Practical Transportation That Will Last

Author's Rating:

Pros: Reliability, Gas Mileage, Easy to Drive

Cons: Boring performance, Mushy Brakes

The Bottom Line: 
This car has an established record of overall reliability and customer satisfaction. If you want a great value, the Civic is it.

Author's Review
Honda's are among the best selling cars, and have the top overall resale value for a simple reason. The reliability on a Honda is outstanding, and many of their vehicles from the 80's and 90's still take up space on our nation's highways. At my dealership, Honda's are in high demand, even though we only sell used ones. Many customers who bought Honda's ten years ago will come looking for another one, or send a family member/friend to get one due to their positive experiences. That says a lot about people's view of Honda's, because a lot of my customers will come in and immediately say, "I don't want a (manufacturer) due to this." Car buying can be a process based on negatives, rather than positives. With Honda's, my prospective customers have a good feeling about this car maker, and I do as well.

I have been driving the Civic LX four door sedan for the last five days to and from work, in all kinds of weather and highway conditions. It is a very easy car to drive, and it almost drives itself. The visibility is perfect, and there are no blind spots in this vehicle. It is easy to get in and out of tight traffic conditions with its small size, and the gas mileage is a bonus during these high priced times. The Civic holds 13.2 gallons of unleaded fuel, and averages 32 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway.

The performance is nothing special, as the 1.7 liter four cylinder Single Overhead Cam engine cranks out adequate power. It produces 115 horsepower, and 110 lbs per foot of torque. Its almost impossible to squeal the tires, which you would expect it to do with its sporty look. However, it is okay in passing situations with its just adequate enough power. Honda has got to have one of the most quiet engines around, because you can barely hear the engine even with the radio off. There is no thrashy feeling either, and the transmission works to effortlessly shift the gears.(The gearshift is very modern looking with its silver lining) It is a refined driving experience, and it handles as good or better than many more expensive cars in this regard.

Many people with low muscle tone will appreciate how easy it is to steer the Civic. It takes no effort at all, and it still doesn't have the "loose nerve racking feeling" that many easy to steer cars have. Overall it is very balanced and forgiving. It is very easy to get over three lanes with minimal effort in this vehicle, which is great when traffic isn't filling up the highways. The smoothness and quiet ride will make this even more inviting to a person stuck behind the wheel in long commmutes, however the brakes seem to be a bit disconcerting to use.(Disc/Drum)They have a mushy feel to them, much like an older Camaro has. Braking is confident and smooth, and the car really does stop on a dime. However, this mushy feeling reminds me of a car with low brake fluid. Hopefully Honda will reconsider looking at this in their future models.

The inside of the car is utilitarian, and will appeal to the masses for not being too flashy or boring. My car had grey seats, with rear seats that are able to be folded over for extra trunk storage. The seating is quite comfortable for a smaller sedan, with just the right amount of back support. Leg room is also quite good, and I didn't have to bend my legs in the front or back.(I'm over 6' tall) The dash has gauges that are very easy to read, and I love the illumination at night. It is really bright, but it does not hurt your eyes. The A/C and heat are excellent, and there are a total of four vents in the front.(1 to the left of the steering wheel, 2 in the middle, and 1 at the passenger side.) The A/C really cranks up fast, which was much appreciated with the recent heat wave, and the vents can be adjusted to point in the direction you desire. All controls work very well, and the power windows operate very fast.(They do make a small hum however) The mirrors are easy to adjust from inside the car(power), and there are power locks with a remote keyless entry. There are also map lights and a center console with armrest and storage compartment, which are all useful items on long trips. I really like the AM/FM CD stereo system-it has very good sound and a kickin performance. Honda continues to do this in all of their cars, which they deserve a lot of kudos for since some manufacturers give you a below average system.

For its price, the Civic is a great buy with many years of quality established. The one thing I recommend to my customers is to look for a manufacturer and a car with a long overall record of reliability. Honda has been importing cars to the U.S. since the 1970's, and the Civic has been around for a long time. There are no first or second year issues with the Civic, so you can have peace of mind when buying one. The total warranty is 3 years/36,000 miles, and I have had customers tell me that they never had a problem until over the 100,000 mark. With its reasonable price and great resale value, the Civic is a purchase that makes a lot of sense.