Don't Buy A Certified Pre-Owned Honda Civic—Just Get A New One Instead

Strong resale value is great for the first owner, but not so much for those looking to save some money on the used market.

The Honda Civic has long been considered one of the best—if not the absolute best—small cars in America. Now in its 11th generation, the Civic offers roominess, reliability, and efficiency all at a reasonable price. No wonder the Civic’s resale value is so high.

While strong resale value is a really attractive element when shopping for a new car, it’s not so great for buyers on the used market. And the Civic’s residuals in particular make it hard to recommend a second-hand example to buyers looking to save a few thousand dollars off its new sticker price by choosing one that’s just a couple of years old.

In fact, we’re about to suggest outright that many buyers looking for a low-mileage Civic on the used market would be better off opting for a new one instead.

A quick perusal of certified pre-owned Honda Civics in the United States shows that 2022 and 2023 models in top-spec Sport Touring trim (we’re leaving the sporty Civic Si and racy Type R out of this particular discussion) are selling in the $30,000 ballpark.

A few with particularly low miles are a bit more, and a couple of handfuls with a lot more miles can be found for less. But we’re using that $30,000 mark as what many buyers in the States will be asked to pay for a nice pre-owned 2022 or 2023 Honda Civic Sport Touring with a warranty.

Here’s why we don’t think that’s a very good deal.

Option 1: 2026 Honda Civic Sport Hybrid

The brand-new 2026 Honda Civic Sport Hybrid starts at $30,490 (including the mandatory and reasonable $1,195 destination charge). That’s for a car with right around zero miles on the odometer and with the full factory warranty. The Sport Touring Hybrid that comes with leather, a premium Bose-branded audio system and the larger and desirable nine-inch infotainment screen starts at $33,490.

Here’s why we think the smart money is on the new Civic instead of the pre-owned option. For the 2025 model year, Honda blessed the Civic with a comprehensive refresh and equipped it with an optional hybrid powertrain. Now, as much as we liked the old 1.5-liter turbocharged engine in high-end Civics, the hybrid is a better option for most buyers. It’s a bit more powerful (200 horsepower versus 180 hp) but it gets drastically better fuel mileage. The 2023 Civic Sport with the turbo engine was rated by the EPA at 33 miles per gallon in the city, 42 mpg on the highway and 36 mpg combined. The 2025 Civic Hybrid is rated at 50 mpg city, 47 mpg highway and 49 mpg combined.

Even if a buyer didn’t drive enough to make up the difference of a few thousand dollars of gasoline within a few years, it’s not a hard argument to make that the increased efficiency combined with the fact that the new Civic wouldn’t have any mileage on it from a previous owner and would come with a new-car warranty makes the 2026 Civic at $31,000 to $34,000 a better deal than a pre-owned 2023 Civic for $30,000.

Option 2: 2026 Nissan Leaf

There’s a brand-new Nissan Leaf for the 2026 model year, and it’s a much more enticing option than any Leaf that came before. If it wears a + in its name, the 2026 Nissan Leaf can travel more than 300 miles per charge, it uses the NACS-style charger that’s quickly becoming the standard in the United States, which gives it the ability to use Tesla charging stations.

The Leaf's new battery pack design is liquid-cooled and features a heat pump that will improve its performance in cold weather. And it’s reasonably priced, too. The 2026 Nissan Leaf in S+ trim starts at $31,485, and that price is available to everyone without the need for EV tax credit incentives that will expire at the end of September 2025 in the United States.

Option 3: Another Certified Pre-Owned Sedan

If you’re willing to consider a different certified pre-owned car instead of the Honda Civic, a budget of around $30,000 opens up a lot of interesting possibilities. A half hour on Google returned options within driving distance of our personal U.S. zip code that included Acura Integra sedans (that share their underpinnings with the Honda Civic), BMW 3 Series models with both standard and plug-in hybrid powertrains, speedy Hyundai Elantra N sedans, a handful of Kia Stinger models, several options from Lexus and dozens of Subaru WRX models in various trim levels.

When it really comes down to it, we can’t think of a better daily driver than a brand-new 2026 Honda Civic Sport Hybrid for around $30,000.

It’s a better deal than slightly older Civic models that are currently on dealership lots with certified pre-owned warranties. In fact, it’s a better deal than pretty much any other mainstream sedan currently on sale in North America. If you’re in the market for a new vehicle and the 2026 Civic Sport Hybrid suits your requirements, you should definitely take one for a drive.

Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletter here.