Teresa’s View
It’s hard to recall a time when there wasn’t a Honda Civic in the market. The reliable and affordable import has been a perennial favorite of both first-time car buyers and more seasoned drivers since 1972. As Honda cranks out Civics by the millions, the problem isn’t finding new buyers; it’s keeping the entry-level compact relevant. The poor thing does its job so well, it runs the risk of becoming as ubiquitous as a sturdy pair of Keds — or worse, viewed as simply a smaller version of the Accord.
Not to worry. The folks at Honda are all over it. The eighth-generation Civic has launched to wide acclaim. Even calloused-bottomed auto critics named it the 2006 Motor Trend Car of the Year.
Honda improved every aspect of the redesigned Civic; enhancing the engineering with new technology, and creating a stylish design and a pinch of peppy performance, all the while maintaining the car’s traditional functionality and value.
Bold design has not been a hallmark of Honda, but the new Civic is audacious by anyone’s standard. The short nose and stubby backside is bridged by a curvaceous roofline and steeply sloped windshield, for an aerodynamic — almost futuristic — silhouette.
Inside, a wide, two-tiered dash houses both gadgets and gauges with ergonomic ease, improving access and visibility. Materials were chosen with visual and tactile stimulation in mind. The only misstep is ticky-tacky visors.
The upper end trims feature an MP3/auxiliary input jack and digital audio card reader for the digital music set. The list of standard safety features is said to be the most comprehensive in its class. On a personal note, I’d like to thank the designers for creating a spot to put a cell phone. Locating it near the power outlet was an inspiration. Bravo.
A 140-horsepower, 1.8-liter, four-cylinder engine powers most of the Civic versions, although a 197-horsepower engine is available on the hot-rod Civic Si coupe. Both engines maximize power and minimize fuel consumption. The result is a solid ride that earns impressive EPA scores of 30 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway when ordered with the automatic transmission
What Is It?: The Honda Civic is offered in a slew of body types, styles and trims, starting with the DX coupe, priced at $15K. A natural gas version is available in some areas.
The Back Seat: Our sedan offered decent legroom, but headroom was sacrificed in favor of the exterior design. Back-seat testers reported that the seats are particularly comfortable and the windows nearly roll down completely.
Cupholder Rating: Quad Shots. The two front cupholders can handle super-sized sodas or a pint of ice cream. A second set of cupholders is found in the back seat’s center armrest, but they are too shallow to hold cups with confidence.
Trivia: The Civic Hybrid became Honda’s second hybrid when introduced in March 2002.