In July 2020, Honda confirmed what many enthusiasts feared: the Civic Coupe would not return for the 11th generation. The 2020 model year was the last for the two-door variant, ending a run that began in 1993. The decision was not abrupt — the sales trend had been visible for years, and Honda’s stated reasoning was unusually direct.
“While the 10th-generation Civic coupe made up around 16 percent of sales when it debuted in 2016, it now represents just 6 percent of the mix.” — Honda, July 2020 (source: Car and Driver; Motor1; Honda press materials).
The Civic Coupe — When It Actually Started
The Civic nameplate launched in 1972 as a three-door hatchback. A four-door sedan arrived in 1973. The first Civic bearing a “coupe” body style — a two-door with a dedicated trunk, distinct from the hatchback — did not appear until 1993, on the fifth-generation platform. The 1993 Civic Coupe rode on the same 103.2-inch Wheelbase as the sedan, available in DX and EX trims with the 1.5L D15B7 (102 hp) or 1.6L D16Z6 VTEC (125 hp) (source: Car and Driver Civic history feature; Honda 1993 model year specs).
The first Civic Si in coupe form was the 1999–2000 EM1 — the sixth-generation Civic Si. Before that, the Si had been a hatchback (1986 third-gen) or a four-door (1988–1991 fourth-gen). The EM1 coupe became the defining Si for a generation of enthusiasts, even though it was only produced for two model years.
| Generation | Years | Chassis Code | Coupe Si? | Notable Engine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st–4th (1972–1991) | 1972–1991 | SB1–ED9 | No — hatchback only | 1.6L DOHC D16A8/9, B16A |
| 5th Gen | 1992–1995 | EJ1/EJ2 | No (DX/EX only) | 1.6L D16Z6 VTEC (125 hp) |
| 6th Gen | 1996–2000 | EM1, EJ6–EJ8 | Yes (1999–2000 EM1) | 1.6L B16A2 DOHC VTEC (160 hp) |
| 7th Gen | 2001–2005 | EM2 | No Si (DX/EX/LX only) | 1.7L D17A (117 hp) |
| 8th Gen | 2006–2011 | FG1/FG2 | Yes (FG2) | 2.0L K20Z3 i-VTEC (197 hp) |
| 9th Gen | 2012–2015 | 1FB/2FB | Yes | 2.4L K24Z7 i-VTEC (205 hp) |
| 10th Gen | 2016–2020 | FC3/FC4 | Yes — final generation | 1.5T L15B7 (174–205 hp), 2.0L K20C2 (158 hp) |
Sources: Car and Driver Civic history, Motor1, Autoevolution Civic Coupe timeline, Honda Media Newsroom.
The Numbers That Killed It
The coupe segment overall declined by 60 percent across the entire US auto market between 2010 and 2020. By the first half of 2020, coupes accounted for just 1.76 percent of all new vehicle sales (source: J.D. Power data via The Truth About Cars). Within Honda’s own lineup, the Civic Coupe’s trajectory was even steeper:
- 2016 launch (10th gen): Coupe represented 16% of Civic sales
- 2020 (final model year): Coupe had fallen to 6% of Civic sales
- During the same period: The Civic Hatchback grew from a niche offering to 24% of Civic sales
This decline happened despite the 10th-generation coupe being arguably the best Civic coupe ever offered. It was available with three distinct powertrains (2.0L naturally aspirated, 1.5L turbo, and the Si’s 205-hp version of the 1.5T) and the option of a 6-speed manual on the 1.5T and Si. The 2019 facelift added Honda Sensing and updated styling. None of that could reverse the broader market — buyers who wanted two doors were moving to crossovers like the HR-V, not to two-door cars.
The 2020 discontinuation also killed the Fit hatchback in the US and removed the manual transmission option from the Accord. Honda cited the HR-V and Civic Hatchback as “the new gateway models for the Honda brand” in their 2021 report (source: Motor1 / Automotive News).
What the 10th-Gen Coupe Offered at the End
| Trim | Engine | Horsepower | Transmission | 2020 MSRP | 0–60 mph |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LX | 2.0L NA K20C2 | 158 hp | CVT only | $21,505 | ~8.5 sec |
| EX | 1.5T L15B7 | 174 hp (CVT) / 180 hp (6MT) | CVT or 6MT | $24,705 | ~7.2 sec |
| Si | 1.5T L15B7 (higher boost) | 205 hp at 5,700 rpm | 6MT only | $26,455 | ~6.8 sec |
Sources: Honda 2020 Civic Coupe spec sheet, Car and Driver instrumented tests (2020 Si coupe: 6.8 sec 0–60, 0.92 g skidpad, 111 ft 70–0 braking).
