Great handling, good looks, fun to drive, good resale value

Air Con sucks. A little small for someone 6'2". Not enough torque. Could use about 50 more bhp too.

Its a Honda, you'll take it to the grave in reliability. It fits all the necessary gear (fold down the seats and you can easily fit a mountain bike or a couple of snowboards and gear).

For someone who normally drives in the city or on straight highways, its not going be that much fun.

Get this thing on a curvey road where you can keep it above 5000 rpm and you'll have a grin from ear to ear. At this price, you will not find anything close to it.

If you want to customize it, there is plenty of after-market for it.

If you want something reliable, fun, cheap, and gives the feeling of a race car in corners, look no further.

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'96 Civic SI - SiR is a different car altogether. Way more fun in the curves.

Handles wonderfully! Having just put 40,000 miles on a BMW 320i, I found
the Civic to be more fun to drive -- it's more like driving a motorcycle than most cars, it responds very quickly and corners fantastically. Oh... and as someone who has owned another Honda, I expect it to go forever with no major repairs. Great mileage of course, nice looking, easy to sell for a reasonable price (not that I intend to). The clutch is soft enough to avoid tired legs even during very long drives, and the shifter is very good. A reasonable amount of power, and quite happy at 6000+ RPMs... your average compact will not sound content doing 70 in 3rd gear.

To most people these won't matter. The seats are pretty comfortable and
holding up well, but the interior is otherwise nothing special. Some road noise, and it's pretty cramped inside. Expect to move the seats a lot if you regularly have backseat passengers. Lack of low-end torque which is only very significant in 1st gear, but if you have one of those hour-long 5 mph commutes this might matter to you. If you want to be insulated from the feel of the road, this car is not for you. After 100,000 miles and one accident, there's a rattle in one door when going fast on bumpy roads. The cup-holders are pretty much a joke, but if groping at such niggling details isn't praise by faint damnation, I don't know what is.

If you enjoy the way big American cars drive, forget it. This is not the car for those who above all want their ride to be smooth, silent and relaxing. It is also not for those who like "muscle cars," since those by definition compromise handling (not to mention mileage!!) with a big, heavy engine. If you are 6'5" tall, you will probably hate this car. If you compulsively shift gears at 3000 RPMs this car is also not for you. If you are a frustrated biplane barnstormer who leans more towards the Lotus Elan or Mini Cooper S, you will be extremely happy with this car. Likewise if you enjoy motorcycling but can pass being caught in downpours at 60 mph. If you'd like a Miyata but can't handle a 2-seater, you'd probably adore it.

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Well, it's nothing like my trusty old '79 Accord, which was much more a good-mannered and ultra-reliable family sort of car. Not much like my '83 BMW 320i either, it's a smaller and lighter car, and feels like it (in a GOOD way). Nor is it much like any of the various other cars I've owned or driven... it really is more like my Norton Commando motorcycle was, but with less noise and vibration, and no worries about weather or laying it down.

This car seems fast, but its not really all that. I have to red line it to make it fast. I like the noise it makes with my super turbo muffler.
the looks are just great. Honda did a great job with this car, but I'm not happy with performance.

noise engine, and you have to red line the car to go to fast.

Too much tax
You don't get what you pay
I don't like the Si anymore, sorry....

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2000 Cavalier Z24 would definately kill the Si in everyway.
I might go and get one of those cute Z24 before year ends.

What i like most about my 1992 Civic is its styling. Many people dismiss the hatchback as being too small, and yes, it is... BUT, IMHO Honda was ahead of their time when designing this car. I see this car as standing the test of time... a classic smooth style with unity. I was given this car as a graduation present in 1992 and since then have had nothing go wrong with it mechanically. My dad taught me how to shift gears correctly and that has prevented clutch/transmission problems so far at 115,000 miles. IF you take car of Hondas they are extremely reliable. I think the hatchback is fun to open. I cannot bring myself to sell this car (there is a lot of interest) because i truly love it. The Milano Red is beautiful too.

