The Best Budget Sedan For Most Automotive Tastes
Written: Jan 08 '04 (Updated Nov 30 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: High-quality feel, precise controls, effortless handling, roomy and comfortable interior, excellent reliability.
Cons: Weak-feeling engine, poor brake-pedal feel.
The Bottom Line: Luxury fans will prefer a Corolla, hard drivers will take a Mazda3. But it's the Civic that will please the most people, most of the time.
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| drive571's Full Review: 2003 Honda Civic 4 door |
My Experience
I test-drove a 2003 Honda Civic LX 5-speed sedan at a local dealership. My test drive lasted about half and hour and covered city streets, winding secondary roads, and the freeway.
Performance
There aren't many weak spots in the Civic's driving experience, but the engine is one of them. It's a smooth and quiet device, with noise and vibration levels far lower than you'd expect in this class, but it feels gutless underfoot. Acceleration was smooth and eager enough in moderate city driving, but when I jabbed the gas on freeway on-ramps, it didn't deliver the prompt response I had expected. The reason for this is that the Civic's engine makes all its power in the upper reaches of the rev range, so throttle response falls flat in the 2000-4000rpm spread where most of us do our daily driving. On hilly roads, I had to shift frequently to get the most out of this engine. Still, I suppose Honda made a good choice with this engine--it's not especially quick, but it was so quiet and vibrationless that I really couldn't tell if the car was still on at idle, and most economy-car buyers will appreciate that more than all-out speed.
Transmission/Clutch
The Civic's relatively weak engine may require a lot of gearchanges, but the smooth, low-effort shifter makes this an easy, even enjoyable task. No other shifter in the budget-sedan class is this easy to use--if this is a first car and you want to learn how to drive stick, this is the perfect car for the job. On my test drive, the Civic's shifter glided from gear to gear with fingertip effort and excellent precision. It didn't have the direct, connected feel that marks the most satisfying sports-car shifters, but that's just me being picky about shift action--unless you're a real stickler, you'll love the way the Civic makes changing gears a thoughtless exercise. The only point of criticism is the clutch--while it's light and takes up extremely smoothly, its long throw makes your left foot go through big up-and-down motions when you change gears.
Steering/Handling
The Civic is one of those cars where you forget that you're driving after ten minutes because everything feels so natural. On my test drive, this car felt familiar, effortlessly accurate, and easy to drive. It was a bit softer and lighter to the touch than sports-minded drivers like myself would prefer, but I imagine most people would find it a pleasant compromise between agility and comfort. The steering was a bit low in effort, but it guided the car with commendable smoothness and precision. Its firm on-center feel also gave the Civic arrow-straight tracking on the freeway, with little need for corrections. When I pushed the Civic hard on winding roads, handling didn't feel especially nimble--there was too much body lean for that--but it always felt composed and secure, with safe amounts of tire grip in reserve. My only real gripe had to do with the brakes. While stopping power was plenty strong, the brake pedal felt stiff and numb underfoot, which made smooth stops difficult and reduced my confidence level in hard stops, where you need to be able to feel how much braking power is left before the wheels lock up.
Ride
One of my favorite aspects of the Civic was its ride quality, and that's saying a lot considering that ride comfort isn't one of my highest priorities. With this car, Honda has found a way to allow its suspension to smother bumps effortlessly, while still keeping the driver in touch with the road. I don't like feeling isolated from the road surface, and the Civic gave me just enough information about the state of the pavement beneath, without ever becoming intrusive or harsh. Ride motions were firmly controlled, so large bumps and dips were absorbed quickly, instead of setting the body to bouncing or floating. I would have preferred even a bit more stiffness in the suspension, but most buyers should be thrilled with the Civic's well-balanced ride quality.
Interior
This area was also one of my favorite aspects of the Civic experience. I had test-driven a Dodge Neon right before the Honda Civic, and stepping out of that car and into the Civic made me feel like breathing a sigh of relief. This is one of those cars that makes you feel instantly comfortable and at home, as if it's been your daily driver for years. The driving position is nearly perfect--upright, but relaxed and comfortable--and the seats offer excellent support. Thin pillars and a low dashboard give you an expansive, unobstructed view forward. On my test drive, I especially appreciated the simple dashboard design--stylish, but not overstyled--which let me concentrate on the road ahead. All the controls were right where I expected them to be, and they felt rich and expensive to the touch. This interior has a sense of purpose to it--it's pleasantly rich and classy, with superb materials quality, but it never distracts you from the business of driving.
Practicality
No complaints here, either. The Civic had lots of room inside, for both front and rear passengers. I found the seats firm and supportive, but with just enough softness to make them feel plush on short trips. The trunk was fairly expansive for this class of car, and the split-folding rear seat--a boon to musicians like myself, who regularly carry large, bulky instrument cases--increased utility and cargo flexibility. Now, if they'd only import the five-door wagon version sold in Europe and Japan...
Reliability
Here's one area that you probably didn't even need to read to know the answer. It's common knowledge that the Civic is a near-bulletproof little car, earning Consumer Reports' Better-Than-Average reliability rating for years upon years. Odds are you won't run into mechanical trouble in this car.
Overall
The Civic didn't bowl me over personally, because of its lack of sporty reflexes and engine power. But I'm picky, and I expect most buyers to be seriously impressed with this car. For most people, it just doesn't get any better than a vehicle so easy and effortless that you forget you're driving after ten minutes behind the wheel. Just as a side note, if your tastes do happen to run towards the extreme edges of the sport/luxury continuum, check out the Mazda3 or the Toyota Corolla, which offer a stronger emphasis on sportiness and comfort, respectively. But you really can't go wrong here--the Civic might be a plain-vanilla car, but it's really great vanilla.
Feel free to check out my reviews of some of the Civic's competitors:
Chevrolet Cavalier
Dodge Neon
Hyundai Elantra
Kia Spectra
2004.5 Kia Spectra
Mazda 3
Mitsubishi Lancer
Nissan Sentra
Saturn Ion
Suzuki Aerio
Suzuki Forenza
Suzuki Reno
Toyota Corolla
Volkswagen Golf
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): $15,360
Model Year: 2004
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Epinions.com ID:
drive571
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Member: P.J. McCombs
Location: Berkeley, California
Reviews written: 138
Trusted by: 70 members
About Me:
New baby at home: a 1999 Mazda Miata in British Racing Green!
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