The 2009 Honda Civic offered multiple transmission options depending on trim and drivetrain. In general, most gasoline Civics used a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed automatic; the high-performance Si used a 6-speed manual; the Civic Hybrid relied on Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist system, which operates with a non-traditional hybrid transmission rather than a conventional automatic.
Understanding the transmission setup for a specific 2009 Civic requires identifying the model and drivetrain, because the options vary between the base gasoline models, the Si performance variant, and the hybrid version. The following sections break down these configurations and how they appeared on the market for that year.
Transmission options by drivetrain
The following overview covers the main configurations you could encounter on a 2009 Civic, organized by the general drivetrain category.
- Gasoline-powered Civics (DX/LX/EX/EX-L): 5-speed manual or 5-speed automatic.
- Civic Si: 6-speed manual only.
- Civic Hybrid: Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid system with a non-traditional hybrid transmission rather than a conventional automatic.
In summary, most non-Si 2009 Civics offered either a 5-speed manual or 5-speed automatic, the Si used a 6-speed manual, and the Hybrid used a specialized IMA-driven setup rather than a standard automatic.
Gasoline trims (DX/LX/EX/EX-L)
For the standard gasoline Civics, buyers could choose between two manual/automatic options common to the era. The standard setup typically included a 5-speed manual transmission as the enthusiast option and a 5-speed automatic as the convenience option.
- 5-speed manual
- 5-speed automatic
These configurations were typical for most non-Si, non-hybrid Civics in 2009 and provided a straightforward transmission setup for daily driving.
Civic Si
The 2009 Civic Si represented the performance branch of the lineup and used a dedicated, sport-oriented transmission configuration. It was offered with a 6-speed manual transmission and did not come with an automatic option.
- 6-speed manual
The Si’s 6-speed manual was part of its emphasis on driving dynamics, separating it from the other trims that offered automatic options.
Civic Hybrid
The 2009 Civic Hybrid combined Honda’s IMA system with a hybrid-specific drive train that does not use a conventional automatic. This setup integrates an electric motor with the gasoline engine and uses a planetary gearset as part of its hybrid transmission architecture.
- Hybrid transmission with Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system
Because the hybrid drive is not a standard automatic, maintenance and parts references for the Hybrid can differ from the gasoline models, though compatibility and service information are available through Honda's hybrid-specific maintenance guidelines.
Summary
The 2009 Honda Civic offered a mix of transmissions by trim: most gasoline models provided a choice between a 5-speed manual and a 5-speed automatic; the Si used a 6-speed manual; and the Civic Hybrid operated with Honda’s IMA hybrid system, which employs a non-traditional transmission design rather than a typical automatic. When assessing a specific car, confirm the exact trim to determine which transmission it has, as options vary across the lineup.