***The Definitive 1000 Mile Review: Civic EX MT***

[GalaxyGrayMark]

To commemorate my car braking 1000 miles I give you some thoughts, opinions, and comments about my experiences to date. But before we begin, some facts:

Car: Civic 2 Door EX Manual Transmission
Color: Galaxy Gray Metallic
Add-ons (at purchase): Mud flaps, Trunk mat, Wheel locks (The infamous “protection” package)
Climate: Midwest (purchased 2nd week in November)
My Demographic: 35+, M, 5’6”
Previous cars: 90 Acura RS, 94 Acura GSX, 99 BMW 328i Sedan, 00 Audi S4, and 97 Acura CL 3.0
Current other car: 03 BMW M3
Future Mods: Short-shifter

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: First and foremost let me say that I absolutely love driving this car. It has the perfect mix of style, comfort and drive. Sure, there are a few bugs here and there, but the positives (build quality, gas mileage, interior, suspension) outweigh them significantly.

POSITIVES:
- Style
- Exterior and Interior Quality Build
- Driving comfort
- Suspension feel

NEGATIVES:
- Slow Rear Defroster
- Thick A Pillars
- Notchy Shifter
- No inside grip to close the trunk

You can stop reading right here if you don’t want to get bored as I’m going to get into a quite a bit of detail about the car starting with the Exterior. So sit back, grab a cup of java, relax, and enjoy…….

Exterior:

Style/Paint/Build: I’ve come to believe that the new Civic style is rather polarizing – either you like it or you don’t. Obviously, I really like the new style and there are not many exterior angles where the car looks odd. The paint job is well done and I have not run into any chipping; a very good sign given the amount of salt that is dumped on our streets nowadays. The metallic flakes really come out when the car is clean, however, I’ve come to believe that Galaxy Gray doesn’t really hide the dirt as much as I would have thought. This car is very easy to wash and I can’t wait until next year to try some different waxes on it.

The exterior build quality is excellent. The front of the car is built well and doesn’t seem busy. It does bother me that Honda did not have provide fog lights on the EX. The placeholders in the bumper really beg for you to get the fogs to complete the look. The door handles of the car are excellent and can be found on cars much more expensive. They have a great solid feel to them. Some people may have an issue with the trunk style, but I think it’s well done and really makes the car stand out from previous models. One thing about the trunk is that there is no grip on the inside to close it. I don’t mind that there’s no lining, but a grip would have been a nice detail. The spoiler on the trunk is very discreet and low-key – I like it. Even the chrome tailpipe adds a little “panache” to the car and fits right in.

Panel gaps are small and consistent (meaning that one side of the car doesn’t have 1mm gaps and the other 5 mm), and “cut lines” flow well with the overall shape of the car. Small details such as the windshield “set in” the frame of the car mean that when you use the sprayers to wash the windshield no drips will come down on the driver’s or passenger’s windows – nice touch. I would recommend mud flaps to protect your investment. They’re cheap, easy to install, and add another style element to the car.

Wheels/Brakes:

This is an area that people will definitely change first. I, for one, am very happy with the current style of the wheel and have no intentions of changing them. Sure, they could have come with 17” wheels like the tC does, but Honda probably decided that the overall “ride” was more important. I’ve got the all-season Bridgestone tires.

The gap between the top of the tire and the body of the car is about right. Not too high (e.g. Eclipse) and not too low. The brake caliper color seemed a little too silver for me, but nothing out-of-place. The offset of all the wheels is aligned very well with the car. Even my M3’s front wheels had a bad stock offset for the front wheels and really irritated me.

Interior:

Dashboard/Steering Wheel:

Absolutely awesome. I really like the direction they took with the dash in allowing it to be more ergonomically friendly and forward thinking. The white on blue digital speedometer looks great and does not feel like an add-on. The center stack is slightly tilted to the driver and reminds me of how the e36 BMW interiors are set up (yes!!). All buttons are easy to reach and illuminated properly. At night the dash looks the best and it’s only during the day where the tachometer area can look cheap because of the plastic that is used (check it out….you’ll know what I mean). The hazard lights have it’s own separate button; I like this detail.

Sight lines are great due to the large windshield although the A pillars probably could have been a tad thinner. Contrary to other reports on the glove box, I feel that it does not feel cheap and opens/closes with ease.

The steering wheel has a great feel and shape. Thicker areas can be found at the 10 and 2 O’clock areas of the wheel for added grip. The radio control and cruise control rocker buttons have a nice feel and do not get in the way of normal driving. The spokes look like cheap plastic, but they’re actually quite sturdy. In the middle of the bottom spoke lies a metal “mesh” patch which is a small, but, poignant touch.

