American Honda Motor Co. Inc.

11/21/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/21/2024 10:38

2025 Honda Civic Hybrid Named Finalist for North American Car of the Year

November 21, 2024 - LOS ANGELES
  • Award-winning Honda two-motor hybrid system boosts the fun-to-drive spirit of the new 2025 Civic
  • Hybrid-electric models, including the new Civic hybrid, play a key role in the Honda electrification strategy
  • Honda Civic has won North American Car of the Year three times - previously taking top honors in 2006, 2016 and 2022
  • Civic is America's most popular vehicle with young and first-time buyers

The new 2025 Honda Civic hybrid, the electrified variant of America's most popular compact car, has been named a finalist for the prestigious 2025 North American Car of the Year award. The North American jury of automotive journalists announced the finalists for the 2025 North American Car, Truck and Sport Utility of the Year awards at an event during the Los Angeles Auto Show this morning.

Positioned at the top of the refreshed 2025 Honda Civic lineup, the new Civic hybrid, offered for the first time as either a sedan or hatchback, combines the fun-to-drive spirit of Civic with the award-winning Honda two-motor hybrid system featuring two large and powerful electric motors.Sales of the new Civic hybrid-electric models are ultimately expected to represent about 40% of Civic sales as a key step in the Honda electrification strategy.

"We are honored to have our new Honda Civic hybrid models among the finalists for North American Car of the Year - recognition that we've electrified America's retail #1 compact car and our highest volume gateway model," said Jessika Laudermilk, assistant vice president of Honda Auto Sales. "As hybrid-electric sales continue to grow, the fun-to-drive Civic hybrid is a perfectly-timed addition to our popular electrified lineup that also includes Accord hybrid, CR-V hybrid and the all-electric Prologue."

Civic has been honored by the North American jury of automotive journalists with three North American Car of the Year awards, with the current 11th-generation Civic winning in 2022, the 10th-generation Civic winning in 2016 and the 8th generation taking the top honor in 2006. A Honda model has received a North American Car or Truck of the Year award four times in the past nine years, including the Honda Civic (2016), Honda Ridgeline (2017), Honda Accord (2018) and Honda Civic (2022).

The North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year awards honor excellence in innovation, design, safety features, performance, technology, driver satisfaction and value. Initiated in 1994, they are judged by 50 professional automotive journalists from the United States and Canada who work for independent magazines, television, radio, newspapers and industry websites.

2025 Honda Civic Hybrid
The 2025 Honda Civic is available in four trim levels, starting with LX (sedan only) and Sport, and topped by the hybrid-powered Sport Hybrid and Sport Touring Hybrid. With a combined 200 horsepower and an impressive 232 lb.-ft. of torque, the new Civic hybrid-powered trims are the most powerful non-Type R Civics ever, providing quick, effortless acceleration while receiving outstanding EPA fuel economy ratings - including a 50-mpg city rating for Civic Sedan Sport and Sport Touring hybrids1.

To further amplify the legendary fun-to-drive spirit and class-leading ride comfort of Civic, the ride and handling dynamics have been optimized with unique spring and damper tuning, and a special tire developed for Civic hybrid. Hybrid trims also enjoy the highest levels of cabin quietness and ride comfort in the Civic lineup, with a robust noise reduction package that includes Active Noise Control on all hybrids, and wheel resonators on Sport Touring.

The Honda Civic is the brand's longest-running automotive nameplate with Americans purchasing nearly 13 million Civics since 1973, making it one of the top three best-selling passenger cars in America over the past 52 years2. An unparalleled success, the 11th-generation Civic serves as the gateway to the Honda brand and America's most popular vehicle with Gen Z buyers, first-time new car buyers as well as multicultural customers3.

Honda Two-Motor Hybrid System
Next month, Honda celebrates 25 years of hybrid sales in America. Honda began sales of the first-generation Honda Insight, America's first hybrid-electric model, in December of 1999.

The new fourth-generation Honda two-motor hybrid system that powers Civic hybrid models maximizes efficiency without compromising dynamic performance or passenger and cargo space to deliver a sportier and more pleasant driving experience, with substantially higher fuel economy ratings than the outgoing turbo models.

Variants of the two-motor hybrid system are also available in the Honda Accord and CR-V and represent more than 50% of Accord and CR-V sales. In 2023, Honda CR-V was America's best-selling hybrid vehicle and Accord hybrid sedan was the country's best-selling hybrid car.

Praised for its power, efficiency and refinement by the editors at WardsAuto, the Honda two-motor hybrid system powering the 2025 Honda Civic Sedan and Hatchback received a "Wards 10 Best Engines & Propulsion Systems" award. This was the second year in a row a Honda hybrid-electric powertrain has received this prestigious honor.

Hybrid System Made in Ohio
The new fourth-generation Honda two-motor hybrid-electric power unit is built* by associates at the Honda Transmission Plant in Ohio. It is paired with an all-new 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine, made* at the Anna Engine Plant in Ohio. All major components in the engine have been redesigned and improved, including the block, which now features stronger main bearing caps, cylinder head, crank, connecting rods and camshafts. For the first time, these components are manufactured at the Anna Engine Plant, improving production efficiencies and increasing capacity.

Honda Civic Manufacturing
Honda has produced* nearly 12 million Civics in North America, including more than five million in the United States, accounting for more than a quarter of our vehicle production in the region since Honda began making cars in America in 1982. The 11th-generation Civic continues to build on that legacy with production* of the Civic Sedan in Alliston, Ontario, Canada, and Civic Hatchback at the company's Greensburg, Indiana plant.

* using domestic and globally-sourced parts

About Honda
Honda offers a full line of clean, safe, fun and connected vehicles sold through more than 1,000 independent U.S. Honda dealers. The award-winning Honda lineup includes the Civic and Accord, along with the HR-V, CR-V, Passport, Prologue and Pilot sport utility vehicles, the Ridgeline pickup and the Odyssey minivan. The Honda electrified vehicle lineup represents more than a quarter of total sales in 2024, and includes the all-electric Prologue SUV, hybrid-electric Accord, CR-V and Civic, and Fuel-Cell-electric CR-V e:FCEV

Honda has been producing automobiles in America for over 40 years and currently operates 18 major manufacturing facilities in North America. In 2023, more than 99% of all Honda vehicles sold in the U.S. were made in North America, with about two-thirds made in America, using domestic and globally sourced parts.

More information about Honda is available in the Digital FactBook.

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  1. Use for comparison purposes only; your mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions, battery pack age/condition and other factors.
  2. Based on total sales data from WardsAuto and Sales Flash 1973-2024CYTD October
  3. Based on Strategic Vision's New Vehicle Experience Study 2021-2023.