Reliable, Affordable Car
Written: May 03 '04 (Updated May 03 '04)
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Pros: Everything! Retains value, reliable, good gas mileage, safe, no tune-ups.
Cons: 2DR poses problem for a tall person trying to get into the back seat.
The Bottom Line: A reliable car year after year, and at a great price! Good crash-test ratings.
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| elzora's Full Review: 2004 Honda Civic |
Honda
We have owned a few Honda's in our lifetime, and have never been disappointed! When it came time for our 21 year old daughter to ditch her '95 Toyota Tercel and buy a new car, of course we steered her toward the Honda's.
Honda Civic
I must admit, the Civic we owned 10 years ago was ugly. The only thing good about it was the great gas mileage and reliability factor. We never really cared for the look of the Civic. Oh how times have changed. The new Civic is really smart looking - sleek and sporty.
When I mentioned Honda to my daughter, she immediately had a negative reaction, in fact she didn't even want to look at the Civic's. She had her heart set on either the Chevy Cavalier, Ford Mustang, or another Toyota.
Doing Your Homework
Our daughter learned a LOT about the process of car buying, it's a lot more than simply finding a car that looks cool (and that's what she was thinking about!)
In making our comparisons, we learned that the Chevy did not perform well in offset and side crash tests. This has always been a concern for me, especially with her driving a small car! The Mustang is wheel rear drive and not a good choice for driving in snow (although it took her boyfriend to convince her of this fact!), and the Toyota's were way out of her price range. Our local Toyota dealer is very proud of his cars, both new and used.
Why We Chose Honda
First, let me say we have always relied upon Consumer Reports for advice on car purchases, and we have never been steered wrong. I paid $4.95 for a one month online subscription, and had instant access to their car reports, the best $4.95 we ever spent.
The Honda Civic was rated #1 on their "Reliability By Category" page, as well as being listed as a "CR Best Bet", and one of their "Recommended Cars" (both new and used). A deciding factor for us was the fact that the Honda Civic had good crash test results, along with duel front and side airbags.
2004 Honda Civic 2DR HX Coupe
*TECHNICAL FEATURES*
* 117 Horsepower
* VTEC-E Lean Burn 4 Cylinder Engine
* Ultra Low Emissions
* Continuously Variable Transmission
* Front Disc Brakes
* Power Steering
* 110K Miles - No Scheduled Tune-Ups!
*SAFETY FEATURES*
* Driver's and Front Passenger's Air Bags
* Driver's and Passenger's Side Air Bags
* Emergency Lighted Trunk Opener
* Front and Rear Crumple Zones
* Side Impact Door Beams
* Immobilizer Anti-Theft System
*INTERIOR FEATURES*
* AM/FM/CD Stereo with Anti-Theft and Four Speakers
* Cruise Control
* Power Door Locks
* Tachometer
* 60/40 Split Fold Down Rear Seatback with Lock
* Intermittent Windshield Wipers
*EXTERIOR FEATURES*
* 14" x 5" Lightweight Alloy Wheels
* Dual Power Door Mirrors
* Rear Window Defroster with Timer
She Loves It!
When driving this car home from the dealer, my daughter said "thanks for making me look at the Honda's!". We had gone to almost every car dealer in town, and considered cars similar to the Honda Civic; the Toyota Corolla, Saturn Ion, Subaru Impreza, Chevy Cavalier, and Ford Focus. We considered these factors: safety, gas mileage, reliability histories, interest rates, insurance rates, and price. The Honda came out ahead in every area, it was a no brainer! No matter how many cars we looked at, she kept saying that she loved the look of the silver 2 door coupe Honda.
Driving Experience
I have had the opportunity to drive this car, and to ride as a passenger in both the front and back seat. We have a deluxe Nissan Maxima, and when evaluating this car I have to remind myself it is a small compact car, and compare it to other small compact cars we have owned.
Even with the 4 cylinder engine, this car does not lack punch. It handled hills just fine, and the steering is precise and responsive. The seating is comfortable, but because the ride is firm, you will feel the bumps (especially in the back seat). I think all compact cars are like this, although our 1993 Subaru Impreza seemed to handle bumps a bit smoother.
