The Can-Am Ryker Rally is a conundrum masked as a three-wheeled motorcycle. It looks rad — we wanted to call it a tadpole in mid-frog metamorphosis, but it turns out they get their back legs first — is generally comfortable on the road and quite a bit more capable off-road than we expected. It doesn’t do a single thing better than a more traditional two- or four-wheeler, but it gets close enough in several categories that it’s a worthwhile addition to enough garages to make sense as a viable purchase decision.
But let’s be very clear: The Can-Am Ryker Rally is not a product designed to appeal to everyone. Or even most people. It’s more like a well-aimed dart for a small contingent of the population.
Power comes from a 900cc inline-three engine. It sends 82 horsepower and 58 pound-feet of torque through a continuously variable automatic transmission to the single rear tire, which is sufficient thrust to smoke both the 205/55R15 rear rubber and pretty much all other traffic from a standing stop. The brakes are very powerful, and the anti-lock system, which is activated both front and rear from a single foot-mounted lever, feels confident and secure.
The Ryker Rally is a quick little thing in the city, scooting away from stoplights to 35 miles per hour in true hooligan style. Things slow down drastically from there as the Rally’s CVT settles into its desired rev range, so passing times at highway speeds aren’t anywhere near as impressive as a launch from zero. It’s not slow, but it could certainly use a bit more upper-rpm horsepower. The Akrapovič exhaust system lets out enough of the guttural sounds of the Rotax-supplied engine that it’s still audible even on the highway.
Owners may not want to spend a whole lot of time at highway speeds anyway. While its ergonomics are good — adjustable handlebars and peg positions are certainly helpful here — and the saddle is plenty comfortable, the Ryker’s tripod design doesn’t lend itself well to long and straight stretches of road. It often develops a bit of a wiggle as the two front tires fall into and out of grooves on the asphalt, the sail-like riding position means wind gusts can be disconcerting and require frequent steering correction, and no matter where a bump in the road may lie, it’s often impossible to avoid due to the three contact patches. Steering the Ryker is also a chore that takes strong pressure on the handlebars, and since it doesn't lean, sweeping corners require that hefty heave for their duration. The faster you go, the more these issues become tiresome. Fortunately, cruise control helps remove one variable from the rider’s brain.
Stick to around-town speeds and most of these complaints are no longer a problem. The suspension — double wishbones up front and a massive single swingarm housing the shaft drive at the rear — boasts KYB shocks that are adjustable in four positions. Loosen the preload and turn down the compression to offer a softer ride and surface imperfections become less likely to bump and jar the Ryker Rally off course. Its abundant low-end torque is perfect for turning pavement into playground.
Perhaps most surprisingly, there’s plenty of fun to be had off the pavement. Keeping the compression damping clicked down, the soft suspension setup works well on bumpy dirt roads. Rally mode, selectable through the digital display directly in front of the rider, allows a much greater degree of slip from the rear than the street-oriented Standard or Sport modes. It doesn’t completely turn traction control off, and ABS programming remains active on the brakes. We found the Rally very entertaining and controllable on loose surfaces, and it’s able to cover ground much more quickly than we’d have guessed. With just under 5 inches of ground clearance, the Ryker Rally is not meant for climbing rocks or traversing muddy trails, but dirt or gravel roads are definitely in play.
An under-trike skid plate is a welcome piece of standard kit. We also appreciate the sweet rally-inspired wheels, intake prefilter, front pushbar and hand guards. Not only do they complete the aggressive look, they’re all functional.
There’s a small trunk at the front of the Ryker, and our test model was also equipped with a single piece of luggage. Neither was large enough to hold a full-face helmet, but we were able to place a large camera up front and a wadded-up jacket and gloves in the side bin. We wouldn’t recommend the Ryker Rally as a vehicle to fully replace a small car, but even a limited amount of storage space is useful. There are quite a few additional storage options available from Can-Am that would make the Ryker more useful for commuters, but we weren’t able to test them.
For riders well accustomed to life on two wheels, the Ryker Rally is going to feel odd at first, and probably eventually limiting. Its acceleration and road-holding performance, while entertaining, are not up to the levels that experienced motorcyclists will demand. It’s not great as a mount to watch the miles stack up in the rearview mirror, and it’s not particularly practical as a daily commuter.
