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Home› Automobile Receipts› Chevrolet Bolt EV vs Honda Civic

Chevrolet Bolt EV VS Honda Civic

Chevrolet Bolt EV Honda Civic
Verdict BUY IT BUY IT
The Reality NHTSA's own recall database backs up the core claim: the 2023 Bolt EV has zero battery-fire recalls, unlike the 2017-2022 models that were recalled twice for exactly that. But the 2023 model year isn't recall-free -- it has 3 recalls, two of them for a *different* fire-adjacent defect: after a crash, the seat belt pretensioner's exhaust gas can ignite carpet fibers near the B-pillar (one of these recalls exists because an earlier repair under a prior recall number was done incorrectly). A third recall covers a missing perforation that can block the passenger air bag from deploying properly. NHTSA's complaint database shows 59 complaints filed against the 2023 Bolt EV -- a moderate number for a mass-market EV, not an outlier in either direction. 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.
SHORT ANSWER

Chevrolet Bolt EV: GM's claim that the 2023 Bolt EV's battery-fire problem is fixed holds up -- NHTSA shows zero battery-fire recalls for this model year, though the car did get recalled for a separate, unrelated seat-belt-pretensioner fire risk and an air bag defect.

Honda Civic: 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.