2001 Honda Civic Review

Specifications

Honda has made a tradition of replacing existing models every four or five years. In 2006 it was the venerable Honda Civic’s turn to be redesigned, with the new model improving on the old one in almost every single way. And given just how good the old model was; that’s quite an accomplishment.

When it was introduced in 2001, the then-new Civic was greeted with open arms as an improvement over the outgoing model in terms of quality, fit and finish. Honda touted it as vastly improved, and once onegot past the new projector headlights and edgy body styling, it was apparent that Honda had focused this particular redesign around improving the Civic’s interior. It looked newer, larger, and generally more driver friendly. In fact, it grew 2.6 inches in length to give a larger total interior capacity of 104.3 cubic feet; a feat made interesting by the fact that the new car lost a 1/2 inch in overall length. But as good as that sounds, that increase in length within the shortened car seemed to have been added to the rear of the cabin, resulting (in the sedan model) in the wheel well protruding into the rear door opening to an extent that made ingress and egress somewhat more difficult than it should be. Also, theshallow door opening angles didn’t help matters in this area. Of course, clambering into the rear quarters of the coupe demanded the requisite front seat and belt fumbling before plopping into the rather smallish back seat, and once there, one could only admire the lack of storage space and foot room. That said, the front seatbacks were blessedly soft, which did prevent bruised kneecaps for those over 5-foot-10.

Both coupe and sedan have provisions to seat five, with the sedan offering more room all around for the occupants thanks to its wider body and taller height even though the coupe is (strangely enough) longer. The materials used are your average resilient Honda stuff, with fabric seats and a waterfall console that’s remarkably similar to the previous generation’s, albeit with infinitely adjustable rheostats making the climate control switchgear feeling vastly more luxurious than the outgoing model’s multi-position switches. It is by no means an exciting interior, being mostly monochromatic, but it’s durable and well thought-out, with most controls coming easily to hand, and operating just as they should, although some will find the stereo controls finicky.

In its first year, the seventh-generation Civic was available in both coupe and sedan forms, with the coupe coming in a veritable alphabet soup of DX, EX, HX, and LX forms, while the sedan came in DX, EX, GX, and LXguises. Of all the models, the EX models are the ones to have if you’re looking for options, coming standard with a sunroof, air conditioning, power windows, power door locks, a CD player and most importantly, ABS brakes; an option strangely available on only the EX and GX models. Conversely, the DX is the most bare bones, and is completely devoid of all amenities (excepting the standard AM/FM radio), but the real penny-pinchers will be drawn to the HX and GX models. Although more pricey, and harder to come by, both boasted lower emissions and most importantly (especially now) better fuel economy.

The HX (available only in coupe form) came outfitted with a VTEC-E equipped Lean Burn 1.7-liter motor, and also had an available CVT transmission to increase fuel economy even more, netting between 40 and 44 miles per gallon. The GX sedan was the ultimate in fuel economy,coming standard with the CVT and a 1.7L running on natural gas, earning it the lowest emissions rating possible. And while the 30/34 mpg rating doesn’t sound astounding, the cheaper price of natural gas makes the GX a very cheap car to run. All other models are powered by 1.7L four cylinders producing 115 horsepower, with the exception of the GX, HX, and EX. The latter is the 2001 lineup’s heavy hitter, producing 127 horsepower from a VTEC-equipped 1.7L, with the HX coming in second at 117 horsepower. On the other end of the spectrum, the clean burning GX makes do with a paltry 100 horsepower. Needless to say, all models return excellent gas mileage, with the thirstiest DX and LX sedans still netting at least 30 miles per gallon.

