Back in 1983, Honda shook up the auto industry by introducing four distinct third-generation Civics. The pint-sized CRX two-seater. The much-imitated long-roof hatch. The spacious sedan. And the supremely functional tall-roof wagon. The four shared much less than variants of a single car usually do because Honda put a much higher priority on innovatively meeting the needs of four different market segments than on maximizing economies of scale. Compared to the previous Civic the 1984 was a revolution.

Honda continued to refine the Civic through frequent redesigns over the next two decades. But refinement does not equal excitement. The seventh-generation Civic introduced in 2001 was so boring that, aside from the Hybrid, I never bothered to review it.

Seems Honda got my non-message. For 2006 the Civic has been thoroughly redesigned. There are now only two body styles, a coupe and a sedan, and although they have unique rooflines they share far more than any two 1984 Civics did. But virtually every bit of the car has been thoroughly rethought, resulting in many substantial changes.

Enthusiasts will be most interested in the 197-horsepower Si coupe. But I have three kids. So the best bet for me would be the five-speed manual sedan. I drove the mid-level LX because all of the unsold EXs on the lot were automatics (which have five ratios for 2006). With last year's car I didn't perceive much worth writing about. As you can see, I came back from my test drive with plenty to say about the 2006.

Styling

When I saw spy photos of the 2006 during its development, my first thought was, "Honda's lost it. That's one ugly car." The car looked bulbous and ungainly. Beyond aesthetics, it was evident from the spy photos that the new Civic's windshield would be steeply raked. So 1990s Chrysler, I figured. I usually hate driving cars with steeply raked windshields because the top of the windshield often ends up uncomfortably close to my face and the extreme depth of the instrument panel distances me from the car and the driving experience.

Then I saw the new Civic in person. With the EX's five-spoke alloys this is one strikingly beautiful car from every angle, even in sedan form. Make that especially in sedan form--coupes are expected to be sleek and swoopy.

The sedan also happens to have the look of a much more expensive car. People have often claimed that many Toyotas could well be a Lexus, but Toyotas have never had premium car styling. The new Civic's styling is easily worthy of the Acura badge.

The new design's proportions are tight and the lines sweep smoothly from front to back. As in Chrysler's 1990s LX cars, the base of the windshield is located well forward of the firewall, over the engine compartment. Unlike in those "cab forward" Chryslers, front overhang isn't excessive. Every detail is perfectly executed and integrated. I especially like the creased fender flares, the transition from the front fender to the A-pilalr, and the tapered bodyside moldings. Though I do wonder if the latter are too low on the body to serve their intended function.

There's some Prius in the short hood and raked windshield, no doubt because the Civic Hybrid must compete with the Toyota, but Honda's execution of a similar theme is infinitely more graceful. The new Civic's styling is at least as futuristic as the Prius', but at the same time real. In comparison, the Prius looks contrived and all other compacts are a generation or two behind.

First the Acura TL, now this car. How did Honda suddenly become a design leader?

The interior is also very stylish and innovative, but you're clearly in a Honda. First the stylish bits. Honda disguises the depth of the dash while supposedly taking advantage of it through a two-tiered instrument panel. Most gauges are digital and are positioned far forward on the instrument panel. An analog tachometer is at least a foot closer to the driver, not far behind the steering wheel.

Said steering wheel is oval in shape (like that in the Prius) with a textured rim and protruding, uniquely-shaped hub. This is one funky steering wheel. Though on the center console rather than the instrument panel (unlike last year's Si), the shifter is positioned on a raised, angled platform. The shift knob with either transmission, but especially with the manual, has a high-tech appearance. The rest of the interior is more conventionally styled with more than a little resemblance to the current Accord.

So how is it so evident you're still in a Honda? Because nearly everything you see and touch still has the lightly-constructed look and feel typical of past Civics. Not cheap, but not premium either. The VW Jetta has nothing to fear in this regard.

Accommodations

Every time Honda redesigns the Civic it grows. Back in the mid-1980s the Civic sedan had a 96.5-inch wheelbase, 163.4-inch length, 64.0-inch width, and 54.5-inch height. By 2005 these dimensions had grown to 103.1, 175.4, 66.7, and 56.7, respectively, in each case at least equal to a mid-1980s Accord. For 2006 the Civic gets yet larger, with a 106.3-inch wheelbase, 176.7-inch length, 59.0-inch width, and 56.5-inch height. Though not far off the dimensions for a Mazda3 or Prius, this seems awfully large for a car Americans have always thought of as small.

Given the enlarged exterior, it should come as no surprise that the interior feels quite spacious. The driving position in particular surprised me. I expected to hate the heavily raked windshield for the reasons stated above. Yet the way it has been executed, with a high windshield header and fairly distant windshield, the primary impression from the driver's seat is of space and airiness. Very livable, and not just another futuristic space bubble.

The driver's seat has the relatively insubstantial feel typical of the segment, and many people will probably wish for more padding, but it is nicely shaped and supportive. The coupe's seats are more heavily bolstered, with shoulder-level supports like those in last year's Si. A shame these are not available in the sedan.

The rear seat is at least as high off the floor, and at least as comfortable, as that in the Accord. There is nearly as much kneeroom as in the Accord, and far more than in the Mazda3 or Chevrolet Cobalt. From an interior volume standpoint there is little justification for the more expensive Honda.

