Manual Transmision

2006 Honda Civic EX Review

If your local station ever has to hang out a $4-a-gallon sign again, theres hope for those of us who love to drive and doubly love a good-looking car as their preferred means of transportation.
For 2006, Honda gave the Civic a soup-to-nuts makeover in an effort to heighten its appeal to its key customers -- the young. We think theyve succeeded in spades.

While many younger buyers will opt for the performance-oriented Si model, those who have a need to put people in the back seat will be looking at our test car, the four-door sedan



First Glance

The previous generation of Civic had quietly settled into maturity, with conventional lines and an elegant shape. For 2006, Honda has taken a sharp pen to the design, especially in the front end. Hood slope has been increased dramatically, almost to mini-van shape, in the interest of aerodynamics. Its almost a straight line from the tip of the grille to the top of the roof, so steep is the slope of the hood and windshield. You could use your Civic as a wedge to keep a heavy door open.

The rear of the car is more conventional, with a high, flat trunk lid to maximize space. Big, organically shaped taillights are great for visibility. The overall look is modern, maybe a little futuristic. If you squint real hard, the profile of the Civic Sedan is reminiscent of the Mercedes CLK Sedan in miniature. 16" x 6.5" alloy wheels are standard on the EX, and theyre a big visual improvement over the narrow 15" steel wheels you used to find on Civics.

Fit and finish are fantastic, the Honda hallmark of quality. Youll find deep, lustrous paint, tight, even seams and gaps, and solid build quality all around the Civic. Theres nothing cheap or chintzy about the Civic Sedan. So wheres the sacrifice? It must be hiding inside the car.

Interior

If the 2006 Civics exterior is new, the 06s interior borders on shocking. First impression of the instrument arrangement is of a video game. Controls are for the most part where they should be, but not necessarily as they should be. Theres little symmetry in organization or shape of features and interfaces. Its not an unpleasant look, but one that requires some acclimation. Ironically, perhaps, the interiors are indistinguishable across the full line, with only minor differences necessitated by the different powertrains.

Splayed across the top of the seemingly unending dash in front of the driver is a hooded opening with a digital speedometer between LCD coolant temperature and fuel level gauges. Down below, in the more common place for the instrument panel, in the half circle formed by the top half of the steering wheel, that is, theres a large, round, analog tachometer. To each side of this lower IP are large, irregular vent registers. Centered in the dash above the climate control panel is either an LCD window combining the navigation display and audio settings and, in the Hybrid, a selection of graphic depictions of the hybrid systems functions and status or a stereo control head with the pertinent accoutrements. To the right of this squished pod-like arrangement, the dash curves away from the front seat passenger and houses two, more horizontally oriented vent registers, again neither of which matches the other. A wide, but not especially deep glove box rests below a cabin-wide, clam shell-like notch dividing the upper and lower halves of the dash.

There is no center stack to speak of tying together the dash and the drive tunnel. Below the climate control panel is a shallow storage bin with a power point and an audio input jack on the left side. Forward of the metallic-trimmed block of plastic serving as a base for the hand brake and shift levers is a good-sized, rectangular storage bin. Another, shallow cubby is tucked in between the shift lever housing and a pair of seat bottom-level cup holders under a sliding cover. Aft of this is an abbreviated, padded armrest covering another storage bin, inside of which is a second power point. Each door has a hard plastic map pocket. A magazine pouch is on the rear of the front passenger seatback. Architecturally busy interior door panels could be friendlier to fingers in terms of grips and pulls, but armrests provide good support at the right level.

The trunk is fully finished, although Honda blew a perfect chance to make points with owners in slushy snowbelt states by neglecting to mold an inside pull-down into the lining under the trunk lid. A thoughtful touch is a spare tire well large enough to hold the full-size tire the compact spare will replace temporarily in the event of a flat.

The 2006 Civic siblings are easily competitive with other cars in their classes when it comes to interior room. Oddly, however, despite adding more than three inches to the sedans wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear tires) and more than in inch in overall length vis-a-vis the 2005, front seat leg room is the same and rear seat leg room is actually less, by more than in inch, in the 2006. Hip room does increase in the 06, however, by almost half an inch in front and by more than in inch in the rear. Almost oversize rear doors provide easy rear seat access. Cargo space, again oddly, drops by almost a cubic foot and trails the class leaders by a couple cubic feet; the Hybrid gives up another 1.6 cubic feet to battery and such. The coupes wheelbase grows by more than an inch over the 2005, from 103.1 inches to 104.3, and loses about half an inch in overall length, to 174.8 from 175.4 inches, with much the same result for occupants. As in, theres about the same front seat leg room and less rear seat leg room, by almost three inches, but more hip room by around three inches front and rear.

Fit and finish meet Honda standards. Plastic trim elements look high grade, although the multi-piece dash invites concern about high-mileage squeaks and buzzes. Seats are comfortable, not plush. The fabric upholstery feels durable and its robust nap assists the modest side and seat bottom bolsters in restraining occupants during spirited motoring. Seat bottoms provide better than average thigh support. Head restraints adjust at all five seating positions. The manual height adjustment on the drivers seat pivots on front hinges, thus forcing drivers to choose between seat height and legroom.

The view out the front of the new Civics, with the expansive windshield, low cowl and sloping hood, is unparalleled in the class. A commensurately low beltline would enhance side vision, but theres little about which to complain. Tiny front quarter windows necessary to allow the front door windows to roll all the way down push the side view mirrors a bit too far rearward for quick and easy glances at neighboring lanes. The coupes smaller C-pillar yields better rear quarter vision than the sedans more substantial sail. Si drivers may rue the rear wing spoiler when they dont see the following car with the light bar on top until its too late.

Pros:
This car is an increadably good catch. The only thing I could possibly complain about is that I dont think that the gas mileage is as good as what Honda says it is. But this car has it all, a little more money that some of its closest competition, but with every cent.


Cons:
Again, the gas mileage could be slightly better, but thats no reason not to buy this car. This car may not be the best family car becuase of space limitations, but thats teh same with most cars in this catagory.


Overall Review:
Pros: Stylish Comfy ergonomically very well designed Best civic yet Cons: Not as fast as other cars Could be more roomy