Model year guide

2008 Honda civic hybrid

Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2008 Honda civic hybrid is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 6 on record.

2008 Honda civic hybrid — representative photo
Representative photo · via Wikimedia Commons

2008 Honda civic hybrid at a glance

Safety recalls4
Owner complaints980
Combined42 mpg

Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.

2008 Honda civic hybrid recalls 4

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module NHTSA Campaign #19V502000 · manufacturer #F5F, Q5E · 27/06/2019

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2014 TSX Sport Wagon, 2010-2013 ZDX, 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic and Civic Hybrid, 2008-2010 Civic GX NGV, 2012-2015 Crosstour, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2013 Fit, 2014 Fit EV, 2010-2014 Insight, and 2009-2015 Pilot vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled a…

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are F5F and Q5E.

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module NHTSA Campaign #19V378000 · manufacturer #M4O, P4R, T4Q, W4P · 16/05/2019

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Acura TSX, 2011-2013 TSX Sport Wagon, and 2010-2012 ZDX and 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic, Civic Hybrid and Civic NGV, 2012-2014 Crosstour, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2013 Insight, and 2009-2015 Pilot vehicles. The front passenger air bag inflator may have been installed incorrectly during replacement.

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the inflator installation and, if necessary, replace the passenger frontal air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began July 5, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are M4O,…

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module NHTSA Campaign #17V030000 · manufacturer #KE1, KE2 · 10/01/2017

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2009-2012 Acura TSX, 2011-2012 Acura TSX Wagon, 2010-2012 Acura ZDX, 2008-2012 Honda Accord, 2010-2012 Honda Accord Crosstour and Honda Insight, 2009-2012 Honda Fit, 2009-2012 Pilot, 2007-2011 Honda CR-V, 2012 Honda FCX Clarity and 2006-2011 Honda Civic, Civic Hybrid, Civic NGV vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia…

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger side air bag inflator, free of charge. The manufacturer has mailed an interim notification, and will send a second notification when parts are available. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbe…

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module NHTSA Campaign #16V346000 · manufacturer #KA4, KA5, KA6, KA7 · 24/05/2016

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Acura TSX, 2011 TSX Wagon, 2010-2011 Acura ZDX, 2008-2011 Honda Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic, Civic Hybrid, and Civic GX, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2010-2011 FCX Clarity and Insight, and 2009-2011 Fit, and Pilot vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi,…

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall is KA4, KA5, KA6, and KA7.

Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 4 Nov 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.

2008 Honda civic hybrid common problems

The most-reported problem areas across all 980 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.

Air Bags
Confirm the airbag light turns on then off at startup — if it stays lit there's a fault (costly, and a safety risk). Check for signs of prior deployment.
Engine
Listen for knocks or ticking, check for leaks and blue/white exhaust smoke, and make sure it doesn't overheat. No check-engine light should be on.
Visibility
Test wipers, washers, defrosters and all mirrors. Check the windshield for cracks and any camera/sensor for fogging or faults.
Suspension
Listen for clunks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for uneven tire wear and worn shocks or struts.
Structure
Inspect for rust, fresh undercoating, mismatched paint, uneven panel gaps and any sign of prior collision or frame repair.
Electrical System
Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.

2008 Honda civic hybrid safety ratings

Frontal crash★★★★★
Side crash★★★★★
Frontal — driver★★★★★
Frontal — passenger★★★★★
Side — front seat★★★★★
Side — rear seat★★★★★

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), tested as the 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid 4-DR. w/SAB. Ratings can differ by body style and drivetrain.

2008 Honda civic hybrid MPG & running costs

Combined42 mpg
City40 mpg
Highway45 mpg
Est. annual fuel cost$1,600
EPA size classCompact Cars
TransmissionAutomatic (variable gear ratios)
Engine start-stopYes
Passenger volume91 cu ft
Cargo volume10 cu ft
5-yr fuel cost vs average new car$4,000 less

Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov.

Estimated 5-year cost to own

A rough guide to what running a 2008 Honda civic hybrid costs over five years and 75,000 miles.

Fuel (5 yrs)$8,000
Fuel only$8,000
Per mile$0.11

How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. There aren't enough comparable listings to estimate depreciation for this model, so it is left out. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.

