Jason on Cars

To most auto enthusiasts, the phrase “Honda Civic” would only equate to the most boring old doldrums of a car experience (except maybe the Tuner Audience). And I remember years ago when both my sister and a good friend both had early �90s models; I couldn�t imagine a more underpowered, boring, run-of-the-mill car. And to top it all off, they just kept running, so you never even had the excitement of a breakdown or a fantastic repair bill. There was little to be excited by and less to be shocked by.

I would like to introduce a new Honda Civic. In fact, Honda nailed it giving this the label of, �The All New Honda Civic.�

I�ve heard a lot of talk about the new cars, and was not that excited about what I was hearing. Yet when I grabbed the keys and headed out, I found myself pleasantly surprised a few different times.

To waste no time, my favorite part of this car is the cockpit. The Civic very obviously has taken a few styling cues from the ever-popular Toyota Prius, and there is a very futuristic feel right off the bat. The steering wheel is a touch smaller than most, and has some sort of rubber wrapping; however, I found I really liked the size and tactile feel of the wheel, and it seemed very appropriate for the car without feeling cheap. (keep in mind I�m not expecting the same experience as an $80,000 Jaguar, I�m comparing this to similarly priced models). It has height adjustable steering and enough seat position options I was able to put myself in the exact position I wanted, something that I can�t always say even in $50,000 dollar cars. It also had plenty of room inside and my longer legs never felt cramped.

Glancing over the steering wheel you see what I consider to be the biggest shift from an older Civic, or any older Honda for that matter. The dash holds the tachometer in the normal place, but the speedometer, gas gauge and temperature gauges all sit just below the windshield much closer to your line of sight. By not having to look down between the steering wheel to see speed, I was able to better monitor my speed without having to move my hand, which is always positioned at the 12 o�clock position. Obviously, Corvettes and Cadillacs as well as a few other manufacturers have been offering heads up displays for several years now, and the Prius has a similar positioned speedometer, I was very excited to see Honda making such a bold statement with their entry level Civic. I firmly agree in the positioning, and I think it will be a perfect showcase item to show the forward thinking that went into the rest of the car�s design.

It has also made other small adjustments in placing several small cubby holes and spots to stash things like a wallet, sunglasses, cell phone or whatever was in your pocket, and has an audio in line right next to the stereo for plugging your iPod right into the dash with a line-in cable. It�s also conveniently located next to a power plug, and another rubber covered platform perfect for setting the mp3 player in. I applaud this simple inclusion that makes such a big difference for a small dime.

The outside is equally forward thinking, and even Prius influenced. The body chooses one simple arch and follows the line slowly and accurately. I had the four-door and it was a very simple, aerodynamic shape that wasn�t necessarily exciting, but certainly not offensive. Also the 16� wheels were a welcome upgrade from the anemic wheels that have been stock on civics for so many years.

The driving experience was slightly peppier than I remember previous year�s models, yet certainly not impressive from a true performance standpoint. It was quick handling, also improved from previous years, and smoother shifting. Whether or not it will continue to be a hit with the tuner crowds I can�t say, but I can definitely say that it will continue to be a great choice for girls leaving the nest for college. It handled freeway speeds without exception, yet didn�t pass without a bit of preparation. For a Honda, it was very quiet inside, which I really appreciated.

From a purely practical standpoint, it has great visibility, as I�ve come to expect in Hondas. It also had very simple controls. I felt it did a nice job of balancing simplicity with elegance to allow you to quickly adjust your temperature and stereo volume without seeing an ugly, poorly designed slider bar with blue and red bars. It also had the largest windshield wipers I�ve seen, which did a great job in the midst of a typical Oregon rainstorm.

Overall, I liked this car. $20,000 and 30-mpg city/40-mpg hwy make it an attractive option. Include the fact that it wasn�t a bear to drive, nor anemically powered for the mileage and it gets even more attractive. Top it off with an intelligent interior, forward thinking features, and a history of being one-of-the-easiest-to-work-on-in-the-rare-occasion-it-breaks-down-type-of-car, and you have a pretty good car for not a lot of money. 4 Stars.