Ever since my brother bought a new 1988 Honda Accord LXi, I have been in love with this Japanese auto maker. Their innovation and simplicity have allowed them to build excellent cars at reasonable prices. In addition to their great styling, cars in similar categories can't match their performance. These are just a few of the reasons I bought my 2000 Civic EX.
To this day I vow to never buy an American car, and I hope to buy only Honda's in the future. The Civic, in my opinion, is the best coupe available under $20k. I have only had it for about 4 months, but i can complain about nothing. The performance is excellent, with SOHC VTEC engine rated at 127 hp. Because the VTEC really kicks in at high RPM's, I wouldn't recommend the automatic. I test drove both, and found the 5 speed much peppier (the transmission I ultimately went with).
The Ex coupe is full of convenience features, such as standard sunroof and power everything. My favorite was the radio configuration, which includes six speakers. It sounds awesome with no modification necessary.
The only thing I had to buy extra were the floor mats, and I would definitely suggest getting the Honda brand. I also added a spoiler, but I did so aftermarket (a lot cheaper).
All and all, this is an excellent car that I would recommend for anyone. It is certainly a stylish way to get around