So, who is it for? There’s a sizable portion of the fun-loving population that is averse to life on two wheels, whether due to the need to balance a large bike or because shifting is a difficulty. Some due to physical limitations, others due to fear and uncertainty. All are valid. The Ryker lineup offers such riders a glimpse into the motorcycling lifestyle, and it does so in a much more bike-like package than something like a Polaris Slingshot. To wit, in our experience riders of other motorcycles will wave to someone on a Ryker but not to a Slingshot driver.
The Ryker Rally is also potentially appealing to the small subset of buyers who want to have a little bit of off-pavement chops but need something comparatively comfortable and reliable to get from their driveways to their dirty destinations. It’s not a replacement for a proper dual-sport bike, but it might pull double duty for some riders who might otherwise be looking at a side-by-side UTV but are put off by the lack of street-legal options.
Another part of the Can-Am Ryker Rally’s appeal is its reasonable price. The model line starts at $9,599 with a twin-cylinder 600cc Rotax engine; the larger 900cc engine is optional on this base model. For $12,499 Can-Am offers the Ryker Sport that comes standard with the larger engine and adjustable suspension. The Ryker Rally model we tested comes in at a still acceptable $14,599.
We weren’t expecting the Can-Am Ryker Rally to be as entertaining as it is. It may be limited in scope, and it would not replace a two-wheeled motorcycle in our own fantasy garage, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun to ride. Considering the equitable cost of entry, we think the smiles-per-dollar quotient adds up well for would-be buyers looking for a plaything that can pull double duty in town and on the trails.
Pros: Excellent new hybrid; cool and well-made interior; very spacious; well-balanced driving dynamics; instant-classic Type R
Cons: Rudimentary standard touchscreen; no auto option for Si; no manual for mainstream models
Some things never change. In 2024, we said the Honda Civic was "our top compact car choice, and it's really not a close race." For 2025, Honda saw fit to bestow the Civic with a comprehensive set of updates and, well, it's even better than before. As before, it's offered in both sedan and hatchback body styles, and either option will offer enough passenger and cargo room that this so-called compact car could feasibly replace a midsize sedan or similarly sized SUV for buyers looking for a more efficient overall package. And, speaking of efficiency, there's an all-new Civic Hybrid for 2025 that offers a perfect blend of technology, fuel economy, performance and rational pricing. More on that below.
There's more to the Civic lineup than just well-rounded, value-packed transport. The top Touring trim level does a surprisingly good impression of an entry-level luxury car — buyers inclined to opt for the the mechanically related Acura Integra should definitely take note — while the sporty Si and instant-classic Civic Type R can realistically do double duty as weekend sports cars and daily drivers.
As before, the 2025 Civic sedan and hatchback boast a fashionable and functional interior, with full-width honeycomb air vents standing out as an eye-catching design highlight. Infotainment tech is a bit of a mixed bag, however, with top-spec models getting a much improved touchscreen system that makes the base version seem rudimentary and stale by comparison.
Still, from an objective and subjective perspective, the 2025 Civic lineup delivers against what has rapidly become a dwindling number of competitors, including the Mazda3, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Forte, Nissan Sentra and Toyota Corolla, plus Volkswagen’s Jetta, GTI and Golf R.
The 2025 Civic’s single largest change for its mid-cycle freshening is the addition of a powerful, efficient hybrid powertrain that shares a lot with the hybrid available in the Honda Accord and CR-V. It also takes the place of the outgoing 180-hp, 1.5-liter turbocharged option. The suspension gets retuned for 2025, though the changes only result in very minor improvements felt from behind the wheel. Similarly, there are some subtle updates to the Civic's exterior style, mainly to the front fascia, but they are also minor enough that shoppers may not notice.
A shiny new 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system is also new and powered by Google Built-In, which offers access to apps through the Play Store. Sadly, it only comes on top-level Sport Touring and Civic Si models. There are also some small improvements to the Honda Sensing safety package.
