From the moment the diminutive Civic hit these shores in 1972, it sent notice that Honda could build a small car with the best of Europe, and far better than the domestic industry's efforts: the Pinto and Vega. Problem was, small cars were just a minuscule part of the American market, and Honda didn't have much of a sales or service presence. Company reps went knocking on dealers doors seeking representation of Honda's car line. Mostly they'd get a puzzled reaction. "Well yes, you make great motorcycles, but cars? They're too small anyway." And they were small. At 140", a Civic was over six feet shorter than a Chevy Impala. The 600 (with all of two cylinders) was smaller still. Honda resorted to giving franchises away to motorcycle dealers, used car dealers, even service stations.

Small cars would never make it in the United States. Too slow, unsafe, couldn't "hold the road" went the conventional wisdom. Then came The Energy Crises. Small cars flew out of showrooms and the Civic was quickly recognized as one of the best: fun to drive, economical, and a remarkable piece of packaging. And it made a lot of those new dealers rich.

Successive generations of Civics continued raising the bar on small car design, and Honda became the widely admired and respected car company it is today.

In 1992, a new generation of Civic's were introduced: longer, wider, heavier and faster (sound familiar?). They were actually about the size of a late eighties Accord.

The Civic had matured. And for many, had lost a lot of its appeal. The emphasis shifted from nimble, tight, and fun-to-drive to pliant and stable with a smooth ride. Styling went Japanese mainstream (re: technically correct, but devoid of character or originality). Some long-time enthusiasts even insinuated that Honda had sold out.

Regardless of the changes wrought on this Civic, it was still a leader among small cars and remains competitive in most areas even today. It should be on anyone's short list.

What's Available

Initially, the Civic was offered in two body styles with four engines and five (count 'em) trim levels. A fourth model, the sporty 2-seater Del Sol was added to the lineup in 1993, along with a new 2dr coupe sporting a conventional trunk. Trim levels varied based on body style. The sedan was available in DX, LX and EX trim. The coupe came as a LX or EX model, and the hatchback went from the stripper CX, through mid-level DX and "clean and lean" VX models, up to the fancy Si model. The Del Sol could be had in S, Si and from '94 on, VTEC form.

Engine and transmission availability varied based on model. The bread and butter DX and LX models came equipped with a 1.5 liter, 102 horsepower 4-cylinder powerplant. The stripper CX hatchback made due with a 1.5 liter four making a paltry 70 horsepower. EX and Si models benefited from a 1.6 liter, 125 horsepower four. The VTEC Del Sol introduced in 1994 housed a double-overhead cam, high-output version of the 1.6 liter engine that produced an eye-opening 160 horses.

The VX model and it's lean, low emission design manages 92 horsepower from 1.5 liters.

The DX, LX and EX models were equipped with either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. The other models only came with Honda's excellent manual transmission.

Interior Design

Interiors on these Civic's show a measurable upgrade from previous versions. The materials look richer, soft touch surfaces surround you and color harmony is excellent.

The Si model offers a sporty striped upholstery pattern, the EX and LX models an attractive but subdued design. The CX model defines spartan -- stick shift sticking up out of the floor, no trim and basic everything. The other models are closer to the LX than the CX.

Honda's trademark low cowl is there, but not to the degree it once was. It houses Honda's traditionally efficient dashboard. Gauges, though sparse (not even a tachometer on CX and DX models) are well placed and easy to read and all major levers, buttons and knobs are easy to reach and operate smoothly. One annoyance: the Civic uses tiny horn buttons on its steering wheel that are hard to find quickly. Which is usually how you want to find them -- quickly!

The cabin is bright and airy. All models comes with front buckets and a floor mounted transmission.

Exterior Design

Both coupe and sedan received a new, sloping rear C pillar and back windows, in slant contrast to the upright roofline of the previous sedan.

Except for a splash of it around the side windows on the sedans, chrome trim is notably absent. The base models are completely devoid of the shiny stuff.

Wheel design on this version of the Civic borders on inexplicable. The base steel wheels are truly ugly, the sporty Si and upmarket EX models get featureless wheel covers while the low-emission VX model gets the alloys. We can't figure it out -- go get a decent set of aftermarket wheels if you're looking for a little pizzazz.

For a small sedan, the four door Civic does a remarkable job of transporting four people comfortably. This is entirely in character for the Civic -- its people packaging has been heralded since the first model.

Ride/Handling/Performance

There's a noticeable softening of this Civic compared to previous versions. The ride is smoother, but at the expense of the taut, crisp handling that made older versions so much fun to drive. A major reason why the previously mentioned cowl was raised somewhat was to allow for greater suspension travel and a corresponding softening of the ride. Die hard Civic fans didn't like it, but the rest of the public didn't even notice.

Safety

Reliability

Long-lived and reliable have become well-known Honda traits. All major components of the Civic appear to be holding up quite well. As in all late eighties/early nineties Hondas, there are the typical electronic ignition system worries (especially the distributor). Honda is fully aware of these failures, and we know they have paid all or part of the repair if made an issue.

Service

Maintenance and service needs to be aware of include a timing belt replacement at 90,000 miles. Honda's are unique in the industry in that their engines turn counter-clockwise. Everyone else's turns clockwise. These are also interference type engines, meaning that if a timing belt breaks, you're in for major engine repairs. Don't skip this service!

Recommendations

There's a Civic for different needs, and all of them come highly recommended. Although we commented on the loss of some of its fun factor, this Civic is well suited to American tastes, and will serve your transportation needs well.