While Honda took a step forward with the quality of the interior and drivetrain over the previous car, they took a step backward with the suspension. All that new interior room had to come from somewhere, and it came from replacing the advanced double wishbone suspension in thefront with a more compact and lower-performing MacPherson strut setup. This also allowed them to move the motor forward in the car, extending leg room from the passenger and driver. Thankfully, the double wishbone rear suspension is retained, however, even it loses its trailing arms in favor of a flat rear floor section. Finally, spring and damper tuning rates were adjusted to give a softer, more comfortable ride, dissolving some of the Civic’s famous go-kart like handling feel in the name of commuter comfort. Until the following year that is.

To ring in 2002, Honda brought back the Si badge, and with it all the estranged performance enthusiasts that had scoffed at the new Civic’s lack of performance. Beginning with a new hatchback body style, Honda then stuffed an Acura RSX 2.0L VTEC-equipped motor under the hood, infusing the Si with a healthy 160 horsepower. To handle this increase in power, the suspension was worked over, with the damping and spring rates cranked back up to levels similar to those found in the European Honda Civic Type R, which is to say the ride was “sporting.” The whole carwas stiffer than the average Civic as well, with the cross-section members and floor section beefed up to handle the additional loads brought on by high speed cornering. Also, ABS and rear disc brakes came standard on the Si, as did the nifty dashboard-mounted, rally-inspired 5-speed shifter. And finally, Honda finished off the Si with all the EX-level goodies, and built it in Great Britain, as opposed to the other models that were constructed in the U.S., Canada, or Japan. Of course, along with all this performance, the Si also carried a heftier price tag, and still demand higher prices than other models, even though it was the least fuel efficient, burning a gallon of gas every 26 miles in the city.

But for those looking for slightly better fuel economy, Honda had an ace up its sleeve in 2003: the Honda Civic Hybrid. Using technology lifted fromthe Honda Insight, the Hybrid utilized Honda’s signature Integrated Motor Assist to attain EPA mileage ratings of up to 51 mpg. Also, all models across the board gained optional front side airbags, making them that much safer. The interiors were freshened, sporting new seat fabrics, adjustable rear headrests, and new steering wheels. HX, LX, and EX models got better gauge elimination, and the HX and LX specifically received better center consoles, as well as standard CD players. Outside, new wheels and redesigned taillights separate 2003 models from their predecessors.

The minor redesign continued in 2004, with the DX coupe being replaced by the VP coupe. More than just a name change, the VP coupe gained airconditioning, a CD player, and a center console; all of which had been previously unavailable on the DX. The rest of the lineup was changed as well, and the 2004 Civic lineup sported a flashy new headlight and bumper package both front and rear, as well as a new hood and grille. Inside, all models of Civic benefited from increased sound deadening material as a result of numerous wind noise complaints, as well as higher quality speakers, since the previous ones had elicited complaints about tinny sound. Rounding out the lineup’s updates were floormats for the LX and EX, keyless entry on all LX models, as well as slightly more interesting trim for the SiR. Honda’s newest eco-friendly baby, the Hybrid, obviously got the same floormats and speakers as the other models, as well as the same center console and adjustable rear seat headrests the HX and LX models had received last year. Finally, and perhaps most notably for some, Honda Civic fans with kids finally could enjoy the benefits of the Si model with four doors.

The final year of the seventh generation Civic saw the addition of the Special Edition. The vaguely named model benefited from an MP3 capable six-disc CD player, as well as an auxiliary input jack to work in concert with portable music players. The rest of the models remained unchanged throughout their last year before being replaced by the all-new 2006 model.

So, what is the seventh generation Honda Civic? To put it simply, it’s avery, very sensible car. It’s cheap, reliable, and owning one is more or less a worry-free experience, if not a thrilling one. With a myriad of engine options, none of them topping 160 horsepower, and a backwards suspension setup, the ‘01 to ‘05 Civic is simply not a performance machine. But, for those who aren’t concerned with blistering acceleration and blackout-inducing lateral Gs, it may be just the ticket for hauling the kids to and from school in safety, without shelling out wads of cash every time you pass by a gas station. All in all, a very sensible choice indeed.

Specifications: