sound system. Your teen is sure to love the rich audio these enhanced systems can provide; just remind them to keep the volume at a reasonable level.

The Perfect Used Car for Any North Bergen Driver

As you can see, a used Honda Civic has a lot to offer, but there are some clear differences between one model and another. Also, we should note that some Civics will have a six-speed manual transmission rather than the continuously variable transmission you'll find standard on most of them; keep this in mind if your new grad isn't comfortable with a stick shift. 

Ultimately, you can't go wrong with any of these remarkable vehicles as long as you make sure you shop at a dealership with great used models that you know you can count on. That's precisely what you'll find here at Hudson Honda. We're happy to help you with everything you need and make sure you get a great vehicle that your new graduate will enjoy for many years to come.

^[a] Based on EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Mileage will depend on model year, trim, and condition of the vehicle. Your mileage will also vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions and other factors.