Second vehicle. Performance: in isolation, excellent. Contextual, not so good. It's not a 'hot hatch' in the conventional sense, but is certainly fast enough to provoke serious license-losing territory- this is a genuine 140mph car with a few choice mods. The engine, despite being fairly highly-strung at 80bhp/litre, has a low compression ratio and has a fairly lazy power delivery, along with a disappointingly low redline- 6,800rpm. It's strong through the gears, and is never short of a bit of torque. Build quality- it's indestructible. This car has taken a lot of punishment, from off-road jaunts to high-speed runs, with haulage for gigs and frequent friendly taxi uses. It's survived, and still looks great. The only issue- weirdly- is some slight pilling on the doorcards. That is truly churlish to bring it up on, though! Appearance... it's a subtle car. Most people don't figure that it has a reasonable amount of power, and as such it can surprise a lot of the morons in all-mouth-no-trousers cars. Inside, it's actually a really nice place to be. Cruise control, automatic air conditioning, half-leather seats and blackout dials ensure it's relaxed, comfortable and classy. It's a huge improvement over the pre-facelift models. Soft-touch plastics and a comfortable, open atmosphere all add to a distinctly modern feel. It's not the cheapest car to run, but it performs similarly to my old 206 1.1 for petrol use... which, considering it has 100bhp more, is a serious achievement. It utilises VTEC-e, which runs the engine on 12 valves below a certain amount of throttle input. If you really, really feather the car, 45mpg is entirely possible. Typically, I get 33-35mpg. Average motorway cruise is 37mpg. Town is significantly worse. Servicing costs are pretty normal, which is great considering it uses Nissin brakes. Tyres are easy to find. The car has done 90,000 miles and still has the original clutch & exhaust system. Tax is a fairly stiff £220 per year, but it's not as bad as some. CO2 output is something like 178g/km. Fun factor- yes, this car IS fun! It's not razor-sharp like a Type R. It's more a cosseting Gentleman's Express that can turn its hand to a backroad if you want it to. It pulls cornering speeds that I would deem suicidal in other cars. The traction control only cuts in if you really, really overcook things, which is nice. ABS isn't intrusive either. The handling is also fairly neutral, it's difficult to provoke understeer and lift-off oversteer is rare. According to friends, they've seen it cock a wheel under hard cornering- 8 inches off the ground! Always the test of a good, fun hatch! Overall, it's a great car. It's practical, you can take the family in it, the rear is astoundingly large (bigger than the BMW 5-Series and Mercedes E-Class of the same era), it's fairly quick, it's fun to drive, it's good on fuel, it feels well screwed together and you get the sense it was made by people who genuinely like cars. The suspension is surprisingly forgiving, seeing as it handles well. A lot better than a lot of 'posh' hatches, i.e. Audi A3 & BMW 1-Series. On that basis, what's not to like? I only give it 4 stars because it's a decent all-rounder. It's not exceptional in any one area, except spacious qualities, and I know there are cars that drive better, or get better economy, or are faster. However, finding all these qualities in one car is very difficult. This is a fantastic compromise.

I'm 6'4", and this is such a roomy vehicle for me. I fit very comfortably in this smaller make. Another thing I notice when I'm in any other vehicle is the limited range of vision out the wind shield. Very often it's a very compressed range, but the Civic has always maintained a very wide vertical range of view. The car is incredibly fun to drive, very responsive on speed and tighter around curves than my nerves can handle. The hatch also has endless cargo space. On a couple of occasions I've had 50+ bags of top soil in the hatch with seats folded down of course. And for as much as I push it inside and out, it cleans up amazingly every time I detail it, and every time my mechanic looks it over, there's never been any surprises, Just routing maintenance for the past 104,000 miles. I've been looking into new vehicles because I just love cars, but at every dealership, when I get back in my car, it beats everything I've just driven new on the lot. I love this car!

My car is a black 2004 honda civic ex. It has the d17a 1.7L engine in it. Its the SOHC (single overhead cam) Vtec engine. 127 hp. Vtec hits around 5k rpm. It is very fun drive. Very Aggressive look to it. The wheels are 15 inch alloy wheels. The sound system is amazing and keeps it thumping now batter the speed. The pick up on the acceleration is pretty good for only a 1.7 liter engine. It has the sun roof which can be tilted or pulled all the way back. It goes inside the car not on top which i feel has a better air flow. The trunk space is very surprising it can fit many things. I have all my surf and skateboarding equipment in the trunk and still have room to fit a board through the whole car. The cost of ownership is pretty good. Gas mileage is about 30ish to the gallon. And maintenance is very cheap and the mechanics at honda do an amazing job. I would tell people that are looking for a sleek looking two door car that is good on gas to go for the honda civic.

This car see's daily action. When the car first came out it never really attracted me I always thought the RSX-S was a better version of this chassis, still think that. But for the price I got on this car with the low mileage and no modifications it was well worth it. Handling is great with a stiff suspension that reminds you of all the bumps but doesnt destroy your insides, the braking continues to amaze me leaving me looking in my rearview mirror to make sure the car behind me will stop. The acceleration leaves more to be desired but Im sure could be solved with a more high flow intake and exhaust. The interior is very user friendly and comfortable, with tall soft seats, and plenty of storage nooks and cranny's for everything from cell phones and GPS devices to wallets and tire pressure guages. And the cup holders (all 4) can hold Sonic Route 44 cups. The stereo is adequate and impressive for a civic. THe hatchback design allows plenty of room for transporting large things like band equipment. This car was a great upgrade from my CRX, more room, faster, A/C, and a back seat.

Honda is one of the most economical brands in the global market. In accordance with rising gas prices, my car does a stellar job of turning my hard earned income into miles upon miles of destinations and journeys. The car handles beautifully, almost way too sporty for an economy car. The steering is taut and firm, but there isn't too sharp of a corner for me. On the flip side, I've had some issues with the build quality. Being an economy car, I've forgiven the synthetic plastics of the interior and exterior. The seating is superb, however. I would recommend this car as an excellent starter or even for those who like to pinch their pennies as much as I do.