Dimensions & weight

Length
176.8 in
Width
68.9 in
Height
56.7 in
Wheelbase
106.3 in
Curb weight
2,875 lb
Front track
58.3 in
Rear track
59.4 in

Manufacturer-reported figures for the 2008 Honda civic hybrid. Source: Transport Canada vehicle specifications via NHTSA.

Investigations & service bulletins

NHTSA defect investigations 1

Pedestrian alert sounds Closed

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that…

NHTSA #DP22005 · Electrical System · opened Jan 2023 · closed Aug 2023

An investigation means NHTSA is examining a possible defect — it is not a recall, and many close without one.

Manufacturer service bulletins 81

Technical notes the manufacturer sent to dealers about known issues and fixes. Useful to mention to a mechanic — they are not recalls and repairs may not be covered. Showing the 10 most recent of 81.

Service Bulletin - Warranty Extension: Customer Support Program For Front Passenger's Airbag Inflator.

Bulletin A18-066 · Air Bags · Jun 2026

Service Bulletin - There is a pop or clunk from the front suspension area when driving over bumps. This usually occurs after completing a tight (full lock) turn.

Bulletin A07-078 · Suspension · Jan 2026

Service News - The navigation clock and date are incorrect. This is due to a limited GPS receiver Capacity resulting in a rollover of the internal chip memory; the rollover occurred on January 1, 2022, at 12:00AM local time.

Bulletin A21120B · Electrical System · Jun 2023

ServiceNews Article - The clock shows the incorrect time. This issue is due to a limited GPS receiver capacity resulting in "rollover" of the internal chip memory; the "rollover" will occur on January 1, 2022 at 12:00AM local time. As a result, the navigation…

Bulletin A21120B · Electrical System, Equipment · Jan 2022

Service Bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement front passenger's air…

Bulletin A20-016 · Air Bags · Mar 2020

Service Bulletin - American Honda is conducting an inspection of certain vehicles that have previously had the passenger's airbag inflator replaced as part of the Takata Passsenger's Airbag Inflator recall. If you completed the repair described by this service…

Bulletin A18-115 · Air Bags · May 2019

Service bulletin - American Honda is conducting an inspection of certain vehicles that have previously had the passenger's airbag inflator replaced as part of the Takata Passsenger's Airbag Inflator recall.

Bulletin A18100B · Air Bags · Oct 2018

Service bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement front passengers airb…

Bulletin A18-052 · Air Bags · Jun 2018

Service bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement front passengers airb…

Bulletin A18-066 · Air Bags · Jun 2018

Dealer message - Beginning September 26, 2017, the 2006-2011 Civic Engine Block (part number 10002-RNA-A50 and 10002- RNE-A01) warranty claim submission will enforce proper engine ordering through iN.

Bulletin APaS09192017901 · Engine · Sep 2017

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, listed for the CIVIC HYBRID FWD. Model-year data, not specific to one car.

Canadian recalls 1

Transport Canada recall campaigns for the 2008 Honda civic hybrid. Relevant if the car was first sold in, or imported from, Canada.

Steering

On certain vehicles, a fault in the Electric Power Steering (EPS) system could result in an immediate loss of power steering assist without warning to the driver. This would unexpectedly increase the steering effort force necessary to steer the vehicle at lower vehicle speeds, which could increase the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Vehicle…

Transport Canada #2014345 · Aug 2014

Source: Transport Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database.

2008 Honda civic hybrid trims & engines on record

Trims
Hybrid
Engines
1.3L 4-cyl 110 hp

2008 Honda civic hybrid vehicles on record

Other Honda civic hybrid model years

2008 Honda civic hybrid — frequently asked questions

Does the 2008 Honda civic hybrid have any safety recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2008 Honda civic hybrid. Whether an individual car still needs a recall repair depends on its VIN — check it on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer. Recall repairs are done at no charge.

What are the most common problems with the 2008 Honda civic hybrid?

Across all 980 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are air bags, engine, visibility.

What is the 2008 Honda civic hybrid safety rating?

NHTSA gives the 2008 Honda civic hybrid crash-test ratings of frontal 5★, side 4★ (out of 5; this model year pre-dates NHTSA's overall score).

What gas mileage does the 2008 Honda civic hybrid get?

The 2008 Honda civic hybrid has a U.S. EPA estimate of 42 mpg combined (40 city / 45 highway).

Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.