Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1973 Civic.
The 1973 Honda Civic, the earliest model year in the model's complaint history dataset covering 1990–2022, serves as the starting point for understanding the Civic's long-term reliability record. Within that dataset, the lowest number of complaints (102) was recorded in 1990, while the highest (1,402) occurred in 2006, highlighting a wide variation in reported issues over the model's lifespan. As the foundational year, the 1973 Civic establishes a baseline for this trajectory, though no specific complaint data for that year itself is included in the available records.
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Overall length | 139.8 in |
| Overall width | 53.1 in |
| Overall height | 53.1 in |
| Wheelbase | 86.6 in |
| Curb weight | 1537 lb |
0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.
Independent road tests for the Civic of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.
| Year | Trim / engine | 0–60 | ¼ mile | HP | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 3-door Hatchback 1.2L I-4 | 12.90 sec | 18.70 sec | 50 hp | FWD |
| 1975 | CVCC 3-door Hatchback 1.5L I-4 | 15.60 sec | 20.10 sec | 53 hp | FWD |
| 1975 | CVCC 3-door Hatchback 1.5L I-4 | 17.40 sec | 21.00 sec | 53 hp | FWD |
| 1979 | CVCC Wagon 1.5L I-4 | 15.50 sec | 20.10 sec | 67 hp | FWD |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
PROLONGED CONTACT WITH ROAD SALT MAY, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, CAUSE SERIOUS RUSTING. THIS CAN WEAKEN CERTAIN UNDERCARRIAGE COMPONENTS: LATERAL SUSPENSION ARMS, FRONT CROSSBEAM AND STRUT COIL SPRING LOWER SUPPORTS. Remedy: VEHICLES WILL BE INSPECTED AND, IF NECESSARY, TREATED WITH A RUST PREVENTIVE COATING. IN SOME CASES, REPLACEMENT OF COMPONENTS WILL BE PERFORMED, WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.
Remedy:
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.