| Engine | 1.5L I4, 1.6L I4 |
|---|---|
| Transmissions | 4-speed automatic, 4-speed manual, 5-speed manual |
| Drivetrain | AWD, FWD |
| Fuel type | Regular Gasoline |
| EPA combined (best) | 44 mpg |
| EPA combined (worst) | 23 mpg |
| Annual fuel cost (best) | $1,500 |
| Vehicle class | Small Station Wagons, Subcompact Cars, Two Seaters |
13 configurations were certified by the EPA for the 1988 model year. Combined mpg is the figure the EPA uses for its window sticker.
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Highway | Combined | Fuel cost/yr | CO₂ g/mi | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6L I4 | 5-speed manual | AWD | 22 | 24 | 23 | $2,900 | 386 | Regular Gasoline |
| 1.5L I4 | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 24 | 30 | 27 | $2,500 | 329 | Regular Gasoline |
| 1.5L I4 | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 24 | 30 | 26 | $2,600 | 342 | Regular Gasoline |
| 1.5L I4 | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 25 | 32 | 28 | $2,400 | 317 | Regular Gasoline |
| 1.6L I4 | 5-speed manual | FWD | 25 | 33 | 28 | $2,400 | 317 | Regular Gasoline |
| 1.5L I4 | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 26 | 33 | 29 | $2,300 | 306 | Regular Gasoline |
| 1.5L I4 | 5-speed manual | FWD | 27 | 33 | 29 | $2,300 | 306 | Regular Gasoline |
| 1.5L I4 | 5-speed manual | FWD | 28 | 33 | 30 | $2,250 | 296 | Regular Gasoline |
| 1.5L I4 | 5-speed manual | FWD | 28 | 34 | 31 | $2,150 | 287 | Regular Gasoline |
| 1.5L I4 | 5-speed manual | FWD | 29 | 35 | 32 | $2,100 | 278 | Regular Gasoline |
| 1.5L I4 | 4-speed manual | FWD | 30 | 35 | 32 | $2,100 | 278 | Regular Gasoline |
| 1.5L I4 | 5-speed manual | FWD | 37 | 47 | 41 | $1,650 | 217 | Regular Gasoline |
| 1.5L I4 | 5-speed manual | FWD | 41 | 49 | 44 | $1,500 | 202 | Regular Gasoline |
Source: U.S. Department of Energy fuel economy certification data (vehicles.csv), retrieved 2026-10-27.
Official Honda fluid capacities for the 1988 Honda Civic have not yet been verified against service documentation. Rather than publish an unverified number, this table is empty on purpose.
Same rule applies: no verified source, no number. Torque values are being added model by model from official service information.
The official 1988 Honda Civic owner's manual is published by Honda. We do not host or mirror manual files — copyright stays with the manufacturer, and a mirror is exactly what gets a site like this taken down.
Search your exact model year and trim on the manufacturer's owner site, or request a copy from any authorized dealer using your VIN.
Official Honda owner siteLink verified reachable; manufacturer pages change without notice. If it 404s, tell us and we will fix it.
If you need torque specifications and wiring diagrams, those live in the paid service information system rather than the free owner's manual. We are adding verified torque values model by model.
The most efficient 1988 Civic configuration the EPA certified is rated 44 mpg combined; the least efficient is 23 mpg combined.
The EPA certified 2 engine configurations for the 1988 model year: 1.5L I4, 1.6L I4.
4-speed automatic, 4-speed manual, 5-speed manual.
It was offered in AWD, FWD configurations.
From Honda's official owner site (owners.honda.com) or from an authorized dealer. We link to the official source rather than hosting the file.
We have not yet verified fluid capacities (oil, coolant, transmission), torque specifications, maintenance intervals for the 1988 Honda Civic against official Honda service documentation. Rather than guess, those fields are left empty. A wrong torque value can destroy an engine, so we only publish figures we can trace.
Engines, transmissions, drivetrain and fuel economy on this page come from U.S. Department of Energy EPA certification data for the 1988 model year. Model year existence is confirmed against NHTSA vehicle registration data. Retrieved 2026-10-27. Fields with no official source are left empty.