The Honda Civic has a long history of offering better quality and reliability than most of its competitors, but when it comes to performance and styling the non-Si Civic has always taken a back seat to its competition. For 2006 Honda has given its Civic more than just a facelift, providing an entirely new car with not so modest improvements.

Styling:

Minus the funky looking 2002-2005 Civic Si, Honda has always played it safe with the Civic's styling; never being the least bit exciting nor dramatic. The redesigned Honda Civic Coupe and sedan may not be the most thrilling designs on the market, however the 2006 Civic's new sheetmetal (especially the Coupe's) provides a sportier and more upscale appearance than any of its predecessors.

What's under the hood?

Honda didn't just made the Civic Coupe easier on the eyes, they have also given its base powertrain some much-needed pizzazz. All time levels (EX, DX, and LX) for '06 get a larger SOHC 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 140 horses (25 more ponies than last year's base 1.7-liter engine). Transmissions include a 5-speed manual gearbox as standard equipment or a new 5-speed automatic ($800). Note The '06 Civic is available in either a coupe or sedan body style; no hatchback will be available this year.


Driving Impressions: 2-door Coupe LX (5-speed manual and 5-speed auto)

When I purchased my 2004 Civic LX and later my 2004 EX Coupe, the only significant complaints I had with them was their somewhat lackadaisical performance. My '04 LX and EX Coupes weren't slugs by any means, but they certainly couldn't hold a candle to the acceleration offered from the base Mazda3, the Focus ST, or even the base model Chevy Cavalier. While not quite as quick as the S trim Mazda3, the '06 Civic has no problem keeping up with its competition. The Civic Coupe has put on some performance hampering weight this year, however its new i-Vtec 1.8-liter 4-cylinder does a much better job moving its mass than last year's 1.7-liter.

The Civic's engine has increased in size, but at 1.8 liters it's still one of the smallest engines in its class. Like all Civic's I have driven, it will take some revving to get into the new 1.8-liter's sweet spot. However, this year the driver gets rewarded with a much stronger punch from 4,000-6,800 RPM.

If you are upgrading from a Cobalt or a Mazda3s, the '06 Civic might feel just a bit sluggish off-the-line due to a not so impressive 128lb-ft of torque, though the Civic's engine is very quick to rev and has no problem merging into or keeping up with fast paced traffic.

Another notable feature of the Civic's new engine is its high levels of refinement. Similar to last year's 1.7-liter, the Civic's 1.8 remains smooth from idle all the way to its 6,800 RPM redline.

These mini powerplants Honda has used in its Civic over the past three decades have always been one of its downfalls when driving over steep terrain; not the case this year. This year the Civic (when equipped with the 5-speed manual gearbox) has no problem tacking steep hills in top gear. The automatic transmission, on the other hand, wasn't nearly as happy to perform hill-climbing tasks. These hill climbing woes didn't occur because the engine lacked power, it was the auto transmission; it simply felt like it could never find the right gear. When tacking steep hills, manually downshifting the auto shift lever from D to D3 was pretty much the only way I could get this transmission to behave (not exactly a common occurance from a Honda product).

One thing I adored about my '04 Civic LX and my '04 EX Coupe was how smooth they were on the highway; so much smoother than your typical econobox. Like my '04 Civic, the '06 Civic LX's suspension is firm, however not so firm as to give an overly harsh ride. Large potholes and road imperfections can slightly be felt in the cabin, though no more so than what I experienced with my '04 LX/EX, the 2006 Corolla, or the 2006 Mazda3s. Engine noise is also kept isolated from the cabin..

Overall, the 5-speed equipped LX Coupe is extremely smooth on the highway, keeping its calm even at speeds upwards of 80 MPH. The automatic could use some work, however. When driving on the highway the auto transmission seemed to downshift from 5th to 4th repeatedly for absolutely no reason. An auto transmission that hunts this much for the right gear is very uncharacteristic of a Honda product. I am hoping this problem was isolated to my test car. The 5-speed manual, on the other hand, is a fine transmission; offering adequately short throws for quick shifting, smooth engagement, and overall seamless operation.

