The Best Cheap Daily Car? 8-Month Review || Honda Civic (Mk8/2005 - 2012)

is the 2009 facelift worth it for the 2.2 ctdi models? Just trying to get my bearings comparing examples.

We have the 2009 mk8 diesel version of this car and I must say it's quite a nippy little car with quite the spacious boot.

We don't have a spare tyre, the car didn't come with one when we got it so we use the spare tyre storage area for extra space and it made moving the contents of my sister's very large 3 bedroom house a heck of a lot easier, it meant we didn't have to spend more on another day with the van hire because the boot took loads of small bits and boxes etc with the rear seats down as you showed.

We are about to move ourselves and hope that it makes things easier this time as we are going a lot futher so can't come back and forth like we did in my sister's house move meaning we have to also stuff the car full lol - it hasn't failed us so far in terms of storage and it's fine for getting to and from work etc, the fuel economy on the diesel is by far the best we've had as we only had petrol cars prior to this and it seems to stay fuelled for longer somehow 🤣

We want to do work on it to get it in great condition again as we've been told we could get another 50k miles on it (it has 120k now and we wouldn't usually buy a car with such high mileage but strangely we've done 10k miles in the year we've had it and have had no issues at all like we have had on other cars we've had.

The car needs some general mechanical work but considering it's nearly 14 years old and has been used pretty much daily by us and the previous owners, it's been a great car and now that we are moving to a seaside town, we are likely to reduce how much we drive as everything is within walking distance to our house etc so having it on hand for longer distance journeys is perfect for us as it's always a smooth drive for us and with maintenance, I think these cars can go on and on, they definitely are very reliable so perfect for drives to work and trips to the shops amongst other things.

If you're on a reduced budget, you can get a decent petrol version for a little over £1,200 and it should last you for years if you look after it.

Our boot does have some leaking issues but touch wood the belts haven't been wet, I think the seals just wear and fail over time which is to be expected but if you get one at a decent price, they're great nippy cars which can handle all kinds of driving. They're not the fastest out there but you want something safe and reliable for a good price - see crash tests of this model, they have good crumple zones and several people have said they get out of nasty crashes just with a few cuts and scratches, no major damage. They don't completely fold like some cars out there.

We're after a mk 9 I think but we're debating on the boot size as we currently rely on the huge boot with this one haha

I am really impressed by this car i have the ishift version 1.8l and its amazing it drives well i actually have on 20 inch rims 235 35 series tires and it still rides very well and not uncomfortable i only got new front shocks . The ishift dct paddle shifters are amazing plus the stereo system comes with voice activation u can change radio to cd or ac settings with voice commands plus bluetooth for phone connectivity its the 2007 model i love this car and wont sell it and i have other car but this my daily drive around car by the way i am in jamaica on bad roads and still manage around on 20 inch rims comfortably

thank you for video i love that civic how it look but i was not shure that model or next one and now i look next one ) how ever it very bjutiful car great choice

Just got my first car and its a 1.8l i-vtec top spec EX 2007 for only £1600

No matter how many cars come out, this car will always have number one in my heart, I am 34 years old, few days ago I came out of my appartment, saw this beauty in red color and I was stunned, every time it feels like first time. Evergreen when it comes to design and when it comes to 1.8 petrol engine, it is unkillable creature.

Hey! Great review. What’s the screen and bracket you have in front of the vents?

crazy we never got this in the US. Looks like a civic from another planet

Looking at the 1.8 auto s one has 144k 2010 miles and one has like 98k 2011 are they engines good for 200k miles or are they plagued after 100k like alotnof petrol?

What’s the screen you have installed there?

I bought Mk8 Civic just because of the interior. Of course it was a very, very good deal, but if the interior was more boring, I would've picked something else. The manual also has rev lights accompanying that eco meter.

One thing it does NOT do very well in, is winter conditions. In Finland. The fuel filler door is always frozen shut and requires some minor percussive maintenance, it's pretty cold even with the heater on full blast and the handling is not great, even with good winter tires. Turning the steering wheel feels more like a suggestion than steering and it understeers like crazy.

I had 90s beemers before, and Civic has been a polar opposite when it comes to driving experience but also reliability, which is the reason I still very much like my car.

I can imagine opening a 1950's comic and looking at a drawing of this civic, under the caption of 'This is the space car we'll all be traveling in 2000 AD'. Pretty much spot on, Honda you were only 5 years late!!!

Got an 08 1.8 EX, hands down the best car Ive ever owned & Ive owned A LOT.

I have a 59 plate SI version .... absolutely brilliant ... good performance, reliability & quality.

Just realised I watched and commented on this video a year ago lol, I'm now considering the swift sport but it seems me and you have had all the same cars 🤣

Mein auto das ich bei merkur verloren habe und 800eu gewonnen habe

Lovely car! Last week I bought a 2006 model - 1.8 Sport Executive manual model with the 6 speed gearbox - only paid £900 for it! It’s got the factory HID headlights too! High mileage but has been looked after and drives really well. Love your later model - what radio unit is that in yours?

What infotainment system is this?

Skoda VW audi and seat is the same shit.

Im about to get a 2010 ex gt 1.8 a bit aprehensive but the review has helped. Manual downsizing from a lexus rx 300

buy the type r version its class

I own a Ep2 (7gen civic 2003) and wanted to upgrade. i've heard that the mk8 suspension is really hard in bad roads, is that true? Maybe I should look for a mk9?

