I heard it many times in reference to icons like the E-Type and the Miura on the British car shows I watched as a child: just imagine how it would’ve been seeing one when they were new. At the time, you had an idea of how a car looked, often like an Austin A40 or a Humber, when all of a sudden one of these new designs would roll up, looking like a prop from a Sci-Fi flick. You almost half expected an astronaut to step out. I experienced something similar, although in a much more commonplace package.
You can make a very solid case that to succeed in the most important segments requires car manufacturers to try and be as inoffensive as possible. Cars like the Toyota Corolla and the Honda CR-V can base their success and repeat buyers on such a principle. People who bought their first Corolla back in 1978 simply stroll to a Toyota dealer every six years or so to pick up another one unless they feel especially adventurous, in which case they’ll step up to a Camry or a RAV4. It works for manufacturers, as they can keep on the conservative side on design and powertrains and let their brand reputation do the rest. It also works for consumers who can be completely sure of what they’re getting come purchase time. It’d take a lot of guts to just ditch a proven formula and invest in a revolutionary design, because of the risk in sending your customer base running to any number of less challenging rivals. Yet that’s exactly what Honda did when launching the eighth-generation Civic.
The seventh-generation Civic was as traditional as traditional cars come. Design-wise, it was an evolution of its already timid predecessor. Not even the ricer crowd gives it much attention outside the Type-R hatchback, which was unavailable in North America. It was mechanically quite competitive and sold like hotcakes, but if I were a betting man I’d say there were several meetings in Japan about how they had been far too cautious and needed the following model to make a stronger impression.
And so the 2006 Civic was launched. The moment I saw one I was struck. With squinty eyes, a narrow grille, a clean and glassy side profile and Kamm-like tail, it was a very unique sedan in its segment. The impression it gave me was not unlike those described by the reviewers when discussing other landmark designs. The hybrid model, as driven by our very own Jim Klein, most exemplified the aero-futurist ethos of the new design with wind-cheating machined alloys and a subtle deckled spoiler. You may think I’m being far too romantic about these cars; surely, a mere Civic is not really worthy of the grand comparisons I’ve been making. But let’s not forget that at the time of its release the average car in its class looked like this…
…and had interiors like this.
By comparison, with its sleek shape and that two-tier dashboard, the new Civic had a distinct flying saucer vibe. I’ll admit that the 1.8-liter engine mated to a five-speed automatic was not particularly ground breaking, but considering all the risks taken in this car’s design, it’s completely understandable that there couldn’t be anything challenging about its mechanical operation and with an always likable Honda four, you could certainly have done worse.
Honda’s ambition paid off, with the Civic winning selling no fewer than 259,000 units per year during its tenure and maintaining its reputation as a fresh and modern, but always safe, choice. Honda must have decided that it spent enough money on the 2006, however, and that there was no need to be as enthusiastic in creating its ninth-generation successor.
The results were a disaster; when the 2012 model was released, the compact segment had moved towards better things, with competitors ready to take the newcomer head-on and beat it to an oily pulp. Direct injection engines, dual-clutch transmissions and even mainstream acceptance of hatchbacks presented Honda with a new reality. No longer could the Civic claim to be more efficient than the Impreza or Mazda 3, and the days in which the Cobalt was GM’s stiffest competition were over. Commercially, the consequences were few but the redesigned car was a critical failure. It was uncompetitive to the point Consumer Reports took the Civic off of their recommended list despite proven reliability and top-notch safety
Honda scampered back to the workshop and did a quite thorough refresh on a car that hadn’t even been on the market for a full year, slapping on some soft touch surfaces in the interior, stuffing in some sound insulation and refining the most glaring deficiencies in chassis tuning, but there was only so much improvement to be made. Luckily, the Civic is enjoying the same sales success its predecessor could count on, but this time it’s been achieved without a hint of verve or sass and in the process, creating an entirely new kind of Honda: an also-ran. Will the next Civic rectify these shortcomings, or will Honda be content to let one of its best nameplates go stale? While the current Accord has marked a return to form, the latest Fit doesn’t give much reason to be hopeful and if Honda is lazy, the eighth-generation car may be remembered as the last truly competitive Civic.
when I first saw this generation of Civic, my first thought was to congratulate Honda on discovering “cab forward” design 10 years after Chrysler did it.
Me too. Oh look. It’s the third generation Neon if Chrysler kept with it!
If the spy photos of the next Civic posted on templeofvtec.com are any indication, the next Civic will be significantly changed, and much more “substantial” looking. Whether it will be a leap forward in other areas remains to be seen.
The 2012 did suffer some commercial consequences. Honda had to offer incentives equal to the outgoing model to maintain sales, which had been unheard-of for the first year of a new generation of Civic (or Accord). When the improved 2013 model debuted, the level of incentives needed to move the metal did drop considerably.
My wife traded in her 2000 Civic sedan for the much criticized 2012.
The good points: decent fuel economy, more zip than the old 2000 model (thanks to a larger engine), the usual reliability and dependability.
The bad: cheapo, decontented interior. Dashboard display tends to wash out in bright sunlight.
So it’s no wonder that the subsequent model years dressed up the dashboard trimmings a bit, which looks better.
