I Beeped, and I Heard the Name "Stella"

Author's Rating:

Pros: comprehensive features (VP), anti-theft protections, quick response, acceleration, handling, spaciousness, a GREAT car.

Cons: AC/fan control placement, learning curve

The Bottom Line: 
This is my first car purchased on my own, and a Civic is a reliable, functional, and fun fit for me. I'm very pleased.

Author's Review
Truth told, this is my first car review. To be quite honest, I'm going to ad-lib this review as much as possible because I tend to hang out in the Video Games section around Epinions. Appearance, Gameplay, Mechanics, Replay Value. I can do that all day long. But you don't just drive a car until it's done, and then it's game over, and then you tuck it away, hardly pressed to whip it out again and take it for a spin.

Truth told, I needed that in a car, you know -- reliability. Something that'll stick by as long as I need it. My 1991 Chevrolet Cavalier ("Isabella") was on her last legs and I didn't really have the time to grieve over its loss. I needed something new. I went to MyProductAdviser.com to check out what car brand might be right for me since, you know, my Jeep Liberty dreams were shot thanks to some dick salesman at the lot. And Honda Civic models kept coming up over and over -- price, reliability, good test ratings, features.

And I drove off with a silver 2005 Honda Civic VP (Value Package) that I christened "Stella." The beep did it. Nice and pert and high-pitched.

Pricing
I am leasing a new 2005 Honda Civic VP valued at $15,100 after freight, delivery, and taxes and my negotiation. (I dropped the cap price about $1,200.)

I am on a 36-month lease. After $1,000 down (my POS Chevy trade in earned me $500 of that), I pay approximately $210 a month. Although it requires some creative budgeting since I'm still a grad student, thanks to my credit, I walked out with a fairly decent deal.

Some Specs (Number-Crunchers, You Are)
The 2005 Honda Civic VP boasts a 115-horsepower, 1.7-liter, 4-cylinder ULEV (Ultra Low Emissions) engine. Gas mileage is superb, averaging approximately 33 miles to the gallon -- 29 in city and 38 on highway. I run on a 4-speed automatic overdrive transmission with front wheel drive and rack-and-pinion power steering. The power steering easily lends itself to a tight turning radius of only 35.4 units (e.g. "two lanes"). The car boasts a particularly compact frame at 175 inches in length and just about 57 inches in height -- so I found easily wedging my car into a compact space. Bucket seats easily conform for lumbar support and comfort, and the interior is spacious enough to sit four adults comfortably. (The Honda.com web site says five, but I realize that people come in different shapes and sizes.) Virtually flat floor panels maximize available storage space and the 60-40 fold down seats allow direct access to the trunk.

The Civic also garnered some solid awards.

IntelliChoice rated the Honda Civic "Best Overall Value" in its class, and Kelley Blue Book listings consistently confirm the Civic among the highest value retaining models. This is nice to know since I plan on trading it in for a new model after my lease is up, and yet I'm securely set for a return of at least $10,500 on a $15,000 vehicle. And if safety is your jive, it received top marks in crash protection -- five of five stars.

But if these numbers don't woo you, understand that the Civic has established quite a reputation as a reliable, affordable, and highly functional sedan among its class.

Features
In addition to the engine specs outlined earlier, the 2005 Honda Civic VP offers the following added perks: (1) standard automatic transmission; (2) a locking fuel filler chamber; (3) an Immobilizer, anti-theft deterrent system to prevent hotwiring (e.g. ignition "reads" the chip and coding embedded in the key) and audio system theft (e.g. requires a special code if audio is disconnected from the battery); (4) available front-side airbags; (5) air conditioning; (6) AM/FM/CD disc setup, 6-button radio memory preset with quality speaker system; (7) and a center console with armrest and storage capacity.

Features (1) through (4) are available standard on all Honda Civics. (5) through (7) are standard on the VP trim.

In comparison the coupe model, the Civic sedan features a narrower and higher chassis situation with slightly less streamlining architecture. These subtleties rarely go noticed when you really get behind the wheel.

The Driving Experience
Yeah. I had to learn how to drive all over again thanks to my new Civic. Alright, so I'm exaggerating a bit, but I quickly realized that I'm behind the wheel of a brand new machine with its own interesting driving quirks.