The enthusiast-grade Si gets darkened taillights and new 18-inch wheels, along with retuned shocks and reinforcements to the B-pillar and rear door sills. The automatic rev-matching system also now works for downshifts from second to first, which could be quite appealing for autocrossers.
What are the Civic interior and in-car technology like?
In a segment filled with surprisingly impressive interiors, the 2025 Civic interior still manages to stand out. That even applies to the base LX with its cloth seats and base 7-inch infotainment system that includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This is still an economy car, so there's plenty of hard plastic about (center console, door sills), but what you see and touch most come together in a tasteful, modern design that looks (and feels) like it belongs in a much pricier car. There's more than a whiff of Audi right down to the way the buttons and knobs click satisfyingly. We also have to call out the dash-width air vents, with their honeycomb openings, metallic finish and clever knob controllers (they're outlined in red in the Civic Si). They're so great, Audi probably wishes it had come up with them first.
There are two infotainment systems available. The 7-inch base touchscreen (below left) is awfully simple, and although commendably easy to figure out, rival systems are superior. The 9-inch unit (below right) found in the Sport Touring Hybrid and Civic Si trims (we'd suspect the Type R will get it too) is far better, with an easy-to-use layout and access to Google's Play Store. This higher-end system supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, but its inclusion of Google Maps with live traffic as the native navigation system will offer a familiar interface to many users. It’s a slick system that is easy to use, moves through its motions quickly with no discernible lag and benefits from physical Home and Back buttons, a real volume dial and smaller forward and reverse buttons at the bottom below the volume. We just wish it was more widely available.
As of right now, details of the 2025 Civic Type R have not filtered out. The 2024 version still has the older infotainment technology, although it's beefed up with the very cool LogR Telemetry package aimed at drivers who want to track performance data and improve their driving skills.
The LX, Sport and EX have a combination of analog speedometer and 7-inch multi-purpose display, but it all appears to blend together into one unit. It's traditional in design, yet modern in functionality. The Touring and Si get a completely digital, 10.2-inch instrument panel that's similar in basic appearance but provides greater functionality and flashier graphics. The Type R goes even further with unique graphics and shift lights above the IP that evokes race cars.
Finally, one minor note about the Si. As with its many predecessors, the interior features lots of little red accents, including cross stitching, air vent trim and, most notably, the front seat centers. Those in particular look and feel cheap, as if borrowed from padded backpack straps. The rich red hue of the Type R’s carpets and suede-like upholstery are far more successful. In both, however, the back seat is covered in a different fabric that’s black only. It looks and feels like a cost-cutting move rather than an aesthetic choice. One can also question the aesthetic wisdom of making red interiors mandatory even if the outside is painted orange or electric blue.
How big is the Civic sedan and hatchback?
The 2025 Civic is available in sedan and hatchback body styles, although the latter is more like an Audi A7 “Sportback” in body style than an old-school, Civic hatchback. The sedan is 4.9 inches longer, all of which is behind the back wheels, making the trunk a longer, more voluminous space than the Hatchback's. That’s right, we found the sedan could hold more luggage than the hatchback despite having less cargo volume on paper: 14.8 versus 24.5. What’s up with this? Basically, all the hatchback’s extra volume is up high where you’re less likely or able to utilize it for actual stuff. It does provide greater versatility, however, as lowering the seats grants a substantially larger space that’s fairly similar to what you’d find in a subcompact SUV. In short, either body style provides an exceptional amount of cargo space for a compact car. You may even find you don’t need to step up to a midsize sedan like the Accord or a small SUV like the HR-V.
That verdict carries over to the back seat as well. In the segment, its 37.4 inches of rear legroom is bettered only by the Hyundai Elantra, and is about 2 inches more than most competitors. For a compact car, it's definitely not compact back there. A 6-foot-3 driver with the seat pushed all the way back still found enough space in the back seat of both body styles to sit comfortably "behind himself." There was also just enough headroom. There’s also plenty of room left up front in the passenger seat after installing a rear-facing child seat in the back. The sedan is pictured below left and the hatchback, in the form of the four-passenger-only Type R, is below right.
One final note: The Si is sedan only while the Type R is hatchback only.
What are the Civic fuel economy and performance specs?
