Honda Civic
The claim: The 2023 Honda Civic earned IIHS's Top Safety Pick+ award.
by Honda
✓ Evidence agrees · Well sourced (6 sources)
By PixPause Editorial · 2 min read · Verified September 13, 2026
The 2023 Honda Civic actually earned IIHS's plain 'Top Safety Pick' award, not the higher 'Top Safety Pick+' tier some dealer sites advertise -- but its real recall and complaint record is clean: 4 shared-platform recalls and zero owner complaints on file.
Make your guess on the slip to reveal the answer- "The 2023 Honda Civic earned IIHS's Top Safety Pick+ award."✕ FALSE
BUYING THE HYPE
▸ HYPE VS REALITY
Honda dealerships widely advertise the 2023 Civic as an IIHS 'Top Safety Pick+' -- the Institute for Highway Safety's highest award tier -- carrying over the language used for the redesigned 2022 Civic sedan and hatchback, which did earn that top rating.
IIHS's own published ratings show the 2023 Civic sedan and hatchback actually earned the plain 'Top Safety Pick' award, one tier below 'Top Safety Pick+' -- the 2022 model year Civic held the higher TSP+ rating, but IIHS's criteria change annually and the 2023 model didn't requalify at that tier. Separately, NHTSA's recall database lists 4 recalls for the 2023 Civic, all shared-platform issues rather than Civic-specific defects: a brake fluid leak in the stability-assist module (shared with the Acura RDX, Integra, and Accord), a steering rack that may have been incorrectly reassembled during a prior service repair, a broader steering defect affecting multiple Honda/Acura models, and a driver's seat cushion fastener issue. NHTSA's complaint database shows 0 complaints filed for the 2023 Civic.
The specific 'Top Safety Pick+' claim floating around dealer sites and forums for the 2023 Civic doesn't match IIHS's own rating -- it's real, but one tier lower, at plain 'Top Safety Pick.' That's a marketing overstatement worth flagging, but it's about the award label, not the car's actual safety. The recall record backs that up: all 4 recalls are shared-platform issues affecting several Honda/Acura models at once, not something unique to the Civic, and there are zero owner complaints on file for this model year. On the numbers that matter most, the Civic's reputation holds up even if one dealer talking point doesn't.
This verdict would change if new, independently verifiable evidence emerged directly supporting the claim "The 2023 Honda Civic earned IIHS's Top Safety Pick+ award." — evidence stronger than what's currently on record contradicting it.
▸ CLAIM CHECK
- IIHS official 2023 Civic sedan rating — The 2023 Civic sedan and hatchback earned the plain 'Top Safety Pick' award, one tier below 'Top Safety Pick+', which the 2022 model year had held.
Scorecard AI opinion ⓘ
▸ THE EVIDENCE ON YOUTUBE
The 2022 Honda Civic Is the New Version of Everyone's Favorite Small Car
Doug DeMuro · 5.1M subscribers
2024 Honda Civic review // Still the compact car gold-standard?
Motormouth · 472K subscribers
Honda Civic Review: Still the King of Compact Cars?
No Filter Auto · 73 subscribers
2022 Honda Civic Review // Compact King
Throttle House · 3.4M subscribers
NEW Honda Civic review – best hybrid car?
What Car? · 618K subscribers
▸ FAQ
Did the 2023 Honda Civic really win IIHS Top Safety Pick+?
No. IIHS's own published rating shows the 2023 Civic sedan and hatchback earned the plain 'Top Safety Pick' award, one tier below 'Top Safety Pick+', despite some dealer marketing repeating the higher claim from the 2022 model year.
How many complaints has the 2023 Honda Civic gotten?
Zero, according to NHTSA's complaint database — one of the cleanest records of any vehicle in this comparison.