Granted the wife’s needs are for a reliable set of wheels that is easy to manuever and park – and it fits the bill for her.
Great comments on this generation….I was always thought this model looked like a showcar that saw little modification into production….The almost seamless rake from the leading edge of the hood through the windshield and roof made every competitor already look 10 years old….A huge improvement from the extremely boring predecessor and the timid car after.
When the 3rd generation of Civic debuted I was quite surprised by the jump forward from the 2nd generation car. Styling was no longer “toad-like”, the suspension used torsion beams in front (the only Civic generation to use them) and the move towards a real performance model instead of a performance-looking model.
If you look back at all the previous Civic generations, GENERALLY the car evolves for 2 generations then takes a huge leap forward. I haven’t seen any preview pictures but expect the next model will lean towards the Accord with Fit overtones.
It’s unfortunate, but I think the Civic has coasted on it’s rep for far too long. I’m a current owner and have owned 2 others and an Integra. I might buy a used (obviously) 2006-2009 model….I do like the futuristic styling, but Honda is being outclassed by Ford. As a former Fiesta owner, Honda will need to go far DYNAMICALLY to best Ford.
You’re completely correct about both the patterns of the Civic’s evolution and its dynamic shortcomings next to Ford.
What Honda needs to understand with regard to chassis dynamics is that balance and suspension travel are very important. There are a lot of Hondas which have handled well and had good feel, but understeer to the bitter end and crash through over large imperfections. While the latter flaw has largely been exorcised, it’s come in combination with a soft, numb feel its predecessors lacked.
Small Mazdas, on the other hand, have never had those problems and small European Fords since the Contour and original Focus have been exemplars of fluidity, despite their other issues. Now that the horrific unreliability of most cars is a thing of the past, buying a car like the Civic because of its quality is no longer such a compelling option.
And instead of magnifying their cars’ unique attributes, Honda’s been busy watering down their character at the same time they’ve been addressing their more glaring criticisms. It all adds up to a mediocre product (the latest Fit is a good example).
That’s not to say they’re bad all around; engines are still smooth, and as a brand, they’ve managed to combine low curb weight and excellent crash test scores, which speaks to sound engineering. But where’s the sharp handling? What happened to the good ergonomics? What happened to the lean styling? Why is visibility so poor? As a lifelong Honda nut, it’s been a disappointing couple of years.
For me, the eighth gen Civic is a little too “avant garde” for me. And I’d gladly take that Hyundai Accent dashboard over the gimmicky two tiered ones in the Civic. I have yet to see anyone improve on a circular dial for instrumentation. Aesthetically, the 84 – ’87 Civic 3 door hatchback was a more significant step forward than the eighth gen. Compare its competition for 1984.
I actually like the current Fit.
With all of this though, it’s purely subjective, isn’t it?
At least we agree on the current Accord.
Well; the pictured Hyundai is an Elantra.
Finally I drive a relevant CC! I like the things in my life to be deliberately austere for maximum reliability, and this car has surpassed my expectations. It may not stir the soul, but its features were deliberately selected to be unbustable.
It’s a 2008 gray (gray-brown) 5-MT, non-Si Civic LX. Sometimes I see it for what it is…yes, it is an appliance. It is not terribly fast. The stereo is not good. Ride noise is loud. Compared to the Civics of lore, it might as well be a CUV. And it could really, really use a 6th gear.
But…nothing breaks. Ever. On the Si-s and the EX-Ls, stuff breaks. Oh sure, the sunvisors and the cruise control button and the weatherstripping, but nothing important breaks(edit – okay, I replaced the HVAC blower motor, $35, three screws). The gas mileage is worse than modern cars, but turbos fail and direct injection is more complex. I’ve had it for 7 years and it’s never gone to the shop for anything besides the usual consumables. It’s also not difficult for an amateur to service. It’s started every time. Every tank returned 30-33 mpg. Honda saw fit to give it a timing chain. If I wreck it, it probably won’t kill me in return. If it had the usefulness of a wagon body, I might never need to leave it. (Also, just for the record, I like the speedometer, it’s functionally better. Really.)
I don’t know how the automatics are holding up, but I have no doubts I can take this one to 2023/200,000 miles (through the baby zone), possibly on the original clutch. But will this car and I have fond shared stories by then? It’s unclear. It doesn’t have appealing character. It’s not a car that gets a ‘name.’ I like its still-futuristic styling (the 2006-2008 version, anyway), but it looks worse as it gradually gets dinged and beaten, not better. For that reason I don’t know if it will be a CC.
Forget class-action settlements; you can fix split sunvisors with 2 threaded pins (what are these properly called?) from a hardware store, there’s a YouTube video about it. Better than paying for new parts & waiting for them to fail again. I don’t understand how something this simple could get screwed up. My main gripe about my 2010 Civic is the crackling struts at low speed (factory said no fix) & the interior’s susceptibility to trim panel resonance, depending on ambient temperature.
Otherwise it drives great & has had no driveline issues at about 60Kmi. It’s pretty noisy on certain coarse roads, though.
