Honda Civics are everywhere, but it’s not every day you see a bright green version. In fact, colorful cars in general are getting to be uncommon on the roadways. According to a study by BASF Coatings, almost 80 percent of cars sold in 2025 were neutral or grayscale (white, black, gray, and silver). Yawn.

Energy Green Pearl — otherwise known by its paint code, GY-30P, was used exclusively on the 2016-18 Honda Civic. The vibrant hue first debuted on a concept car at the 2015 New York International Auto Show. The idea behind it was to convey a bold, energetic vibe, but Honda executives were understandably skeptical about approving it due to concerns about resale value.

At the end of the day, it was determined to be the right color at the right time; Honda was actively ramping up its emphasis on emissions efficiency, so “green” thinking was a core theme.

Energy Green is undoubtedly a “love it or hate it” color, and I happen to know two people who absolutely adore it. Last September, on my way to the National Acura Legend Meet, I stopped at Honda R&D Americas in Marysville, Ohio and met up with my friend Terrence who works there. Terrence is the proud owner of an Energy Green Civic, so we captured a few obligatory pics.

My friend Jeff is another Energy Green Civic owner, and he stopped by recently to show me (and let me drive) his new-to-him, tenth-generation 2017 coupe with only 25,000 miles on the odometer. As an added bonus, it was the performance-focused Si trim variant.

The “Si” became well-known in the sport-compact segment, as it was powered by a 205-horsepower 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-four mated to a six-speed manual transmission and a helical limited-slip differential. It also came with distinct styling (red badges, check!). I enjoyed putting a few miles on Jeff’s car and turning a few heads along the way.

What are your thoughts on the color? Whimsical and fun, or just too much?