Radio/Stereo:

The radio sounds average to me (I’m an audiophile) and definitely needs more highs and a better sense of imaging. I would imagine that for 90% of the individuals who buy the car the radio will be fine. I may change out the front midranges and tweeter in the next year.

I definitely like the huge (and I mean huge) wheel/buttons that control the on/off, volume, and tuning folder. It would have been a very nice touch to add some rubber or grippy material around the wheels to give it an over-the-top quality feel. I’m not saying that they feel bad now. It’s just that I look into a lot of small things that could add to a better tactile sense to it. The designation of “Premium Audio System” looks odd and it could have been left off.

Climate Control:

The buttons have a wonderful quality feel to them – very Harmon Kardon-ish if you will. It’s been very cold here lately and it does take some time for the car to warm up. I do miss the seat warmers! Once the car does get warm, however, it gets hot fast! You’ll definitely need to do some tweaking during your commute. I’m a little disappointed in how slow the rear defroster works. My CL had one that heated much faster.

Parking Brake/Shifter:

The parking brake is in a good location for my body size. I have heard that it rubs up on larger individuals and I can see why. The shifter looks like it’s far away, but it actually falls into your hand quite nicely. The shifts, though, are quite “notchy” and long and definitely could use an upgrade.

Doors/Seats/Other:

The doors close with a quality feel to them – no slamming sounds. However, I do feel that the plastic that they used for the grips to close the door as well as the interior door handles will wear/crack over time and may need to be replaced. This is just my opinion of course and others may not agree. Auto/up and down on the drivers side works as expected except when it was freezing outside and the window would not go down.

Seats are very comfortable and have limited adjustability. They are supportive for those of you who choose to do more spirited driving, but probably not enough for consistent auto-crossing. I’ve got the gray cloth and on the doors the cloth almost feels very “suede-ish”. Headrests are stylish and comfortable.

Cup holders are easily the best I have ever had in a car. They hold any shape of cup, bottle, mug, etc. I even like the way that you can slide a cover over them so the interior looks “clean”. Smaller cup holders can be found for rear passengers, but they wouldn’t hold anything larger than your normal bottled drink (no Big Gulps here please).

Storage areas are plentiful and adequate in space. The armrest storage area is quite large and you can fit a lot of CD cases in there if you so choose. You can adjust the armrest by sliding it forward or backward which makes it nice for those of us who have shorter arms.

Engine:

The engine feels lot stronger than the hp/torque numbers show. Since the car is relatively light any high revving will definitely make the car feel quick and nimble. I noticed that at speeds above 70 the engine will start to feel like it’s really working, but that is to be expected with this powerplant. The engine bay has everything laid out in a manner that will bring out the mechanic in you. Easy access and everything of major importance is color-coded.

I’ve averaged about 28 miles per gallon on a total of 3 tanks. I drive approximately 75% in the city so I expected my mpg to be a tad lower than what is advertised. The car has gone through a lot of very cold starts over the past few weeks.

Suspension:

The car definitely drives “sporty”. By that I mean don’t expect a soft ride – even for a Civic. The EX feels great coming out of cloverleafs into and out of highways. There are some out there that will get coilovers and such, but for daily driving the suspension feels good.

LASTING IMPRESSIONS

As you have read, I definitely feel overwhelmingly positive about the car. I look for a lot of details when I make my purchases and Honda has met my expectations. I hope this review has been helpful for those of you who are on the fence. The best thing to do is take the car for a spin……you won’t be disappointed!

[Ep3racer954]

wow man thats a very LONG review lol im glad your happy with the car.

[2fast4u2]

Originally Posted by GalaxyGrayMark

You can stop reading right here if you don’t want to get bored as I’m going to get into a quite a bit of detail about the car starting with the Exterior. So sit back, grab a cup of java, relax, and enjoy…….

Haha! I read all of it and enjoyed your review. You really went into detail! Especially when you pointed out how when you use the sprayers to wash the windshield, no drips will come down on the drivers/passengers windows. This IS a nice touch, and perceptive on your part!

+ Rep for an awesome review! I'm sure many other members will find this helpful!


Thanks!

[Silver06]

Excellent review. Honda should use it!! As a side note - I'm at 990 miles right now but I'll keep mine simple and give it 2 thumbs up! It's a great car!!

[leez2273]

You did a fantastic job of evaluating the car. I've had mine - also a Galaxy Gray EX coupe with MT - for about two and a half months now. I'd have to agree with you almost right down the line.