I think I understand the 2-tier instruments: the digital part can easily be adapted to the Hybrid & CNG models, and the smallish steering wheel doesn’t have the sightlines for a full panel behind it. I sat in a VW Passat once & its instruments were partially clipped by the small wheel. Bad German Engineers, no beer for you!
Jumbo-sized binder clips also work (and have for years) 🙂
I wish that the steering ratio was tighter to match the promise of its tiny size. Every other car’s wheel (including my wife’s MINI) feels large in comparison.
I have a very similar car, but in 9th gen guise (5spd LX Sedan, 2012). And have very similar opinions on the car.
I was car shopping in 2012 with a $15k budget, and wanted something efficient and comfortable (I did a lot of long drives then to see my gf out in Indiana, I was in central NY at the time).
I bought my Civic as a one year old used local dealer trade in with 11k miles on it, an older woman traded it in on an identical car with an automatic, as her knee was going bad. Super clean, just one small scratch on the rear bumper.
I bought it despite all of the critical press, and have not been disappointed. Yes a Cruze is much quieter and more substantial feeling, but the Civic only weighs something like 2650lb to the Cruze’s 3100. In part because of that low curb weight, my plain jane stick shift gets me 39-40mpg per tank in summer commuting, no active shutters, DI, or other gimmicks involved. Just some (mostly) laid back driving.
The handling is definitely sloppier than the 8th gens with their 16 inch steel wheels and sharper tuning. In return, this is the first Civic with a genuinely supple ride (IMO). They may have revised that for the 2013s. But for commuting, I like the setup as is.
There’s still plenty of “Honda-ness” to be felt and seen, the R18 motor is a gem and the transmission is a joy to use. Traditionally low-effort controls and excellent ergonomics. The cabin feels midsize due to the minimal center console and low dash. Seats are actually very large, long and wide cushions, wide seatback to accommodate wide backs. I knock down 10 hour drives with ease.
I think of this Civic as somewhat the equivalent (size and performance wise) to the 94-97 generation Accord, with a cheaper interior but better fuel economy.
“but the Civic only weighs something like 2650lb”
The civic is the only useful contemporary car I can think of that has kept its weight down to a sensible level. My first car was a 1969 Chrysler Newport 2door with a 440 engine. That car was a BEHEMOTH with an engine 4 times the size of a civic, yet it weighed under 5000 lbs, If I remember correctly. It disgusts me to look at the weights of modern performance automobiles. Camaros, mustangs, etc, are grotesquely overweight and grotesquely over priced.
It’s 2023 did the civic make it?
BTW, the U.S. has never gotten ANY model of Honda as a Type R…even though I once read the Accord Type R for the 94-97 generation was built in the U.S. in both LHD AND RHD versions. However, we did get a hatchback Civic model for the 2002-2005 years that was almost up to the specs that the was the Type R that other markets received. It was imported from the U.K. and was considered to be a big disappointment after the previous generation Si model. It was heavy and worst of all….DOUBLE WISHBONES were no longer used for the front suspension, HERESY.
Type R ! Cult status ! Any Honda model that carried that badge.
The Civic Mk7 (below) was the first Civic Type R we had, but I’ve read that the Mk6 was already available as Type R in Japan. The Mk7 Type R had a 200 hp naturally aspirated 2 liter engine.
I didn’t like the Mk7 hatch then, and I don’t like it now. For some reason it’s always struck me as van-like. The sedan and coupe Mk7 were inoffensively bland, but the hatch was just odd-looking.
I recall looking at the 06 model when shopping for a car. The Civic was new, but lacked the kind of headroom we needed in the back seat for tall children. I also did not care for the digital speedo, which sort of walked away from the traditional businesslike Honda instrument cluster.
The 07 Fit (which had just gone on sale in the early summer of 06) took care of both of those issues, and saved us some money too.
I loathe (yes, loathe) the two tiered display in the newer Civics. And for someone my height (5’7″) the sight lines are lousy. Good choice on the Fit: would the real Honda please stand up?
I think it was intended to be trickle-down from the S2000, but it wasn’t a good idea there, either. It seems like there are cycles where as good as Honda’s usual instrument panels and controls (and when they’re good, they’re excellent — crisp, easy-to-read graphics, really good ergonomics, etc.), the designers start getting self-conscious about reviewer jackasses complaining that Honda interiors are “unimaginative” or lack flair. Then we get a cycle of weird avant-garde nonsense that mostly goes to demonstrate that Honda is not Citroën and should really not try to be.
My guess is the main reason the two-tiered layout remains on the current cars is that ditching it would have required a big investment in new dashboard molds and tooling that Honda deemed a comparatively low financial priority.
Well that and changing to a traditional gauge binnacle would force having to come up with a way to fill all the empty space on the upper dash. I think the dual-tier cluster was also conceived with an eye on reducing the sensation of driving a minivan imparted by the incredibly deep dash top (which I suspect was a consequence of adapting a monospace-like shape’s for its safety advantages).
My sister had a 2012 Civic sedan and the sight lines were flat out terrible. I drove it only a few times and was terribly let down each time, but as far as she was concerned, it wasn’t something she ever got used to (and at 5’6″, she’s slightly taller than the average woman). She felt she was never able to confidently place the car on the road and it truly felt like the interior was scaled for a larger species… and given the lightness of the controls, a particular weak larger species. Most modern cars suffer from this malady, but it’s shocking for a Honda to be one of the worst offenders. Inexcusable, actually.