The Civic is available with a choice of four engines, but that’s including those in the Civic Si and Civic Type R.
A 2.0-liter four-cylinder remains the base engine in the LX for $24,345 and Sport for $27,345. Honda says it’s newly designed for ’25 to make 150 hp (down 8) and 133 lb-ft (down 5 but delivered earlier) and improve fuel mileage by between 1 and 2 mpg, depending on trim. The LX achieves figures of 32 in the city, 41 on the highway and 36 combined; Sport models get ratings of 31/39/34. Front-wheel drive and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) is standard with this base powertrain. It's fine, but it's not going to set any heartbeats aflutter. The 1.5-liter turbo we liked so much in 2024 is gone for 2025, along with its optional six-speed manual transmission.
As much as we mourn the loss of the sweet little turbo engine, the new-for-2025 2.0-liter hybrid powertrain is a formidable replacement. Honda has a somewhat unusual but ultimately agreeable hybrid system that relies almost exclusively on the electric motor to power the car forward -- its electricity comes from the battery or is generated by the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (there are some instances, such as when at a steady cruise on the highway when the engine does directly power the wheels). Total system output is 200 horsepower, which is a lot for a compact car. The Civic Hybrid’s solid performance does not come at the cost of efficiency. It is expected to return 50 miles per gallon in the city, 47 on the highway and 49 combined. The Toyota Corolla Hybrid, which is the most logical competitor, gets 53/46/50 in LE trim or 50/43/47 in its sportier SE flavor. The Honda certainly feels much sportier from behind the wheel than the Toyota, earning it the nod as the driver’s choice between the two.
The Honda Civic Si does keep its 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-four, producing 200 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque. Front-wheel drive and a six-speed manual are mandatory. It returns excellent fuel economy for a performance car at 27/37/31, but unlike the other Civics, it requires premium fuel.
Information about the 2025 Honda Civic Type R had not been revealed at the time of this writing, but we doubt engine specs will change. It should still have its 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four that pumps out 315 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. It too should be exclusively paired with front-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission. Fuel economy estimates for 2025 were also not available at the time of this writing, but it’s unlikely it would differ from the previous figures of 22/28/24.
The 2025 Civic Sport Touring sedan and Civic Si, as rendered by Honda in a dramatic, computer-generated world
What's the Civic like to drive?
Through its 11 generations, the Honda Civic has always been at its best and most competitive when it was responsive and even fun to drive. Don't expect that to change for '25. It's indeed fun to drive, with a lightweight and agile feel that encourages you to seek out winding roads. The steering is precise and consistently weighted, imparting a sense of connection to the driver. It’s also impressively comfortable, refined and even quiet for a compact car.
We think the new Civic Hybrid is the best bet for most buyers, combining performance and efficiency in one well-rounded package. Because the electric motor almost always is responsible for power the car forward, accelerating can at times feel EV-like in its responsiveness and torque-rich power generation. It can also cause the engine, which is responsible for generating electricity for that motor along with the battery pack, to not always work in sync with your right foot. It can be a bit odd, but that's countered by the system's unique ability to simulate shifts, making for a more natural acceleration feel than many drivers should appreciate. Overall, this is a good hybrid system.
Distinctively for a hybrid, there are four levels of regenerative braking, switchable by using paddles to the left and right of the steering wheel. The default position — call it level 1, if you will — is basically none, while 2, 3 and 4 ramp up the regen in successive steps. Even at the most aggressive level, though, the 2025 Civic Hybrid doesn’t brake as hard as a fully electric car’s one-pedal driving mode, and it does not bring the car to a full stop.
As much as we like the hybrid system, the naturally aspirated base engine is certainly acceptable – it has comparable power to its competitors, but it's smoother and sounds better. It is a Honda after all. The mandatory CVT makes up for some slightly blender-like noises by limiting the yo-yoing between high and low revs associated with this increasingly common transmission. It also simulates gear changes like other CVTs, but does so in a more natural way than what you'll find in a Subaru, for example.
