///M
10-27-2005, 05:13 PM
I had some spare time on my hands today so I went to test drive the new Civic to see what the hype was all about. I was originally planning to test drive the Si, but they hadn\'t arrived yet, so I took a 4 door DX-G manual out for a spin.
The interior looks better in person than in the pictures, and the dash layout works suprisingly well - much better than I would have expected from the pictures. I still don\'t like the huge digital speedometer though - I\'d imagine it\'d be very easy for a cop to read it from the outside. :D The seats are pretty comfortable, and the overall car sits a bit lower than a stock Mazda3, which I like. I hate the current trend with the new cars getting taller and taller, and it\'s nice to see something that bucks the trend.
All non-Si Civic models for 06 have a 1.8l 140hp engine. The first thing I noticed when I started the car was how light the clutch was - typical Honda, and would be great for in town driving. It did take some getting used to before I could launch smoothly. The shifter had short throws and felt more \"mechanical\" and connected than the Mazda shifter. Very nice.
The engine was smooth and revvy (very easy to rev-match and heel/toe), but not particularly powerful. I\'d put the power on par with an automatic Mazda3 GS/GX 2.0l (the Civic was manual). Steering was light - not light to the extent that it doesn\'t feel connected to anything (think Toyota Camry), but a bit lighter than what I prefer. Handling was pretty decent, though it lacked the tightness of the 3.
Considering the model I drove was the base starting at ~16k, I think it\'s a good buy. I\'d choose it over the Mazda3 GX/GS, but not the GT. Even the fully loaded EX model was ~22k, which is still cheaper than a 3 Sport GT. I can\'t wait to drive the Si when it arrives.
The interior looks better in person than in the pictures, and the dash layout works suprisingly well - much better than I would have expected from the pictures. I still don\'t like the huge digital speedometer though - I\'d imagine it\'d be very easy for a cop to read it from the outside. :D The seats are pretty comfortable, and the overall car sits a bit lower than a stock Mazda3, which I like. I hate the current trend with the new cars getting taller and taller, and it\'s nice to see something that bucks the trend.
All non-Si Civic models for 06 have a 1.8l 140hp engine. The first thing I noticed when I started the car was how light the clutch was - typical Honda, and would be great for in town driving. It did take some getting used to before I could launch smoothly. The shifter had short throws and felt more \"mechanical\" and connected than the Mazda shifter. Very nice.
The engine was smooth and revvy (very easy to rev-match and heel/toe), but not particularly powerful. I\'d put the power on par with an automatic Mazda3 GS/GX 2.0l (the Civic was manual). Steering was light - not light to the extent that it doesn\'t feel connected to anything (think Toyota Camry), but a bit lighter than what I prefer. Handling was pretty decent, though it lacked the tightness of the 3.
Considering the model I drove was the base starting at ~16k, I think it\'s a good buy. I\'d choose it over the Mazda3 GX/GS, but not the GT. Even the fully loaded EX model was ~22k, which is still cheaper than a 3 Sport GT. I can\'t wait to drive the Si when it arrives.