As a Gen Z these comments are all hilariously shortsighted–most of my peers don’t even bother to read analog clocks anymore, ‘it’s just easier to check my phone’. ‘What do the arms even mean?’ ‘It just takes too long’ Like it or not, Gen 8 marked the changing of the guard in terms of generational ergonomics.
You say that like it’s something to be proud of. Ha!
More like you don’t know how to read an analogue clock so you have to check your phone. Whatever would you do without it? Could you even do anything without it?
The 2-tier dash is a gimmick for juveniles.
A car is a car. Not a plaything, not something cheap enough to be disposable.
There’s nothing shortsighted about any of these comments.
I owned a 2008 Si Coupe. Sure, the design worked okay, but it was ugly and it IS stupid.
Ah, I remember when these came out in 2006. Very Starship Enterprise–I loved it! The huge glass area, the interesting interior design… a great car to look at and sit in.
But a test drive a few years later was disappointing. We quickly discovered how slow and loud it was, and didn’t even bother to drive it far enough to test the ride on bad Boston roads.
Luckily for us, VW was offering rock-bottom lease rates on the Passat. After three years with us, one door wouldn’t close in cold weather and the digital display would occasionally turn into gibberish. We were happy to lease it, and happy to return it!
The 2006-2011 Civic has to be one of the best Honda designs of recent memory. I remember when they came out what a revolutionary leap forward they were in every aspect – not just compared to previous Civics, but compared to everything else in its class at the time.
The current Civic is certainly improved over 2012, but it still doesn’t look a solid or substantial as the 2006-2011. If I didn’t know cars, you could probably fool me that the current generation came before it.
I hope Honda makes the next Civic bolder and more expressive. They’re done a good job with the Accord, and the new Pilot looks to be a major improvement.
Sat in one of these things in ’06 at the Toronto Auto Show. Hit my head on the low roof getting into it, and hit my head getting out of it. I am only 5’7″. Doesn’t matter how brilliant or smart the design, if I am going to get hurt getting in and out of the damn thing, I’m not buying. I am also of an age that the swoopy “boy-racer” look holds no appeal for me either.
That’s why I drive a decade-old Ford Focus.
I personally feel the Civic began a turn for the worse with the introduction of the seventh generation and the loss of the front wishbone suspention. Eighth generation Civics were not bad cars by any means, but I wouldn’t call them class leading anymore (I’d argue that title should go to the first generation Mazda 3).
For some reason, the early Mazda 3s had a rust problem. I’ve seen 4-5 year-old Mazda 3s from that generation with serious rust around the wheel wells.
Yes, my wife bought a new 2001 Civic Coupe and we literally drove it across the country. It wasn’t horrible, but it certainly didn’t live up to the Honda Hype. Transmission, struts, sunroof, A/C, and lots of squeaks and rattles over 5 years. Not to mention uncomfortable as heck on long drives thanks to the seating position or how if you cracked the windows down on the interstate the weatherstripping wouldn’t seal when you put them back up. Its main redeeming quality was the resale value. That, combined with my experience with a lackluster Toyota, was the point I started buying what I wanted instead of what some magazine told me I should buy.
When I met my wife, she had recently purchased a 2001 Civic that she purchased new. I came to like it, partly because it was fun to drive with the 5-speed stick, and partly because it was reliable. However, I felt the looks were nothing to write home about, and the 2006 model was even worse. With some exceptions, I think one buys a Honda despite its looks, not because of them.
With the exception of the mid ’70s Civic and first generation CRX, I have never seen a Honda that I liked the looks of. A picture of a Honda should be in the dictionary, next to words like bland or boring. However, such hideous designs such as Nissan’s Murano, Juke, and Cube are no better.
Oh, I guess the oversized solid black wheels on the one in the top picture do add some ugly to the bland.
I think the reason why this generation of Civic is so fondly remembered is due to the sudden and profound impact it had upon its debut in the summer of 2005. By the time this car appeared, the American market had become accustomed to superbly engineered Hondas that were exquisitely finished and enjoyable to drive, albeit a touch uninspired in the visual department. Not so the ’06 Civic. This was far more than just a redesigned car; it essentially amounted to a bold new mission statement from Honda as to what a small car should be, both inside and out. And we never even saw it coming, so for a fleeting moment, it collectively stunned us all. Sure, the American public had seen futuristic cars that looked like grounded spacecraft before; the flight-themed cars of the fifties, and more recently, the 98-04 Intrepid comes to mind, but here now was a Honda that not only offered a striking vision of the future, but one that everyone could afford and reliably enjoy and partake in.
It certainly made an impression on me. I can still vividly recall the first time I saw one in person, back in August 2005 while I was at the Honda dealership servicing my ’04 Accord. There was an EX 4-door right in the center of the showroom, and it just demanded your attention. The short hood, the long, laid-back windshield, the elliptical greenhouse’ no traditional three-box sedan here. And then I opened the door and sat behind the wheel, confronted with this astounding two tiered dash, a design feature that captivates me to this very day, and beyond that this voluminous windshield that seemingly stretched into the next time zone.