The '06 Civic LX Coupe not only offers improved acceleration, but it's also better at tacking tiwsty roads. Much like my experience with the Mazda3s, the Civic Coupe feels much more nimble than most cars in this class. With precise steering, very little body lean in harsh turns, and good grip from its standard P205/55R16s (15" wheels were standard on last year's LX) the Civic Coupe LX feels more like a small sports cars than the sub $20,000 economy car that it is.

Though the Civic has put on nearly 200lbs and is now equipped with a slightly larger engine pumping out 25 more ponies, it doesn't sacrifice fuel economy. With an EPA of 30/38 (30/40 quoted at dealerships) the 2006 Civic receives just as good fuel numbers as last year’s weaker LX and EX and is one of the most powerful non-hybrid cars on the market to receive an EPA rating better than 36 MPG. If you are looking for even better fuel numbers, you may want to check out the all-new Civic Hybrid, which boasts more power this year and an EPA rating of 50/50. Honda claims that the new fuel numbers for the Hybrid are real world numbers that can “really” be accomplished.

Interior Accommodation:

The Civic has always offered the Creme de la Creme of small car interiors, at least when it came to quality. Interior styling, however, has always been a bit drab; until now. Honda has given the Civic’s interior some much-needed style. To start, Honda has given its dash fascia a complete makeover that not only offers functionality but also the style that the Civic’s interior has been lacking since its introduction in 1973.

The most dramatic change in the 2006 Civic’s interior is its new high-tech instrument cluster. Instead of giving the Civic a single instrument cluster, Honda has given its new Civic a bi-level cluster. The bottom cluster offers an analog tachometer and the top offers a digital speedometer along with an engine temp gauge and a fuel gauge. While this new cluster looks cool, I prefer last year's boring cluster, as it was easier to read. All in all, the Civic Coupe's interior is well organized; all of its switchgear is logically placed and is in easy reach of the driver.

The front bucket seats in my 2004 Civic Coupe were ok, but certainly didn’t offer the type of seats needed for aggressive driving. The '06 Civic Coupe’s seats have received dramatically improved bolsters; offering great upper and lower body support for aggressive driving. Also, thanks to a multi adjustable driver’s seat, I found that finding a good driving position was never a problem.

The Civic LX Coupe's exterior dimensions are a little bit bigger than last year, but from the interior I couldn’t notice an improvement. In fact, interior space (especially in the back) seemed slightly less than what I remember it being in my '04 LX Coupe. Still, being 5'6", I had no problems getting comfy in this little 5-seater coupe. Stowage space remains adequate this year, but certainly could be better. The trunk has a narrow entrance, which pretty much limits its cargo capacity to groceries and small items.

As you would expect with a Honda product, the new Civic Coupe LX is equipped with a generous amount of standard amenities. Standard with the LX trim comes air conditioning, power windows/locks, tilt steering, 6 air bags (only 2 were standard last year), a decent sounding 160 watt single CD player with 6 speakers (only 4 came standard last year), cruise control, a 12 volt power outlet, cup holders, and much more. If you would like to learn more about all that standard equipment and options for both the Civic Coupe and Sedan, check out www.hondacars.com.


Price/Warranty:

The Civic's upward mobility isn't just limited to its size, but also its always-increasing price tags. One should expect to pay anywhere between 500-1,000 dollars more for a Civic this year. The Civic Coupe LX (with the standard 5-speed manual gearbox) starts out just over $16,300 (about 900 dollars more than last year's LX Coupe). While 900 dollars is a hefty increase in price, the '06 Civic offers much more car than last year and is well worth the extra cash. If anything goes wrong with your '06 Civic, Honda offers 3 year/36,000 mile bumper to bumper coverage and an increased powertrain warranty to 5 year/60,000 miles.

Final Thoughts:

The Civic offers all the ingredients I want in a car; economy, performance, refinement, and great styling. With a starting sticker price of only $16,300 ($16,800 after destination) for LX trim, the Civic Coupe still represents an excellent value for the 2006 model year. If you are on the market for an economy car that offers much more than just basic transportation, I highly suggest taking a '06 Civic Coupe for a test drive.


Note: Want to check out another hot import? Check out my review on the new Scion xB



Thanks for reading.

Condition: New
Model Year: 2006
Model and Options: EX Auto