I'm getting significantly better mileage than you, but then mine is about 90% highway - I'm averaging around 35 mpg. I have observed that the better grades of gasoline seem to be giving me better mileage. With gas prices bouncing around like they have, I've put some of that discount store brand gas in it a few times, but my regular brand - Shell - seems to give me another mile or two per gallon better mileage. Still have never used anything higher than 87 octane though.

One thing I would like changed is the driver's seat. It's quite comfortable, but although it has the height adjustment, there is no rake adjustment. I would like to have it tilt the bottom cushion some - even Hyundai offers that as a standard feature. That provides a little more comfort on long trips.

The shifter could be better also. I had an MT Eclipse GTS and the shifter was fantastic - smooth, fairly short, and very precise. My Civic is a little better now that I have a few miles on it, but still a bit rubbery and stiff.

In summary, I think you and Motor Trend both give a very accurate description of this great little car. Even though I drive it about 90 miles a day, I still look forward to jumping in it every one of them. Best all-around car I've had in many years.

[Silver8th]

Very nice reveiw! Thank You +rep

[GalaxyGrayMark]

Thanks for the comments guys....

Bump for noobies!

[twistedframe]

Awesome review, I think it has more detail than the ones i read in magazines. I love this car too and i'm glad to hear so many other people enjoy it. Keep up the good work and keep us updated on your audio upgrades.

[Silver8th]

Originally Posted by GalaxyGrayMark

The steering wheel has a great feel and shape. Thicker areas can be found at the 10 and 2 O’clock areas of the wheel for added grip. The radio control and cruise control rocker buttons have a nice feel and do not get in the way of normal driving. The spokes look like cheap plastic, but they’re actually quite sturdy. In the middle of the bottom spoke lies a metal “mesh” patch which is a small, but, poignant touch.!

Again nice write up Man.
One thing I noticed you said is the steering wheel has a "metal" mesh patch.
My mesh piece your referring to is plastic right there. I was curious if this is on a 4dr or if the Si has metal there? At first I thought it was metal too.

[GalaxyGrayMark]

Originally Posted by Silver8th

Again nice write up Man.
One thing I noticed you said is the steering wheel has a "metal" mesh patch.
My mesh piece your referring to is plastic right there. I was curious if this is on a 4dr or if the Si has metal there? At first I thought it was metal too.

MMmmmm.....I thought it was metal! Actually, it feels like metal to me, but if it isn't then it's some nice material for sure. (BTW...my car is an EX.)

[ina1]

Great review! Since I, too, have the EX M/T Galaxy Gray Metallic, I felt you were writing about my car.

I had the fog lamps and mud flaps added and the car does look great with them. And on the practical side, both have come in handy in the northeast.

You're right about the shifter feeling a little notchy, but it seems to be getting a little better with time (I now have about 1300 miles on it.)

I was concerned about the digital speedometer, but it feels so natural now that it no longer feels odd.

With the steeply sloped front window, however, it's tough to reach the bottom of the windows to clean them (I'm 5'3 and I guess my arms are short.). I have to get in the car seat on my knees to reach in all the way!

The best accessory, though, is the auto dimming mirror. This is the first time I have gone over 2 months without needing to adjust my rearview mirror because of some idiot with his high beams on behind me! And I'll never lose my bearings with the compass on it!

I haven't noticed any extra load on the engine at 70 though. When I get on the expressway, I actually have to be careful because the car accelerates so easily, I find myself at 70-75 without any effort!

The only problem I have had is that a couple of times in the first month, I got into the car and had frost on the inside of the front and rear windows! When I brought the car in for service, they couldn't find any leak and ended up running it for 3 hours with the heat and defrosters on. They suggested I use the air conditioner year-round as a dehumidifier because although they saw the moisture, they couldn't find out where it came from! However, it hasn't happened since then. Maybe some moisture got in it in December when it was built and running it for the 3 hours dried it all up. Now that the warmer weather is coming, I guess I'll have to wait until next winter to know for sure.

Enjoy your new car!

[CameronJr9]

Great review. It was a good read.

Originally Posted by Silver8th

Again nice write up Man.
One thing I noticed you said is the steering wheel has a "metal" mesh patch.
My mesh piece your referring to is plastic right there. I was curious if this is on a 4dr or if the Si has metal there? At first I thought it was metal too.

Sedans don't have the third spoke on the steering wheel. Only the coupe/Si.

[unplugged]

i agree -

i hate the shifter..very notchy and seems to be long... its also kind of far from me being a tall person.

the brakes are poor, I always feel i'm going to slam into someone

Radio is average.. I swapped the headunit and I might change out the tweeters (I think the rest is fine for me though)

Headlights seem dull, so I put in HID's.