I could have spent all afternoon marveling at the new Civic, but my Accord was ready, so I drove back to the adjacent Chevy dealer, to resume my duties as ‘sales consultant,’ now knowing that my task of flogging Cobalts to the unknowing and oblivious had just become that much harder…..
While I kindly doubt the 06-11 will be the last innovative Civic the world will ever see, the current model, despite rushed improvements has been something of a disappointment. I also remember the first time I examined one of these as well, at the 2011 NYIAS. The Civic was the very first car I sat in upon arriving. The main problem with the 2012 Civic was that Honda dramatically cheapened the interior in ways that were obvious to anyone who had spent a modicum of time in its predecessor, that it was bound to be a disappointment. For example, the center armrest on the 2006-2011 Civic was a nicely padded and upholstered affair, and it slid forward and backward, just as it did on the Accord and other more expensive Honda products. In its place, the 2012 just had a hard piece of plastic covered with upholstery. I could prattle on about other details, but the armrest pretty much epitomizes the divergent philosophy of the two cars.
Then 20 minutes later I shuffled on over to the Ford kiosk, and examined the new Focus. After savoring the interior of that car, all the other compacts were something of a disappointment..
The 06 civic 4door was an ugly looking car to me at first. I did not like the stubby looking hood and windshield almost in the same plane as the hood. But little by little as a few years went by, I began to look at the 06 4door as a good looking car. In fact, the longer it was around the better looking it got. Eventually I bought an 08 model 4door civic myself…just last year as a matter of fact. It was my christmas present to myself. I found one with a 5 speed stick and I absolutely love the shifter. I do have some complaints about the car though
1. the worst car I’ve ever driven in snow. PATHETIC! Worse than rear-drive cars
2. tires are too low profile
3. seat will not move back far enough when in higher seating position
4. 3 headrests for the back seat?? can’t see out the back window without the seat folded down
5. gas tank is too small
6. steering wheel blocks view of tach when tilted to low position
7. radio is junk
8. quirky windshield wipers are just plain dumb
9. power assisted steering is way over-assisted
10 power brakes are way too soft
11 gas pedal spring needs about 4 times the existing spring stiffness
12. clutch pedal effort is way WAY too soft
13 too many RPMs in high gear at interstate speed
14. not enough torque at low RPM
15. there’s no keyhole in the passenger door!!
16. electric windows don’t work well at below zero temps
17 seat belt alarm needs to shut up
18. why the *&^% do the doors lock themselves??
19. why the #$%^& is the headlight switch NOT ON THE DASH??
20. carpet and upholstery are not very robust.
21. this car does not take bumps well at all!
22. I do not appreciate a speed limiter on a car that I OWN!
To be fair, a lot of those complaints apply to a lot of modern cars.
I felt the same way about the first generation Scion XB to begin with, now I like it. But it was never ordinary. It was a very polarizing vehicle. You either loved it or hated it. Odd how my opinion of it changed. But the Honda is another matter. It looks just like a zillion other small egg shaped FWD sedans on the road today. Except in the very beginning, I have always totally ignored Honda. They never made anything I wanted (well, actually, the Element was ok, but they discontinued that) They went from a cute little car in the mid ’70s that I wanted, to becoming a yuppie car, to the import street racer image they have today. I think it would be nice if Honda took the 2 door Civic and turned it into a genuinely sporty looking car. I don’t mean subtle changes, but a major redesign. Make it lower, wider, more like an NSX without all the exotic and expensive parts. It costs very little these days to make a car LOOK pretty much any way you want it to. Unfortunately it would probably suffer the same fate as the Pontiac Fiero. People (especially the magazines) would expect it to perform like a sports car because of it’s looks, and when it didn’t, it would fail.
“…to the import street racer image they have today.”
You need to ask yourself why and how they ever got that image. I’ll tell you my theory. Its because in the late 80s and 90s Honda was by far the best driving of all the affordable cars. They truly were a poor mans race car.
If Mazda had built a fastback 2+2 coupe version of their Miata way back in the late 80s, MAYBE just maybe, the Civic never would have acquired the racer boy image they have today.
This version of the Lotus Elan is what Mazda SHOULD HAVE emulated when they created the Miata. The 1971 Elan +2 S 130 is one of my all-time most favorite cars, by the way.
Too little, too late by then. Honda started cultivating that image with the original Civic Si and the CRX, both based on the 3rd-gen Civic platform, as well as the 2nd-gen Prelude. Both of those were early 80’s, ’83 or ’84 I think? There were no shortage of sports coupes at the time, but they were among the best. Toyota might have had a chance, with the strength of the Celica and the AE86 Corolla, but they blandified the Corolla moving forward instead of keeping it something of an engaging drive.
Mazda did build such a coupe, but they never exported it.
NO!
the b@stards
I just lost a little respect for Mazda.
1. the worst car I’ve ever driven in snow. PATHETIC! Worse than rear-drive cars
>>> That is an absolute fact.
5. gas tank is too small
>>> How big is your bladder? I easily get over 400 miles on a tank on the highway.