The Civic most remains a compact in terms of cargo volume. At 12.0 cubic feet, the trunk is just average in size. The rear seat folds, but only in EX trim does it split 60/40 and include a center armrest. On the other hand, there are scads of usefully large storage bins scattered about the interior.

On the Road

For 2006 a 140-horsepower 1.8-liter four replaces two 1.7-liter fours, one with 115 horsepower and the other with 127 horsepower, in most Civics. The 1984 Civic got by with a 76-horsepower 1.5-liter. So the 2006 is easily the most powerful non-Si Civic to date.

What it is not is especially energetic. As the Civic has gained size and standard features it has also gained weight. The 1984 sedan weighed under 2000 pounds. The car I drove weighed nearly 2700, about 200 more than the 2005 Civic. A 1.8 just isn't enough for this much car these days. Especially not one with a torque peak at 4300 RPM. Below 4000 RPM little grunt is available, and even above this engine speed few thrills are available.

The engine's strengths lay elsewhere. It is smooth and quiet for a four. And it is efficient, with EPA ratings of 30/38.

The manual shifter will be familiar to anyone who has driven a non-sporting Honda before. Shift effort is light, with a slightly loose feel through neutral. Perhaps because of a smaller than average flywheel, smooth shifts did not come effortlessly.

The new Civic's steering has a satisfying quickness to it right off center. As a result of this quick steering and the Civic's traditionally light feel, the 2006 feels considerably more agile than the Accord and Jetta I drove the same day. In hard turns there is little lean and a minimal amount of understeer. Thankfully the Bridgestone Turanzas cooperate by not protesting too early or too loudly.

This said, the sedan doesn't quite feel sporty. It lacks enough of an edge for that. The Si might have such an edge, but it is only available in coupe form.

Update: there will be an Si sedan in 2007. Look for my review as soon as I can get my hands on one.

The innovative interior bits don't all work. I liked the steering wheel and didn't mind the oddly shaped shift knob, but hated the instruments. The digital instruments wash out in direct sunlight. Worse, the tach is hard to read at a glance. If any gauge should be towards the base of the windshield, where it can be viewed without refocusing one's eyes, it's the tach. Instead, every gauge except the tach is up there.

The brochure claims that the instruments are positioned this way to offer "a prime view of the information you need most--with less eye movement." This implies that the tach provides secondary information. Well, when I'm on a challenging road trying to decide when to shift, it's far from secondary. Seems Honda didn't fire the guy responsible for the awful instruments in the early 1990s Prelude.

Ride quality resembles that of past Civics. The 2006 continues to feel considerably less substantial than the Accord. Many roads elicit a significant amount of noise from the tires, and bumps report loudly. The ride is far from harsh, but you can tell you're in a modestly-priced compact.

Honda Civic Price Comparisons and Pricing

Civic vs. Mazda3: The Mazda is about $400 less expensive, but adjusting for the Civic's higher level of equipment makes them about dead even.

Civic vs. Cobalt: The Chevrolet costs about $2,300 less (after a $500 rebate), but adjusting for the Civic's much higher level of equipment cuts this advantage to about $400.

Prices change frequently, and differences will vary based on feature level. To quickly generate these and other comparisons with the specific features you want, visit my Web site, www.truedelta.com. (It's the only site that provides true "apples-to-apples" price comparisons.)

TrueDelta's page for the Civic:

http://www.truedelta.com/models/Civic.php

Last Words

The 2006 is not the all-around breakthrough the 1984 Civics were, but it is a very impressive car nonetheless. I walked away from the test drive in a mild state of shock; I hadn't expected the new car to improve so much on the old one.

In retrospect, the car's good looks somewhat clouded my judgement. The new Civic has some weaknesses, especially for enthusiasts. The engine, down a half liter from those in many competitors, lacks grunt. The steering and chassis, while better than I had expected them to be, are not as entertaining as those in a Mazda3 or Ford Focus ST. And the instruments are a disaster. An Si sedan might do the trick, but one does not seem likely.

These weaknesses won't matter much to the typical compact car buyer. This buyer will be impressed by the new Civic's superior fuel economy ratings and spacious interior, and will likely be as blown away as much as I was by new styling good enough to cloud judgments. Especially with gas around $3, this one's going to sell.

A Note on Honda Civic Reliability

I cannot practically cover reliability within the context of this review. However, many people are interested in such information, so I've started collecting my own data. Results, once they are available, will be posted to my site, www.truedelta.com, with updates every three months.

Unlike other sources, TrueDelta will clearly identify what difference it will make if you buy a Civic rather than another vehicle by providing "times in the shop" and "days in the shop" stats (among others). You will be able to specify the number of years, annual miles, and types of repairs to include in Honda Civic reliability comparisons.

Before I can report results, I need data on all cars--not just the Civic--from people like you. To encourage participation, those who help provide the data will receive free access to the site's reliability information. Non-participants will have to pay an access fee.

For the details, and to sign up, visit www.truedelta.com.

A link to this website and alphabetized links to my other vehicle reviews can be found on my profile page.

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Some of my reviews of related vehicles:
Honda Civic Hybrid review (2003)
Ford Focus ST review
Mazda3 review
Toyota Corolla review