The center console is nicely situated, featuring temperature and fuel meters on the left and the speedometer on the right. A digitized odometer tracks overall mileage and trip mileage (press the button). Heat, air conditioning, and ventilation controls flank the radio setup on the left and beneath -- a somewhat awkward fit since the temperature and fan knobs are right on top of each other. Setting radio controls was also a bit unfamiliar as you simply tune to the desired station and hold the button to set the memory.

The drive certainly feels "light" for a sedan, specifically referring to the acceleration speed, the handling, and the on-demand get-up-and-go one might require on the open road. To that end, I found myself surprised that the Civic doesn't require a whole lot of give on your part. Despite a lack of cruise control features on this model, once you get to your cruising speed, simply relax back against the accelerator -- barely press it -- and you can maintain your speed with relatively ease. It may take a little practice to arch your foot/shoe to minimize the pressure you exert. Practice away.

I learned that you get more mileage per gallon if you really focus on how you're pressing the accelerator, as to not force too much gasoline through the system. It's a real subtlety that takes a good amount of time to pick up.

I was also surprised at the steering wheel manueverability. One to one-and-a-half wheel rotations can help you wind through most traffic and tight spots. As a habitual driver who rests his palm at six o'clock, I had to get adjusted to the "weightlessness" of the handling. A slight rotation gets you a fair amount of response out of the front wheel drive. At higher speeds, you definitely feel the "coasting" in the car with fairly minimal road interference. Not that plodding over some roadkill won't get you a bump, but it's very smooth.

The ride is fairly quiet. Even on automatic transmission, the Civic tends to gear-shift rather rapidly and smoothly, giving you a fair amount of power and takeoff in lower gears. It purrs easily after third. You might notice some wind noise if you cruise past 70 miles per hour on the interstate. To that end, I urge that you turn up your radio volume. The warmth and depth of the standard speakers, especially when you're cranking and bopping along to your favorite tunes, easily gets you off the wind distraction.

Maintenance Features
The Honda Civic lease offers full warranty over the lease term. See your dealership for more options.

Want to make sure you're breaking in the vehicle properly? Give your brakes time to heat and mold and resist the urge to stop on a dime for the first 200 miles. And watch those racing, quick-accel starts for the first 600. After that, you're good -- if you want to get a little reckless.

Drivers will be happy to learn that even in "severe" conditions, the Civic only requires an oil change every 5,000 miles. If you are fortunate enough to drive more than five miles per trip or live in an area of lesser traffic congestion (e.g. don't spend a lot of time idling at red lines), you can get away with a 10,000 mile change.

As for the rest, I have yet to experience trouble with the car. To that end, I add that the center console is relatively clear about vehicle problems. An added touch is the color of the icons. Green icons reflect in-process or activated features like the Immobilization passive alarm. Amber icons reflect cautionary concerns like low oil and temporarily disabled anti-lock braking. Red icons -- engine service, transmission -- are critical and require immediate attention.

The Pretty Picture
Other reviewers have made it clear that the Honda Civic is definitely a car of greater substance and style. I'm in partial agreement. The Civic sedan VP doesn't offer a substantively sexy body style, spoiler, or other vanities. She's a "healthy" girl -- built amply in the front, but not sloping in all the right places, and maybe hosting a little boxiness in the back. And on the inside looking out, it's a bit of a deceptive illusion. The slope angles downward a bit, giving the impression of a shorter hood.

Maybe.

I know I'm a little obsessive about precipitation residue and some trace bird droppings. The Satin Silver body is a sparkling paint, very shiny and clean and aesthetically pleasing. And I don't think the car looks all that bad either. Sure... if you're looking to charm the pants off your date, you could go sportier, but I know I can get her to the hotel and maybe through a few detour spots knowing that she'll be safe and comfortable.

I might have not considered a Honda Civic before. After all, I tried learning manual on a 1991 model and haven't looked back -- darned clutch. But after taking Stella for a spin, I'm really pleased with Honda's craftsmanship, enough so that I envision myself a faithful Honda driver for quite a number of years.

Credit Where It's Due
Big thanks to the Civic reviewers before me. Thanks for giving me some substance tips.

And I couldn't quote all those specs on command, for sure. Thanks to http://www.roadandtravel.com and http://www.honda.com for filling in my details.