13 too many RPMs in high gear at interstate speed
>>> This is true – I always felt that it should have been a six-speed (without changing the gear ratios – it just needs more gear on the high end)
14. not enough torque at low RPM
>>> This is the understatement of the century. My engine has practically zero torque at low rpm. This, combined with the touchy gas pedal, makes this a very difficult car to get used to driving.
17 seat belt alarm needs to shut up
>>> Heh – I wish it would wait for a bit before starting. It’s turned off by the time I get my seatbelt on.
Indeed! After GM J-bodies and various Chrysler K car derivatives as well as the Cloud Cars and a VW, I was astounded at how absolutely terrible these Civics are in the winter. I had no idea FWD could be rendered so useless. My Skyhawk, LeBaron, Aries, and Breeze were like tanks in deep snow.
The 8th-gen Civic hatch was even more of a spaceship, these are UK market cars. They brought the Type R hatch to Australia in 2007, it had a 1.8L 198hp V-tec screamer but cost $40k which was on the dearer side so you don’t see them often.
I agree with comments about the split-level dashboard, it just looks bad to me. Having said that I haven’t driven one of these Civics so perhaps it might work, but it doesn’t sound like it. I also don’t like the cab-forward A-pillars, they really impinge on your vision.
The 4th-gen Civic hatch is what appeals to me for a toy car (although I would rather the CR-X of the same era), as a daily driver the 7th-gen looks better to me especially on the inside.
The rear is pretty dramatic too, shades of the CR-X with the small vertical window. A real contrast from the 7th-gen hatch too which was styled like a mini-minivan. Friends had one of those and transported a double bed including mattress in it!
Isn’t one of the consequences of that packaging efficiency trading independent rear suspension for a twist beam à la Fit/Jazz?
I really like the look of these Civic Type R’s and they are fun to drive too. I hope to slide one into my garage some time in the future – preferably the ’09 and later model year with the lsd.
Woah a lightbar front end! Cool!
Lightbars will always say Mercury to me. From the front it looks kind of like a Cougar if they had done one or two more generations.
Now that you mention it I really wish Mercury would have done this with the 96 Sable
Yet, a torsion bar axle in the back. Hahaha!
I was also a fan of the 8th-gen Civic as soon as I saw one. Honda styling had grown rather sterile by that point, with the exception of the S2000, and the Civic just looked so different, so appealing. So good compared to the ultra-bland 7th gen (easily my least favorite Civics). Didn’t get a chance to ride in one until a year or two later, but the dashboard impressed me, as did the seats and the general Honda quality of the interior was there and fully accounted for. Then in 2011 I found myself car shopping, and before I decided I would lease a new car, I test-drove a 2008 Civic coupe. It had 75k miles on it and, while it felt like it had plenty of life left in it, also felt like it was on the verge of needing a number of things. With most other used cars suffering the same maladies, I decided on new, and went down to the Honda dealership to check out a 2012 coupe.
How very underwhelming. Compared to that ’08, it was boring visually, a little too conventional, the interior materials felt cheaper, and the driving experience was pretty soulless. Not at all what I’d expect from Honda. The interior ergonomics were still quite good but everything else left me wanting. So I have high hopes for the 10th-gen car; may it atone for the sins of the 9th!
So yes, I would call the 2006-2011 car a future CC, especially in Si format–but you’ll have to wait quite a while until they’re no longer commonplace. It *is* a Honda after all.
I have a manual 2009 DX-G, which is a Canadian market version that has the aesthetics of the Hybrid (spoiler and wheels) with the 1.8L engine and basic options (power windows/locks, AC, cruise, and that’s it).
I dislike it. I don’t hate it, and it’s stone reliable (aside from an odd hard starting issue that crops up during rapid ambient temperature shifts, common here in Calgary) but damn it’s dull. I’m not a car guy (motorcycles are my thing) but I’d still like a soupcon of excitement in my compact.
Main problem is the weight. It was quite a bit heavier than the previous generation, and having driven both I can tell you the earlier ones feel far more sprightly despite having less power. It pitches into corners with no feel, you only know you’ve reached the limit when the tires start howling. The throttle is seriously overboosted too, so that the first half of the travel feels punchy, but flooring it does nothing more, and the ride-by-wire is poorly setup so tapping to rev match between shifts does absolutely nothing despite the overboosted feel when in gear. Shifting is rubbery too, despite new tranny fluid, which gets annoying. It feels better to short shift slowly and deliberately – trying to drive aggressively means you will be pogoing around and bogging between gears. Fuel economy is good on the highway but pretty average around town (imperial mid 20s).
Tracking on the highway is weird too, it goes straight and the alignment/tire pressure is good but it feels flighty. A gentle wandering within the lane, barely perceptible but enough to be disconcerting. Might be tire related but I won’t be sure till I change ’em.
It does the job, but I still pine for something more interesting and with more connection to the road. The Civics of old were nice because they felt like driver’s cars despite being entry level models. This one feels like a big, numb midsize despite being smaller. Not as bad a Corolla, but not far off.