Of course, if athleticism is your goal, there is the Honda Civic Si (as well as the mechanically related Acura Integra). We could wax poetically about the joy it is to drive those, but it’s probably best to dig into both deeper in our Civic Si review and our Integra review. As for the Civic Type R (above in white), it is quite simply one of the best performance cars you can buy, period. It’s a joy to drive every day and capable of blitzing around a race track. You can read more about it in depth in our specific Type R review and in our comparison test with the Toyota GR Corolla.
Get an in-depth look at what's different about the Civic Hatchback, including its cargo capacity and the six-speed manual transmission that isn't available on the Civic sedan.
What is the 2025 Civic price?
Honda divides the Civic into two separate categories, with unique pricing structures for the sedan and hybrid shapes. The sedan is typically the less expensive variant, and so far, those are the only prices that have been announced for 2025.
Sedan
LX: $25,345
Sport: $27,345
Sport Hybrid: $29,845
Sport Touring Hybrid: $32,845
Si (manual only): $31,045
Hatchback
Pricing for the 2025 Honda Civic Hatchback, including the high-performance Type R that's only offered in hatchback form, is not available as of this writing.
What are the Civic safety ratings and driver assistance features?
Every Civic comes standard with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control with steering assistance and stop-and-go capability. Blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning are included on all but the LX.
The NHTSA gave both styles five out of five stars for overall, side and rollover crash protection, and four stars for frontal crash protection. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named the 2023 Civic Sedan and Hatchback a Top Safety Pick after it received the best-possible performance in most categories. It received second-best scores of “Acceptable” in the IIHS updated moderate overlap front and side crash tests. And yes, we did mean to write 2023 Civic there. Although the individual test results didn't change, the IIHS changed its reward criteria for 2024. It also hasn't updated those ratings for 2025.
The Honda Civic may be one of the most ubiquitous cars on roadways across the United States. Seeing them so often could lull one into thinking of the compact car as little more than an appliance, an object to get from one point to another with as little fuss as possible. But that’s simply not the case with the Civic. It has consistently been one of the best cars for sale in America — a good reason why it’s proven so popular for so long — and the refreshed 2025 Honda Civic, particularly in the hybrid form we tested, may be the best all-around version yet.
The 2025 Civic’s single largest change for its mid-cycle freshening is the addition of a 2.0-liter four-cylinder hybrid powertrain with 200 horsepower that shares a lot with the hybrid available in the Honda Accord and CR-V. It also takes the place of the outgoing 180-hp, 1.5-liter turbocharged option. We loved the little turbo engine and will miss its hot-hatch-lite performance (not to mention the manual transmission that is also a goner), but we also think most drivers will be better served by the 200-horsepower hybrid replacement. It’s torquey, with a stout 232 pound-feet from 0 through 2,000 rpm spurred on by the electric motor and gearless eCVT transmission, but it doesn’t feel like it wants to live solely at low-rpm speeds when the driver calls up a heavy application of throttle.
Honda engineers tell us that the gasoline-fueled Atkinson-cycle engine doesn’t often put power directly to the wheels – it utilizes a high-speed lockup clutch at highway speeds for direct drive – but thanks to programming trickery, gearing and electricity from twin electric motors, it all just works in a shockingly seamless manner. We tested the hybrid in Econ(omy), Normal and Sport modes and found each of them well tuned for their respective purposes.
The default Normal mode is what we’d expect the majority of drivers to use, and it’s perfectly appropriate with linear throttle response and solid steering feel. Sport ramps up the throttle response and reduces steering assist (it also engages “Active Sound Control” for some additional auditory flair in the cabin and changes the digital gauges to a sportier look), and while the curviest roads we were able to drive during our two-hour stint behind the wheel in Montreal just prior to the Canadian Grand Prix were highway on- and off-ramps, it felt well-sorted for the task. Surprisingly, even Econ felt fine, eking out a bit more efficiency with smoothed-out throttle response and reduced use of the car’s air conditioning. The top-spec Sport Touring Hybrid gains an additional (new-for-2025) Individual mode that the driver can tailor to their liking.
The Civic Hybrid’s solid performance does not come at the cost of efficiency. It is expected to return 50 miles per gallon in the city, 47 on the highway and 49 combined. The Toyota Corolla Hybrid, which is the most logical competitor, gets 53/46/50 in LE trim or 50/43/47 in its sportier SE flavor. The Honda certainly feels much sportier from behind the wheel than the Toyota, earning it the nod as the driver’s choice between the two.