What Took Its Place
The short answer: nothing directly. The Civic Coupe was not replaced with a new two-door model. Honda offers no two-door Civic in the 11th generation. But the practical answer is more nuanced:
The Civic Hatchback absorbed the utility gap. While the hatchback existed alongside the coupe throughout the 10th generation, it grew from a modest sales contributor to 24% of Civic volume by 2020 — four times the coupe’s share. The 11th-generation hatchback (2022+) was redesigned from the ground up with the same wheelbase as the sedan, the same 1.5T engine option, and a 6-speed manual available on the Sport Touring trim. For a buyer who wanted a Civic with two fewer doors than a sedan but didn’t need a full-on hatchback, this was the closest option — same power, more cargo space, and (until 2024) the same manual transmission.
The Si moved exclusively to sedan form. The 11th-generation Si (2022+) is sedan-only. There is no Si hatchback and no Si coupe. Honda determined that sedan demand for the Si was sufficient on its own and that a coupe Si would not justify the engineering cost. The 10th-gen Si coupe represented a small fraction of Si sales — likely under 10% — though exact numbers are not publicly broken out.
Honda’s own gateway shifted to the HR-V. Honda explicitly stated in 2020 that “the HR-V and Civic Hatchback have become the new gateway models for the Honda brand.” The HR-V — a subcompact crossover built on the same platform as the Civic — effectively absorbed many former coupe buyers who wanted a sporty two-door look but were willing to trade it for a higher seating position and hatchback utility. The HR-V sold over 100,000 units annually in the US through this period.
The Si Coupe — The Biggest Loss
The hardest variant to lose was the Si coupe. The 2020 Civic Si Coupe was a 2,889-lb coupe with a helical limited-slip differential, adaptive dampers, a 205-hp turbo engine with a 6,800-rpm redline, and a curb-to-curb feel that the heavier sedan could not match. It was the last affordable mainstream performance coupe in America. By comparison, the 11th-gen Si sedan weighs approximately 2,952 lbs — 63 lbs heavier — and the only two-door performance cars left AT a similar price point are the Mazda MX-5 Miata and the Subaru BRZ / Toyota GR86, all of which are rear-wheel-drive and have less interior space.
The closest spiritual successor in the current Honda lineup is the Civic Si sedan, which shares the same mechanical recipe (Helical LSD, adaptive dampers, 6MT) in a four-door body with more rear legroom and a larger trunk. It is objectively more practical. But it is not a coupe.
The Used Market — What a 2020 Coupe Costs Now
- 2020 Civic Coupe LX/EX (CVT): $17,000–$21,000. Reliable, economical, but the 2.0L CVT combination offers nothing the sedan does not. The coupe body is the only differentiator.
- 2020 Civic Coupe EX (6MT): $19,000–$23,000. The 1.5T with a manual in a coupe body. These are harder to find — the 6MT EX was a special order combination for most of its run.
- 2020 Civic Si Coupe (6MT): $25,000–$30,000. The last Si coupe ever. Values have stabilized rather than appreciated markedly, but well-maintained low-mileage examples (under 40,000 miles) are holding above original MSRP in private-party sales.
☐ Civic Coupe debuted in 1993 (5th gen, EJ1/EJ2) — not 1972
☐ First Si coupe was 1999 EM1 (6th gen) with B16A2 (160 hp)
☐ Honda killed the coupe after 2020 — official announcement July 2020
☐ Reason: coupe fell from 16% to 6% of Civic sales over 4 years
☐ Hatchback grew to 24% of Civic sales in the same period
☐ Coupe market share across all automakers fell to just 1.76% by early 2020
☐ 10th gen coupe was the best Civic coupe ever: 1.5T (174–180 HP), Si (205 hp), 6MT available on both
☐ 11th gen has no coupe — Si is sedan-only, hatchback is the closest body-style alternative
☐ Si coupe 0–60 in ~6.8 seconds, ~111 ft braking from 70 mph, 0.92 g skidpad
☐ The 2020 Si coupe is the last affordable mainstream performance coupe from Honda
☐ Used Si coupe values: $25k–$30k — holding near original MSRP ($26,455)
☐ No direct replacement — buyers moved to hatchback, HR-V, or the sedan-only Si