Hey, thanks for the shoutout, Gerardo! Actually I didn’t just have the Hybrid which we sort of fell into, but before that I had another 2008, an EX version. https://www.curbsideclassic.com/cars-of-a-lifetime/coal-2008-honda-civic-ex-my-vanilla-pudding/
I just saw one driving past me this evening and still think it is a very fresh shape and is aging very well. Probably better than the 9th generation, IMO.
Both cars were very good at their jobs, I had no problems with the dash (and many say that it takes getting used to, if so, I got used to it very quickly, I found it brilliant, the stuff you really need is in your sightline, the other is a quick glance down, most cars everything is a glance down). My biggest pet peeve was the handbrake lever mounted on the left of the center console, right where my knee hits it. If Jason Shafer thinks he hates large consoles, let’s see what he has to say about consoles with levers poking out! It’s one of the few cars where an electronic button handbrake would have been a welcome alternate to the existing situation.
As someone else said the radio wasn’t great – I looked into that once, turns out that in other markets you can get a dash insert that turns the radio into a standard DIN slot so that anything aftermarket would fit, it was a cheap and fairly easy to get part.
Both were roomy, very well assembled, and drove just fine. Perfect for me? In the end, no. But perfect for their real mission? Yes. I would have no problem recommending them to others.
Even though I had the Hybrid as well as the EX, I think the sweet spot is probably the LX, especially when buying new. Same engine as the EX, a few minor items left off (sunroof, steering wheel audio, alloys) but about a $2000 savings. And gas mileage was not really significantly worse than the Hybrid.
I look forward to seeing these for years to come, they look bold and futuristic without looking garish (Nissan Juke, etc) or starting to look dated (Sonata), it’s like seeing a Noguchi coffee table among tons of Furniture Warehouse crap – just as functional but far more interesting.
It was uncompetitive to the point Consumer Reports took the Civic off of their recommended list despite proven reliability and top-notch safety
I remember when the 2001 generation came out, cheapened with McPherson struts: rattles, (seems like everyone had a rattle in the middle of the dash) noise, ill handling…I think it was R&T that said something like “something rare from Honda, a mistake”.
Of everything from 06 on: I don’t like the gimmicky dash, don’t like the lousy sightlines, I can’t see the hood at all from the driver’s seat. My sense is that Honda lost it’s mojo.
Found a site with Jan 2015 Honda production by region: Japan: down 38% at only 60,000 vehicles. North America up 8.8% at 157,642, Europe down 14.5% at a paltry 11,896. Asia outside of Japan, up 9.1% at 120,566 but of that China sales down 14.9% at 60,897.
Of sales in Japan, 29,893 were full size vehicles, down 39.5%, mini-vehicles 33,711, down 19.9%
http://world.honda.com/news/2015/c150226Automobile-Sales/index.html
Compared to Honda’s <12,000 sales in January, in December 2014, VW sold 120,000 vehicles in Europe.
The trend in it's home market looks like Honda is headed back where it was in the late 60s, making minicars like the Life and AN600.
I'll count myself lucky that I hit peak Civic with mine: decent handling, good sightlines, clear round analog gauges. Seen here at 15 years of age.
By the way, VW’s European market share in 2014 was 12.41%, so that would put Honda’s share at 1.2%, which in the US market would place them below BMW’s 1.6% share and above Audi’s 1.0%, without those brand’s luxury car profit margin.
That is definitely a nice looking civic.
The current FIt is actually one of the best-selling cars in Japan and has occasionally been the bestseller, but the entire Japanese market has shifted a lot to kei cars in the past few years. The only bigger (i.e., larger than Fit) cars that are selling in decent numbers are hybrids, and I think that’s primarily because there significant tax credits for low-emissions vehicles. So, what you’re saying is correct, but it’s also true of all Japanese automakers in the domestic market, not just Honda.
The current FIt is actually one of the best-selling cars in Japan and has occasionally been the bestseller,
And yet, in the US market, the Fit is a niche product. I notice that in the Japanese market, Honda no longer offers a Civic at all, and the larger models, like the Accord and Legend, are only available as hybrids.
http://www.honda.co.jp/auto-lineup/?from=top_pulldown
It may be that, in not too many years, the North American Honda line will be completely divorced from the Japanese line.
Loud, harsh-riding small cars suck on the Interstate. Americans will always prefer more comfortable rides for that reason.
Most of today’s cars just aren’t as thoughtfully designed inside and out. Some of that is due to safety constraints, which is good. But a lot of that is due to a tasteless sense of style.
Most of today’s cars just aren’t as thoughtfully designed inside and out.
There were two reasons why I replaced the 98 Civic with a Jetta wagon:
-Honda’s refusal to make a Civic hatchback or wagon
-VW’s old school body, instrument and control design, which is very much like the 98 Civic’s
My first Honda was a 77 hatchback. My second was a 91 prelude. Every time I look at and test drive a newer one, I feel something is missing. Ok, let’s see….visibility, soul, a straightforward control set up, headroom, the lightness and agility…etc etc etc…with the exception of the new accord, I just can’t find the joy. If one car I loved stands out, it was the prelude. Talk about driving joy, the low belt line, great sight lines, the light through the sunroof, the low and clear panel, the need for a sixth gear…oh well, nothing’s perfect I guess!