-tendency to rust around the rear fenders
-windows fog up
-cx model = no air conditioning
-SOme one once told me it looked like a fishbowl on wheels and I never got over it.
-slow (i.e. other drivers get on your butt, possibly because they know its slow)
-radio and speakers are paultry

Looking at buying a new 2001 Civic lx for my husband. Hard to get over the sticker shock, but reliability and resale cannot be beat. Honda owners are extremely loyal for a reason. I would recommend any of the honda cars... My sister has a 2000 accord V6 and a 1997 Accord. Dad has had 3 honda accords...and just bought a 2000 V6 also. It must be genetic.
Buy a honda especially if you have had problems with american cars at 20,000 miles.

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1982 toyota tercel... also very reliable LOVED IT BUT DAD SOLD IT FOR 800 bucks ... wish i still had that cute car too.

Ridiculously reliable--I treat it like dirt and it still goes, even w/all its engine troubles, very hardy. Good gas mileage, great breaks, excellent control (at least compared to my mother's '92 Taurus). My parents bought this for me and it's got 135,800 miles. I'm actually starting to think of getting a new car due to some troubles and some dents and such, but the new one will be a Honda. Excellent cars.

Wussy engine--pretty much have to floor it to go up an incline. Can't stand up to a strong wind. Even though it's had troubles (burning oil, thumping A/C, etc.) it's my own fault for not ever having it serviced, so I don't blame the make or model. Weak windshield glass on it, back window a little too slanted, headlights very weak...don't remember them this weak when new but it was weak w/new bulbs, what gives? Engine (when new) sounds like it's full of bees.

Worth the money, definitely recommended car. It's a little weak and all but that's what you get in an economy car, you can't expect anything fancy and still get the mileage. Great car...used to never spend more than $10 on gas before the prices went up. Amazing will to live despite any problems that might come up, real sturdy. Love Hondas, awesome.

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Not much similar; last car was '84 Olds Firenza, obviously it's better than that. Drove an Escort once, very noisy engine.

reliability, resale

noisy, lack of torque, cheap-feeling

i purchased my Si about 3.5 years ago. It has been reliable, but it is not as good a car as everyone would have you believe. It has tons of road and engine noise, the engine makes very little torque and you have to rev the begeevers out of it to get it moving quickly. The engine doesn't sound as refined as it should, the gearbox is rubbery and vague feeling, and the car has a lot of body roll. This is the first car that i've ever owned in which i didn't feel any 'passion' for.

bottom line: too much bread for too little jam.

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Lovely styling; not your average windtunnel-blown model, great headlights.
Nice light metal wheels with pirelli tires. What is most important is that i never had to go to my dealer for any repairs during the whole period i owned this car.(not counting maintenance of course)

i hate the angle of the backwindow which makes it almost impossible to clean on the inside without causing a hip fracture and a dislocated shoulders not to mention the painful wrist; maybe i am too long?

I owned two of these cars in a row and i am still regretting my decision to
trade the last one in for a mercedes a class. you can keep your star for all i care. The honda coupe wins in every field but most important; reliability. It is beautiful, it is fast (enough for me that is) it is good value for money. It has great after sales service.(at least in Holland)Reasonable fuel consumption (although the car invites you to drive in a less economic way) I love it and I miss it! Currently driving the smallest toyota but saving to get me another one of those Honda's. Highly recommended.

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I bought myself a mercedes A class and had to go back to the dealer 6 times in the first three weeks; yes, i sold it!

- reliability, good gas mileage, easy to manuever (even without power steering, no major repairs in 14 years!(had to flush out radiator last year, other than than stuff like replacing tires, belts after 60,000 miles and brakes, and a small freon leak a few years ago, no major repairs have been required

- side of front seats split open and foam rubber has been coming out - but then, the car is 14 years old - seating in back is cramped, not enough leg room, not strong enough a/c

