In the April 2013 issue of Consumer Reports, the magazine states that while other hybrid vehicles have an excellent reliability report, the Civic Hybrid has been plagued with a serious battery issue.

Since the Civic Hybrid's introduction in 2001, it has sold over 255,000 units globally and is the second best-selling hybrid model in the US.

"The Civic Hybrid, which has been a reliable car overall in most years, has a big problem with its drive battery. The 2009 model was the worst - Almost one in five owners needed a replacement hybrid battery in our 12-month survey period. But more than 10 percent of owners of the 2003, 2004, and 2010 models also needed one," said Consumer Reports. On the issue, Honda claims that a software update was issued to older models to prevent premature battery failures.

Honda has switched to a new lithium-ion battery pack in the 2012-2013 Civic Hybrid. Hopefully, there will be less electrical issues.