introduction
The Civic has always sold well, but with gas hovering around $4 a gallon nationwide, small cars have topped the sales charts. In fact, they’re selling so well that in the summer months of 2008, the Civic found more buyers than America’s perennial bestseller, the Ford F-150 pickup.
Reading: 2009 honda civic reviews car and driver
Honda sells the Civic in several different guises. The range is divided into the Civic Sedan and Coupe, the Civic Si Sedan and Coupe, the Civic GX Sedan and the Civic Hybrid Sedan. (Click here for information on the Civic Hybrid.)
The Civic Coupe and Sedan are powered by a 140-hp 1.8-liter inline-four engine mated to a standard five-speed manual transmission, with the option of a five-speed automatic. The coupe and sedan do have a 197-horsepower 2.0-liter inline-four mated to a six-speed manual transmission, as well as a sport suspension and limited-slip differential. The GX sedan uses a specially tuned 113-hp 1.8-liter engine that runs on natural gas, which has the advantage of being much more economical than gasoline.
All Civics return good gas mileage. The 1.8-liter gets 26 mpg city and 34 mpg highway with the manual and 25/36 with the automatic; The 2.0 liter is good for 21/29. The Civic GX returns an EPA-rated 24/36 mpg.
verdict
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This latest Civic, introduced in 2005 as a 2006 model, is a nice piece, though we don’t think it’s as good as previous versions. The last time a Civic entered one of our comparison tests, it finished third behind a VW Rabbit and a Mazda 3. It’s well made, economical and enjoyable to drive, but it lacks the spirit of the 3rd Rabbit. The Si is definitely fun to drive though, thanks to its high-revving engine, but using the performance to its fullest can get tiring, simply because one has to keep the engine running at high revs all the time.
While you can’t fault the Civic’s styling for its boldness, not everyone is a fan of the interior, particularly the huge gap between the dash and windshield.
click here to read our full review of the honda civic gx.
Click here to read our latest benchmark test related to the Honda Civic.
Click here to read our latest benchmark test against the Honda Civic Si.
news for 2009
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All Civics get a refreshed exterior, with new headlights and taillights and a new grille and front bumper design. There are some new colors and alloy wheel designs (for the EX, EX-L, and Si), and a USB interface is added to some higher trim levels. The DX now has a value package that adds air conditioning, an AM/FM/CD audio system, and an auxiliary input jack. A new model LX-S sedan features 16-inch aluminum wheels, sport seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a chrome exhaust tip and a decklid spoiler.
highlights and recommendations
The Civic range has essentially four trim levels: DX, LX, EX, and EX-L, listed in ascending order of luxury. The Si model is essentially equipped the same as an EX, adding only a six-speed manual transmission, aluminum shifter, and aluminum pedals. The GX is equivalent to the LX trim level.
a basic civic is about 16 thousand dollars, so you get a stripper. There are power windows, but amenities like radio and air conditioning are not included, and it rides on 15-inch wheels. Our pick is the LX, which adds cruise control, power door locks and mirrors, an AM/FM radio with a CD player and four speakers, 16-inch wheels with covers, a folding rear seat, air conditioning, and remote entry. (The LX Coupe has a six-speaker audio system.)
for foodies who want the luxury features of a more expensive car but can’t afford the gas bills, the ex has alloy wheels, steering wheel audio controls, a one-touch power moonroof, and remote activation. voice available. Navigation system including xm satellite radio. The EX-L loads it up even more with leather-trimmed heated seats and heated outside mirrors. Fully loaded, an EX-L coupe can break the $24,000 mark, pretty expensive for this class of car. For the fun-loving, buy a sedan or coupe if for a reasonable price of $22,000.
security
The Civic is fairly well equipped with standard safety features, including front, front side and curtain airbags on all models, along with four-wheel anti-lock brakes. However, a stability control system with traction control is only fitted to the Si models, which is a disappointment.
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