I drove a 2000 Honda Civic DX as a rental car when my car was in for maintenance. When the Civic pulled up, I wasn't necessarily thrilled to be driving it. I knew the car was reliable, and I've only heard good things about them, however I am one who generally doesn't go with what everyone says, so I was skeptical about the car until I became acquainted with it.

Here's my usual breakdown for a car review:

The DRIVE: The Honda Civic is an economy car that really doesn't want to be known as one in nearly every respect. The car accelerates very smoothly, and corners exceedingly well. I took 90 degree turns in this car at fairly high speeds to see where the car loses grip, and it would only start to skid at unsafely high speeds. The brakes on this car are also very strong, bringing it to a hault with very little hesitation. The little 1.6L, 106 horsepower engine is actually quite peppy, and the automatic transmission shifted smoothly. (I personally always prefer manual transmissions to automatics, but this automatic does well.) I took this car for a little drive through a mountainous road, and it took the curves with ease, but it could've used a little more power when going up hill. On the freeway, the car has more than enough passing power. Overall, this little econo car handles superbly, and with a bit more punch under the hood, would be a lot of fun to drive.

INTERIOR: I was thoroughly amazed by the interior of this car, not by the looks, but by the craftsmanship of it. The material used to line the dash felt like material used in far more expensive automobiles, and the climate control dials turned very smoothly and precisely. The radio was of standard size, which I find to be a good feature since it can be easily replaced by an aftermarket stereo, if the desire exists, however the stock radio and speakers produced music of astonishingly high quality in a car of this class. The seats were very comfortable, and quite supportive, and even the trunk was very roomy. I don't especially love the way the interior looks. In other words, I don't think it's necessarily exceedingly aesthetically pleasing, however it's highly functional, and very well put together.

EXTERIOR: The Civic sedan looks like a little sedan. It really isn't exceedingly unique or marvelous, in fact, I think it's somewhat bland, however it's not complaint-worthy, just not very praise-worthy either. I do think the coupe is quite sporty looking, and that is where the Civic model *looks* best.

RELIABILITY: Hondas have always been known to be very reliable cars, and it looks as though the 2000 Civic will continue the trend. The overall build quality looks very impressive, and it seems as though the car will last for many years.

In General: I would recommend this car to anyone who needs a functional, practical, economical, and reliable car. In terms of its class, I think the Civic is the best car you can get. I definately recommend it.
Amount Paid (US$): 15000
Model Year: 2000
Model and Options: DX