Compact cars · 5 model years, 2014 to 2019
Volkswagen Jetta vs Honda Civic: problems and reliability
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Civic looks better on 5 and the Jetta on 0, with 2 too close to call.
Newest report Sep 24, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026
Scorecard
| Measure, 2014 to 2019 | Jetta | Civic |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints that report a crash | 5.7% | 5.5% |
| Complaints that report a fire | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Complaints that report an injury | 4.5% | 2.8% |
| Median miles when problems are reported | 40,000 | 39,000 |
| Recall campaigns per model year | 5.2 | 2.6 |
| Do-not-drive recalls | 1 | 0 |
| NHTSA investigations | 5 | 2 |
The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.
What owners complain about
The system Jetta owners complain about most is engine; for the Civic it is steering. Complaints citing engine make up 26% of all Jetta complaints, against 9.0% on the Civic. The Civic leans the other way on steering: 28% of its complaints, against 4.8% for the Jetta.
Volkswagen JettaHonda Civic
Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
The most reported problems
The most reported problem on the Jetta is stalling (17% of its complaints). On the Civic it is sticky steering (20% of its complaints), against 0.0% on the Jetta.
| Problem | Jetta | Civic |
|---|---|---|
| Engine stalls or loses power while driving | 17% 234most in 2019 · 47k mi | 5.9% 162most in 2019 · 40k mi |
| Steering sticks, feels notchy or jerks | 0 | 20% 556most in 2016 · 45k mi |
| A/C blows warm or the compressor fails | 2.5% 35most in 2019 · 38k mi | 14% 389most in 2016 · 39k mi |
| Brakes grind, pulse or wear early | 7.1% 100most in 2019 · 26k mi | 7.0% 192most in 2016 · 24k mi |
| Airbag warning light or recall | 6.7% 95most in 2014 · 38k mi | 6.3% 174most in 2015 · 45k mi |
| Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails | 5.5% 77most in 2019 · 44k mi | 3.2% 89most in 2016 · 18k mi |
| Check engine light or misfire | 6.2% 87most in 2014 · 71k mi | 1.7% 4644k mi |
| Wheel bearing, tires or wheels | 2.6% 3721k mi | 3.7% 101most in 2014 · 16k mi |
Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.
When problems start
Problems show up at about the same mileage on both. Half the Jetta complaints that give a mileage come before 40,000 miles, and half the Civic complaints before 39,000. 56% of Jetta reports and 63% of Civic reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.
Volkswagen JettaHonda Civic
Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 804 for the Jetta and 1,267 for the Civic.
Worst and best years
The 2019 Jetta draws 4.8 times the complaints of a typical Jetta year for its age. The 2022 Civic draws 3.3 times the complaints of a typical Civic year for its age.
Volkswagen JettaHonda Civic
Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.
Recalls and investigations
The Jetta draws more recalls: 5.2 campaigns per model year against 2.6 for the Civic. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.
Volkswagen Jetta
26 recall campaigns and 5 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: electrical (4), fuel system (4) and airbags (3).
- Do not drive 19V-879 (wheels), model years 2019
- 19V-615 (electrical) covers 4 model years
- 20E-064 (service brakes, hydraulic) covers 4 model years
Investigations
- RQ23007: Fuel leak due to suction jet pump failure within fuel tank (remedy effectiveness of recall 16v647) (closed, led to a recall)
- DP19003: Vehicle stalling - manual transmission (closed)
- EA18003: Air bag clockspring failure (open)
Honda Civic
13 recall campaigns and 2 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: fuel system (3), transmission and drivetrain (2) and airbags (2).
- 23V-858 (fuel system) covers 3 model years
- 26V-332 (airbags) covers 3 model years
Investigations
- EA21002: Desiccated air bag inflator rupture (open)
- EA19001: Electrical overstress (closed, led to a recall)
Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Crashes, fires and injuries
Crashes turn up in about the same share of complaints on both (5.7% and 5.5%). Fire reports: 14 for the Jetta and 17 for the Civic. Complaints on file report 1 death in the Jetta and 0 in the Civic for these model years.
Volkswagen JettaHonda Civic
Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.
Questions
Is the Volkswagen Jetta or the Honda Civic more reliable?
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Civic looks better on 5 and the Jetta on 0, with 2 too close to call. NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the Jetta has 1,410 complaints and the Civic 2,744 for the 5 model years from 2014 to 2019 that both have on file, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.
Which has more recalls, the Jetta or the Civic?
The Jetta has 26 recall campaigns and the Civic 13 across the 5 model years from 2014 to 2019 that both have on file. The Jetta draws more recalls: 5.2 campaigns per model year against 2.6 for the Civic.
What are the most common problems on the Jetta and the Civic?
The most reported problem on the Jetta is stalling (17% of its complaints). On the Civic it is sticky steering (20% of its complaints), against 0.0% on the Jetta.
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