There are four levels of regenerative braking, switchable by using paddles to the left and right of the steering wheel. The default position — call it level 1, if you will — is basically none, while 2, 3 and 4 ramp up the regen in successive steps. Even at the most aggressive level, though, the 2025 Civic Hybrid doesn’t brake as hard as a fully electric car’s one-pedal driving mode, and it does not bring the car to a full stop.
All Civics get retuned springs and dampers and more rigid front upper suspension mounts, front subframe mount and rear lower suspension mounts. Hybrid models also benefit from a center of gravity that’s 10 millimeters lower than non-hybrids along with unique spring and damper tuning. The tires are said to have 19% less rolling resistance, but at the fairly sedate speeds we were forced to drive in traffic, we did not notice any reduction in grip.
Shoppers with a particularly keen eye may spot the 2025 Civic’s restyled grille and front fascia, which is joined by darker taillights and a blacked-out headlight reflector. The Civic Hybrid Sport benefits from more blacked-out bits and a body-color grille surround and front spoiler. To our eyes, it’s a sharp car in both sedan and hatchback forms, and yes, the hybrid powertrain is optional for both body styles.
On the inside, Honda blessed Sport Touring Hybrid models like our silver test car with a shiny new 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system that’s powered by Google Built-In and offers access to apps through the Play Store. It supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, but its inclusion of Google Maps with live traffic as the native navigation system will offer a familiar interface to many users. It’s a slick system that is easy to use, moves through its motions quickly with no discernible lag and benefits from physical Home and Back buttons, a real volume dial and smaller forward and reverse buttons at the bottom below the volume. This marks the first time Honda’s latest infotainment package is offered in a Civic, and it’s certainly more desirable than the older 7-inch package in lesser trim levels. Hopefully, the new system proliferates down to the rest of the Civic lineup in the coming years.
The rest of the new Civic’s interior pretty much carries over from 2024. Our Sport Touring Hybrid test vehicle’s 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster is easy to read and generally mimics the traditional gauges of other Civic trims. The interesting mesh band that runs the width of the dash still houses the air vents, and while that’s pretty much the only visual flair to the Civic’s cabin, the design of everything is so harmonious, simple and effective that we really have no complaints. The new hybrid powertrain is available in both sedan and hatchback styles, and both are roomy enough inside for four adults and their luggage that it’s really the buyer’s choice of how they want their cargo capacity doled out.
The oddly named Honda Sensing safety package is standard across the Civic range, and it’s reportedly been refined for 2025 with Collision Mitigation tuned to better detect bicycles and motorcycles, offer Adaptive Cruise with smoother acceleration and deceleration and smoother Lane Keeping Assist.
While we didn’t test anything but the new Civic Hybrid sedan, a 2.0-liter four-cylinder remains the base engine in the LX for $24,345 and Sport for $27,345. Honda says it’s newly designed for ’25 to make 150 hp (down 8) and 133 lb-ft (down 5 but delivered earlier) and improve fuel mileage by between 1 and 2 mpg, depending on trim. The Sport Hybrid starts at $29,845. Stepping up to the Sport Touring Hybrid will ring the register to $32,845 and bring with it the aforementioned infotainment and digital cluster tech, leather seats, a Bose audio system and more. The sedan goes on sale as this story is published, with the hatchback following shortly thereafter.
The sporty Civic Si returns with its 1.5-liter turbo engine with 200 hp and 192 lb-ft for 2025. Note that the Civic Hybrid is technically the more powerful option, but the Si retains its six-speed manual, and the two models will deliver extremely different experiences from behind the wheel. We expect the top rung of the Civic ladder to remain occupied by the Type R and its 2.0-liter turbo engine’s 315 hp and 310 lb-ft.
As ever, there’s a Civic designed for just about every potential buyer. And while we love the feel of a small-displacement turbo sending its ponies through a proper manual gearbox, the new Sport Touring Hybrid strikes us as a nearly perfect balance of size, efficiency, performance, technology and value. We expect that buyers will flock to it in droves.
