At one time, the venerable Honda Civic was just a single car; nowadays, the name denotes nine separate trim levels spread over two different body styles for a total of 14 separate models.
Honda buyers are familiar with the company’s aim at not offering lengthy option lists, but rather packaging several options to create a separate model. Some Honda buyers are “DX” people; some are “LX” fans, for example.
Here’s a quick description of how the list breaks down: The base Civic DX starts as a $15,455 (MSRP) two-door and a $15,655 (MSRP) four-door. Standard are an adjustable steering wheel, height-adjustable driver’s seat, power windows and a folding rear seat. Adding cruise control, power locks and mirrors, a CD player, air conditioning and remote entry turns the Civic into an LX. The EX adds a satellite radio, audio controls on the steering wheel, an electric sunroof and a thermometer. The EX-L, which was added last year, gets heated front seats and mirrors and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
Then, there are two “green” Civics and a sporty Civic Si. The Civic Hybrid is powered by a 110-hp 1.3-liter gasoline engine plus a 20-hp electric motor; the natural gas-burning Civic GX uses a 113 hp 1.8-liter four cylinder. The Hybrid is equivalent to the EX-L with full options; the GX has the equipment of the LX model. The Hybrid and GX are only available as four-door sedans.
The Si is a fast and furious favorite among enthusiasts, and it uses a six-speed manual transmission and a 197-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder that revs to a racecar-like 8,000 rpm.
The Civic was completely redone in 2006 while the EX-L and LX-S models were added last year when all Civics’ front and rear fascias were restyled. There is no visual difference between a Hybrid Civic and a non-hybrid four-door Civic sedan, however. The new Honda Insight, with a more sophisticated hybrid drive system, looks completely different from the similarly sized Civic.
The drivelines of the non-green Civics are simpler: A 140-hp 1.8-liter four-cylinder drives either a five-speed automatic or five-speed manual transmission. The quick Si uses a six-speed manual exclusively, and the Hybrid uses an efficient CVT (continuously variable transmission). On the road, the 140-hp Civic is sprightly and matches other compacts in acceleration. It also returns an EPA-estimated 24 mpg in the city and a very good 36 mpg on the highway.
The Civic has thoroughly refined steering and suspension with lots of feel for the road. Nothing is intrusive or annoying, and critics applaud the consistent behavior of the Civic. Inside, the instrument panel is a gentle wedge that presents itself to the driver like a drafting board rather than a traditional upright dashboard. The simple controls for the heating/cooling, lights, wipers and other functions are also praised by automotive writers. Headroom is surprisingly ample, and rear legroom accommodates three adults. The rear floor is flat, which makes it easy for adults to get into the rear seats. The trunk is large enough for four golfers’ staff bags.
The driver’s environment in the Si models is driver-focused and sport-oriented with drilled aluminum pedals and seats that are heavily bolstered to coddle the driver and front passenger during quick corners.
All Civics have side and side-curtain airbags. In 2009, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the Civic a “Top Safety Pick” award for protection in front, side and rear collisions.
On top of all this, the 2010 Honda Civic has notably good finish quality and is known for delivering a driving feel that is more luxurious than expected. One way to find out: Take a test drive.