Thanks mate, very Good review, unfortunately I bought it last month with a lil bit overpriced I thought as my first car of my entire life, nearly £10k, but mostly everyone being dumb to buy your first car, so I am okay haha, low mileages just 27k miles in 12 years, Automatic gearbox and I like the design of this 8.5th generation no matter inside and outside, still enjoy it❤

What I do recommend doing is replacing the perspex grill with a Honda Access grill. It came with the style mode version made from 2009. It makes the car look leagues better.

I had one exactly the same (manual - The manual box is an absolute dream) - Loved it.

Magic seats were perfect for transporting my bass around.

Upgraded to the 2019 Sport. That's such a lot of fun to drive. Miss the magic seats though.

Honda made the speedo on top and executed it much better than Peugeot like 18 years ago. Too bad the new one is too dull.

Which aftermarket head unit have you got and does it have a reversing canard option? My partner isn’t the most confident of drivers and has reversed my 2006 civic into our garden walls and even our house so I’m thinking a huge screen might help her day to day!

Brought a 57 plate civic for my wife, as a mechanic of 23 years i wanted to buy her a car that was cheap to run and very reliable, as a mechanic i can certainly say these things are bullet proof, regular servicing, and they will go for well over 150k without and grief. Plenty of low mileage ones put there to snap up.

The only mistake Honda made: They forgot to put the CRZ hybrid technology into the Civic. It would make this car even greater.

Give it up buddy.
I wish I had a honda civic, get rid of that stoopid citroen c1
👁👄👁

Just want to say I've got the i-shift type s for 10 years now and it's amazing once you understand it.

Brilliant beck seat

The magic seats are good for transporting a really large TV home! Also for transporting traffic cones.... Granted a bit of an odd case use but surprisingly ideal for that!

Note the fuel injectors are not compatible with E10 fuel, even though Honda state they are

Absolutely brilliant cars.

My 4th Civic 2011 I needed an auto but wanted the Vtec & economy. So 1.4 ishift GT S type 3 door. In some ways the transmission is amazing. Funny that I don’t like the Auto mode! My only issue with manuals was the clutch! So here I have two 6 speed manual modes -no clutch: 1.gear shift knob and 2.paddle shift at your finger tips as in some pricey cars! I end up using manual mode and its great but with only 100hp you have to be in the right gear to move away fast. Electronics are all fine, Mechanical functions are flawed: Moving seat back, door handles, sunshades all unecesarilly stiff! Otherwise a great car and more economical than the A150 Merc -same power I had prior.

Thanks for this great review….actually a talented reviewer credit it to you

Just put a deposit down on the same model as yours. Obvs I'm sh***ing it until I have run it for a few weeks to see what's what, but prob in a better position than most other cars of same age. Not keen on mine being black, I prioritised it's apparent "how well it looks like it's been looked after" over preferred colour. I'll have to spend more time keeping it clean/protected as best I can, but I guess this will help with me keeping on top of it and ship shape. Haven't seen your other vids, but liked your presentation of this and your apparent enthusiasm ... there's prob quite a lot of us old fogies out here that really appreciate reviews of "older but decent" cars that hopefully won't be money pits. :-) Anyway ... subscribed !

We picked ours up today and love it. Your review really helped seal the deal.

Completely agree about the ride being absolutely fine. I don't know if the shocks improved over time or what but even my wife thinks the ride quality is spot on.

Honestly, between the price, reliability, practicality and looks, you can't beat this car.

I have a MK9 Civic EX with the 2.2 i-Dtec, so the gen after this without the leaky boot thankfully. It's been pretty good over the last 2 years however aside from routine stuff I've had to replace the air-con condensor (expensive part) and pressure switch. I also had the front drivers side wheel arch liner fall off and disintegrate almost into a campervan behind me on an A-road. It's similar to many japanese cars, they can feel a little flimsy but where the build quality counts (engine, gearbox) it's exceptional. Oh but the headlights are dreadful though 🤣still I love the car, it's quick, economical, decent premium sound system with the sub woofer, front and rear sensors and reverse camera, heated leather seats and cavernous boot. Bought it for £4500 on a 13 plate with 85k just before the COVID car price boom luckily.

I'm looking at an 07, 1.4 litre petrol with about 160k kilometers on it, any particular problems with that model youd know of?

Love my civic. Great car. Will keep it till i die or it dies whichever comes first. That aftermarket stereo looks awful

After watching this video and needing a new daily driver to replace my ever breaking e46, this put civics on the radar and luckily a mk9 popped up close to me for a steal. Ex model 2.2 I-dtec. Best car I’ve owned! 60+mpg with majority motorways, 55 mix of town and motorway, £20 tax, fast as F*!? Unbeatable !! 160,000 miles and counting

I used to have one of these. You can get a push bike in the back with the seats folded up

I bought the car last year, because I need money for a flat. It's so good that I'm thinking about a type R - even if it's not that fast as turbo hot hatches.

was my second car after a golf iv. I bought mine in germany 2020 for 3500€, 2008, Type S with the 1.8 - 140 PS in Ionized Bronze Metallic at about 120.000km.
Was a reliable car, only had a few issues what did not cost very much. I sold it three weeks ago for 9300€, i loved that car but the price was very tempting. i "upgraded" to Audi.

I own the same car from your video. Its simple amazing! Great honest review.

literally one of the ugliest car ever made

Great review, I wish everyone did reviews like this for older cars for us poor people 😊, I'm currently thinking about one of these for our family car.