Unfortunately, when Honda DOES offer six-speeds, they seem to like to leave the final drive ratio as it is (i.e., too short for relaxing highway cruising) and just stack the intermediates closer together. It’s like, “Guys, no.”
I currently have a 2010 Acura CSX, which is essentially a very well equipped 8th generation Civic for the Canadian market. I never realized that the two-tier dashboard was so controversial. I do understand why some people would dislike it, though personally I do think that the top tier speedometer works great out on the road. Coming from a Tercel, I really had trouble adjusting to the thick pillars and rear visibility. Apparently it’s supposed to be even worse on the 9th generation Civic. Changes include:
* Climate control
* Side mirror turn signals
* Flappy paddles on the steering wheel (with surprisingly quick shifts, though I never use them)
* 17″ wheels from the Type-S models
* Suspension tweaks and an electric power steering system rather than a hydraulic unit
* The K20 2.0L DOHC engine lifted from the RSX with the addition of a balance shaft
* More sound deadening material (though I don’t think it actually made too much of a difference to be honest)
* The technology package also added factory HID headlights (fantastic for night driving), Bluetooth connectivity, as well as a (dated) Navigation system
The interior material quality was quite good, with soft touch plastics being present in areas where you normally touch. I’m not sure if this is just an issue with my particular car, but I found the fit and finish to be quite poor. Some of the plastic panels of the front dash areas don’t really to line up correctly. This is a far cry from my Tercel where the dash was just a collection of a few large pieces of plastics that actually fit together properly!
Another complaint that I have is with the automatic transmission. The gear ratios are fine, but the shifts at low speeds can get quite jerky. It’s fine once you figure out how it operates, but it is very annoying. It seems to be quite a common issue with these Civic transmissions.
I love my 2009 Civic. It’s hands-down the most reliable car I’ve ever owned. It has everything that I want style-wise.
I just want to say that it really helps put this in perspective when you post pictures of its competition from back then. It doesn’t look like anything special today, but it was definately innovative and different for an economy car back in 2006.
I love this place, but so many posts here look at cars with a critical eye without considering what else was available at the time or how it sold.
I just went to all the Japanese car sites, and it looks like they all (except maybe Toyota) have noticeably better styling than Honda. It’s still a bit like splitting hairs, but if you really look them over, and accept them for what they are (all jellybean sedans are ugly to me) you can tell that Hondas are the blandest of the bunch. Cars like the Kia Optima, Hyundai Sonata, and Mazda 3 have them beat by a mile.
We are leasing two 2013 Civics, an ugly brown LX and a charcoal gray EX-L…everybody hates the LX, but the addition of leather and nicer stereo and whatnot makes the EX-L so much nicer to be in. I also think the bad color on the brown one doesn’t help. We bought them at night, and I thought the brown, which is properly called Urban Titanium, would be a warm silver color like my dad’s old 01 or so Titanium Civic…boy, was I surprised when I saw it in daylight. I have since gotten a ’14 Accord LX, and let the kids drive the Civics…can’t believe how small and noisy they feel compared to the Accord.
I have had my 06 Civic EX Coupe since new. I got all of the accessories in it, except for leather which was not offered that year. I had leather interior put into it, and now the car is perfect for me. The build quality is excellent, and I have never had a problem with it.
The design of the 8th generation coupe is very attractive to me, much more so than the coupe design of the later generations. The first time I saw the 8th generation coupe I had to have one.
I will have this car for many years to come. Oh, by the way, I love the split level dash.
I had a 2008 Si Coupe.
Hated the two-tier dash. Gimmicky. Sure it works, but it’s not respectful.
So. Many. Rattles and Buzzes in cold weather.
Drooping weather stripping.
Front suspension popping noises (car with 40K miles, mind you).
Terrible in snow (yeah it’s a sports model, but giving up all practicality? Nah.)
Harsh, slappy, bang-bang ride. Reliability aside, drive/ride in an equivalent era MkV Golf GTI. THAT’S how you tune a “sporty” everyday suspension.
Soooo much road noise. Wind rush.
Ate tires like mad.
Goddawful Honda 6-Speed manual that liked to spit the lever out of 3rd and leave you revving like an idiot not moving in traffic.
My favourite things about the car were the zippy, characterful engine, decent efficiency, overall reliability, and the exterior design.
I was mostly meming in my previous comment. I have plenty of clocks around my house and enjoy analog watches, but it’s really no joke that none of my roommates care to read them, instead just checking their phones 24/7. I bemoan the movement towards digital dashes that mimic dials though; it seems like a waste because it’s neither as attractive as analog dials nor as brutally functional as a proper digital readout. I think it’s a stupid middle ground.
I dunno, maybe my experience was in California so everything was fair weather, but my grandma got a 2010 EX-L to replace her 2000 Maxima GLE and had none of your complaints. It was screwed together tight, had better touch points than that Maxima, and my grandmother is definitely someone who needs her speed thrown at her in big digital numbers. The ride was compliant and the car was relatively quiet (typical Honda road noise notwithstanding). Certainly she was shopping with different criteria from you (mini luxury rather than sporty fun) but she ended up liking Honda so much she just replaced it with a 2017 Accord Sport (after the Civic was T-boned and totaled).