Tires are below average, as with all Hondas.. Got Bridgestone BLizzaks for the winter and the RE750's for the summer.

Power is okay, I hate being at 3500 rpms doing 75mph.. Acceleration in first and second feels good..afterwards it seems slow to me.. but it is a civic.

[1stcivic]

Also commemorate my car braking 1000 miles yesterday.

1st Honda ever
Car: Civic 4 Door EX Auto Transmission
Color: Galaxy Gray Metallic
Add-ons (at purchase): Mud flaps, Eight year extended warranty.
Add-on’s 3rd party. All season floor mats, Trunk mat, Wheel locks, HFP 17” wheels (for the summer), 2nd set of carpet floor mats for the summer, Four summer tires - 215/45YR-17 Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 XL
Climate: Northeast (purchased last week of December 2005)
My Demographic: 61+, M, 5’11” , retired
Previous cars: Nissan Maxima and too many others to mention


Overall: Love this car. Bought it for style, comfort reliability and gas mileage. The wife likes the seats of all the other cars we test drove.

Positives:
- Exterior Style
- Interior Dash Design
- Driving comfort

Negatives:
- None

Interior / Exterior:

I really like the style. Have detailed the outside and inside. Washing and waxing this car was easy with no nooks and cranny’s to deal with. The Galaxy Gray Metallic paint has stood up well so far when you consider how much sand and salt is used around here in the winter.

Overall I’d say the exterior build quality is excellent. The doors close with a nice solid thunk. The windshield sprayers are really nice. They cover the whole windshield with a fine mist spray that really cleans well. Using RainX helps as well with the cleaning. Wiper blades are a neat unique aero design they press down harder on the windshield as your speed increases.

Love the blue bacing and the digital speedometer and overall dash design.
Radio and climate controls are large and can easily be used with gloves on. Here in the Northeast this is important. Heater works great but the rear defroster is weak.
Seats were the deciding factor for my wife.
Front cup holders are awesome.

I’ve got the all-season Bridgestone tires with the car. I’ll use these as my winter tires and wheels and once they wear out replace these with Blizzacks. For the summer I went with the HFP 17” wheels and four summer tires - 215/45YR-17 Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 XL.

Engine is stronger than I thought it would be.
I’ve averaged about 31 miles per gallon on a total of 3 tanks of gas. I drive approximately 95% around town, short 5-10 miles trips, so this is what I expected. It’s advertised as 30 city mpg.

[2000civic]

Awsome Review. i have been looking for a good user review to see what real people think about the car in regular conditions. thank you.

[8thgenuser]

Nice review, guys! I haven't reached 1,000 yet, but I'd like to add an impression. We've all seen the positives in this thread, so I'll offer a negative:

- AT gear selection: I wish I had more control of selecting between 4th and 5th gears. The auto tranny likes 5th gear at higher speeds for fuel economy, of course. Sometimes I'd like it to stay in 4th gear so I can have that extra power ready to go rather than waiting for a downshift from 5th. A sport shifter like the ones available in the CSX and the Euro Civic would have been nice.

[civicnewby]

I read this posting with great interest to see if it matched my feelings. I would have to agree with everything I have seen in this thread so far.
Filled up this morning and found that I got 38.6 mpg on the last tankfull.
I figure I will crack 40 easily once the car breaks in.

The only thing I am having to get used to is the fact that when the cruise is set the tranny will donwshift from 4th to 3rd for hills. I realize why, but it is going to take some getting used to.

I know, I'll use the money I am saving at the gas station to buy a brewski and then I will toast the fact that I now own a Honda.

[CHRIS]

Originally Posted by civicnewby

I read this posting with great interest to see if it matched my feelings. I would have to agree with everything I have seen in this thread so far.
Filled up this morning and found that I got 38.6 mpg on the last tankfull.
I figure I will crack 40 easily once the car breaks in.

The only thing I am having to get used to is the fact that when the cruise is set the tranny will donwshift from 4th to 3rd for hills. I realize why, but it is going to take some getting used to.

I know, I'll use the money I am saving at the gas station to buy a brewski and then I will toast the fact that I now own a Honda.

beautifully said with a perfect ending

[8th1der]

the shifter does loosen up, i'm at around 4,000 miles and it feels very smooth to me. you can take that advice with a grain of salt cause this is my first manual, but i let my friend drive it who has had a manual before and that was one of his comments as well.

[ttheisen93]

Great review, but gotta disagree on the "notchy" shifter. This thing is like buttah. Try a Subaru STi, the transmission is bulletproof, but you definitely feel it going "thunk!" into every gear. The 350Z is the same way. This car felt about the same as the BMW 330i to me in its shift smoothness when I test drove.