In most areas, the Civic gave reasonable protection although the driver's chest was at risk in the side impact. This is a vulnerable body region with a high risk of injury. Because of this, the last star has been 'flagged' to indicate there is concern. The Civic is fitted with driver and passenger airbags as standard equipment. The car performed reasonably in the pedestrian tests – a third of the head impact sites gave enough protection to meet proposed legislative requirements, the others split between weak and poor.
Front impact
The passenger compartment remained stable in the impact. Both airbags provided stable support for the heads of front seat occupants. However, there was limited intrusion of the steering wheel. Seat belt loading on the occupants' chest resulted in adequate protection for the driver but marginal protection for the passenger. Stiff structures adjacent to the steering column increased risk of injury to the driver's upper legs and there was also a risk of localised damage to his knees. Protection for his feet and ankles was poor because of excessive footwell intrusion.
Side impact
The driver's head glanced the centre door pillar but acceleration remained low. His ribs were heavily loaded from contact with the door and the centre pillar and the car did not meet legislation applicable to new models introduced into Europe from next October. The abdomen and pelvis were struck by the door and the seat's side padding. This resulted in marginal abdomen protection but good pelvis protection.
Child occupant
Two pictograms indicated that a rearward-facing child restraint should not be used in the airbag-equipped front passenger seat. The pictogram on the windscreen was easily removable, however, and there was no text label present to explain the danger more fully.
Pedestrian
A quarter of the head-impact tests met proposed legislative requirements. Other results were split between weak and poor. Two sites on the leading edge of the Civic's bonnet and one site on the bumper gave weak protection, while the remainder gave poor protection.