Honda's popular subcompact, front-wheel-drive Civic has been redesigned inside and out for the 1996 model year, including a new front grille. If 1996 Civic sales keep pace with last year's, these next twelve months should be terrific for Honda. In 1995, Civic sales totaled 289,435, an all-time high. In fact, Civic was the best-selling subcompact model last year, surpassing the Ford Escort. Strong demand for the Civic Del Sol convertible helped Honda attain this lofty goal. The lowest-priced Civic model, a CX three-door hatchback with few bells and whistles, starts at $10,350. The priciest model, an EX, 4-door sedan with automatic transmission starts at $17,280. As is the case with most entry-level subcompacts, a wide range of models and options are available to please both entry-level shoppers with modest incomes and consumers looking for many options in a fuel-efficient vehicle. Civic is available in three body styles: coupe, sedan and hatchback. Sedans are available in DX, LX and EX trim levels; coupes are sold in DX, HX and EX levels and hatchbacks selections include CX or DX trim levels. The new, sixth-generation Civics are roomier inside, and boast three 1.6-liter, four-cylinder, 16-valve engines. The 1.5-liter engines of year's past have been dropped. Each powertrain has slightly different horse power and torque. The base engine has 106 horsepower. All engines boast better fuel economy, and emit less pollutants than last year's engines. One of the new 1.6- liter engines is a trendsetter in that its the first mass produced gasoline-powered engine to meet California's tough low-emission vehicle standards. Standard equipment on all Civics include five-speed manual transmission, dual air bags, dual remote mirrors, rear defogger and remote fuel door and hatch releases. Anti-lock brakes are standard on EX models, but optional on all other editions. We had a chance to test drive the top-of-the-line, four-door EX, with a bottom line of $17,729, including a $380 destination charge. Our Civic included the upgraded 16-valve, four-cylinder, 127 horsepower engine delivering 6,600 revolutions per minute. The EX test model featured power moonroof, cruise control, keyless entry and power windows and door locks. Inside, a larger capacity cup holder and new coin holder, located in front of the floor-mounted transmission, are standard. Dual vanity mirrors also have grown in size. Improved sound barriers keep outside noise from become interior noises Windshield wipers are activated from the turn signal stalk. Cruise control must be turned on from a dashboard button, while set and resume buttons are found on the steering wheel. Headlights are controlled from stalk on the steering column's left side. The inside door handles are small, and sometimes difficult to find in the dark. Radio preset buttons and fan directional buttons are also small. Fan speed and temperature settings are controlled by levers. The glove box is 32 percent larger. Back-seat riders have good head and legroom for a subcompact model. The back seat has a 60/40 split, allowing for easy transportation of skis or other long items. A larger back window, coupled with thinner rear roof pillars provide drivers with an excellent view of the road. The sedan's wheelbase, defined as the distance between the front and rear axle, remains 103.3 inches, the same as last year. However, overall length of the car has increased by 2.1 inches. Our 14- inch wheels, provided better road-gripping capacity then some Civic models with 13- inch wheels. Gas mileage-minded shoppers should put Civic at the top of their list. It's one of the most fuel-efficient vehicles on the road. Miles per gallon on EX models is estimated at 28 city, and 35 mpg highway. With 7,700 odometer miles, we registered 30 mpg in combined driving. The gas tank holds 11.9 gallons of unleaded fuel. If your interested in squeezing even more miles out of a gallon of gas, try the Civic HX coupe with manual transmission. It gets 39 mpg city, and 45 mpg highway. Civic's subcompact competition includes the Chevrolet Cavalier, Ford Escort, Plymouth Neon, Nissan Sentra and Toyota Corolla. Later this year, Honda will introduce a continuously variable transmission (CVT) for its high-mileage Civic HX coupe. This system combines the convenience of an automatic transmission with the fuel economy and performance of a manual transmission. Honda assembles Civics in East Liberty, Ohio. |