I felt there was too much road noise, but my daughter said that her Toyota Tercel was not any less noisy. With the nice sound system in the car, the road noise is easily covered up. The engine purrs quietly while idling, and is not at all noisy when driving. In fact, with the Continuously Variable Transmission you won't feel the car shift (it does not shift to 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th like other cars do), so the transmission is smooth and quiet. Maneuverability is excellent! The car handles in a predictable manner and is stable and agile.
Interior
As I stated, the front seats are comfortable and give adequate support (even felt good on my bad back). I am only 5'2" and the leg room was fine ... a tall person may not be quite so comfortable however, (it is 41 inches). The seats are covered with a thick, plush fabric, and are sculpted on the sides. I find the interior very attractive, the dash is low and visibility is excellent. The speedometer/instrument panel is directly in front of the steering wheel (we hated the Saturn Ions positioning of their instruments, in the middle of the car that requires the driver to take his eyes off the road!). The instruments are easy to read and can be illuminated to your likeness. The ignition also has an illuminated ring for visibility at night.
There are two cup holders in the front, and one in the back, along with various other cubbies for storing small items. Both the driver and passenger doors contain the "map holder" slots. The floor carpeting seems plush for a cheaper car.
The back seat was comfortable as far as leg room goes, but again a taller person would be cramped. It would accomodate two adults, but three would be cramped. As I stated earlier, the ride in the back seat was not really pleasant, except on the highway. I felt every bump in the road. There are comfortable head rests in the front seats as well as the back seats.
The heat/defrost controls are easy to reach and to read, and the heater works great and heats up the car quickly on a chilly day. I was pleasantly surprised by the large trunk, and the folding rear seatbacks add even more space to the storage. (It follows through to the trunk). Consumer Reports comments that the trunk will hold "four suitcases and a weekend bag, or a folded wheelchair, with room left over".
Since it's a two door, a concern was how easy it was to get into the back seat. The print out listed "passenger side walk-in feature". Not sure what that means and we forgot to ask the salesman. The front seat moves back very easily and gives a normal sized person a good sized opening to enter into the back seating area. A tall person would really have to duck his head to avoid hitting it on the hood. Once seated in the back, there is also a foot lever to push that forces the front seat forward for when you want to exit the car. Really, it's no different than any other two door cars I've been in.
Reliability
The Honda Civic has been a reliable car year after year. It has Consumer Report's highest rating (excellent) in every category except body hardware, and that was rated very good.
As for safety, (what we consider one of the most important factors), the Civic tested excellent in both the driver and passenger front-crash test, and very good in driver and passenger side-crash tests. It rated good in the offset crash test.
Other Ratings for the Civic
In doing some online research, I found the Civic rated well not only by Consumer Reports, but by Edmunds.com and Intellichoice.com as well. Here is what they had to say about the Civic HX:
* Best overall value of the year - excellent value rating
* #1 for highest retained value
* #1 for lowest depreciation
* Among lowest fuel costs in its class
* #1 for lowest ownership cost
Maintenance/Costs
The Civic is not hard to maintain. It's oil changes are needed every 5000 miles (not the standard 3000 miles we are all used to). It won't need a scheduled tune-up until it has reached 110,000 miles! The air filter should be changed every year, but can be done yourself and is very inexpensive.
The car has lightweight alloy wheels, and it's emissions are so low they equal that of the Hybrid Civic (runs on both gas and electric). The estimated miles per gallon are between 29 in the city and 46 on the highway! With gas prices escallating every time we turn around, this is going to save my daughter a bundle on gas.
She financed this car through Honda, who had a offer for 2.9% financing. The next best we found was 4.8% at our local credit union. This made her payments very affordable.
Warranty
3 years or 36,000 miles bumper to bumper. Since our daughter puts so many miles on her car between her job and college, she opted to purchase the extended warranty for $1500. It gives her coverage for 7 years or 100,000 miles, with no deductible. It also covers 24 hour roadside assistance, a replacement rental car if needed, and other perks. The warranty is transferrable if she sells the car.
Final Thoughts
This is a nice car! We paid $500 above dealer invoice, and the dealer gave her three free oil changes and $50 credit to spend in their accessories department, simply because we were repeat buyers. I don't worry about her getting stranded somewhere, I know she has a reliable car, as well as being one of the safest small cars on the market.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 14,700
Condition: New
Model Year: 2004
Model and Options: HX Automatic
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