I paid around $7,600 for this car brand-new back in 1986, it has certainly been worth it and paid for itself over and over - other than my front seats (combination velour and vinyl) splitting the interior has held up pretty well, on the exterior I have a small rusty area on my hood, otherwise the paint job has really lasted, it still shines and I don't even wax it - ever...it still gets about 24 mpg in the city and 32 or so on the road, the only reason I am contemplating getting a new car (another Honda of course) is because after 14 years I am ready for a change - the only gripe I have about the car is that on really hot days the A/C doesn't cool as well as I would like it to...I think anyone that is having a cash crunch and is lucky enough to locate a 86 Honda Civic ought to go for it, I think my car still has another 50K miles left on it - anyone that doesn't have to have all of the "extras" that are offered today (power locks, etc) would be please with the Civic DX - it is just a damn good basic car

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1980 Toyota Corolla - this was also a good car, but in the 6 years I had it I had to put it in the shop more often than my Honda, Honda feels more "solid" than the Toyota

The style & looks of the civic; the gas mileage; simplicity of the dash controls; road visibility; useful storage space with hatchback; reliability; low depreciation; drivability; steering; large aftermarket upgrade options; fit & finish (with respect to the economy class of vehicles); paint job.

Thin body sheet metal (I've noticed a lot of dings that seem to appear from nowhere); high theft rate; arrogant Honda sales people; lack of standard options; high price (although it's worth it); lack of power.

I would recommend this car just because of the looks alone. Honda seemed to have butchered the next generation civic (96thru00) hatchback by making less sleek & more like an updated rounder Mazda 323. The 89thru92 generation hatchback is too boxey & looks dated. The 93thru95 civic hatchback is a stunning looking little car even without aftermarket modifications. The civic coupe for that generation is rare because it started in 94 & only existed for 2 years until the 96thru00 generation. The coupe is also nice but I prefer the hatchback. The 96thru00 headlights seemed to have missed the mark.
The civic is a reliable practical vehicle that is fun to drive (all years) but I think I would give the nod my sleek mini aero-missle.

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Neon, Cavalier.

Styling, the way it drives, predictable handling, decent room, shifter, clutch, quality, and reliabilty

Dealing with Honda, thin paint and sheetmetal, fragile windshield glass, front seats don't slide forward to let passengers in the rear seats, and no tachometer on this model (why not???).

Paid $15,900 CDN before taxes. I think it came out to about $19,000 after all the taxes. This is a reliable, well designed car. It's handling is predictable, and it rolls down the road with a sense of high quality. Many of my friends own Chevy Cavaliers and Pontiac Sunfires and they seem very clunky and choppy by comparison.

The engine is a bit on the weak side (1.6L SOHC 106 HP), but still well matched for the car and great fuel economy. This car HAS to be bought with the manual 5-speed transmission. It allows you to get to most from the engine, and the shifter and clutch are just amazing. I've ridden in automatic models and they are good as well, but I have no patience for underpowered automatic cars.

The ride is good, although not the sharp handling machine that the older models were. Honda has soften things up for the sake of "refinement". Still the car handles well when pushed. It understeers, but seems to come alive when you really push it. The tires are ok (Firestone FR680 185/65R14 S-rated) but something more aggressive might help. This car really needs winter tires if you plan on driving in the snow. I found that with the stock all-season tires, it would pull to one side when taking off from a red light - even when starting from second gear! A set of Bridgestone Blizzaks solved the problem and turned this car into a snow plow.

The sheetmetal is a bit too thin. I find little dents all over the place and the paint is no better. The windshield is also frail and I've got chips (which I've had filled) and tons of little dings all over it. I bought a plastic deflector, but that doesn't seem to help at all. I know people who own Accords after 1995 have complained about the same thing. My parents own Chrysler Minivans that have absolutely no dings at all on their hoods, and those cars have snouts that are much more of a target for gravel and debris.

Dealing with Honda is hell. If you are looking at buying, definately pay $60 and get some quotes from www.carcostcanada.com before negotiating with the sales people. Their service staff aren't the greatest either and I've dealt with dealerships in Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa.

The car is really reliable. I've put 115,000 kms on the car in just over 3 years and the only problems I've had are a busted driver-side window rail, and a center pipe that needed replacement. There are some more strange noises creeping up now, but I'm associating that with the almost 6 years worth of mileage I've put on the car. Still a good buy. I'll drive this thing into the ground!

Yes I would probably get another Civic if I had to do it over again!

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