1996-2000 Honda Civic: Road Test

Based on interior volume, the sedan now qualifies as a compact car, whereas the coupe and hatchback rank as subcompacts. Rear space in any body style is adequate for most people (up to about 6 feet tall) to fit without squeezing. Hatchbacks gained the most interior space. Thinner roof pillars and a bigger rear window improved visibility on all body styles. The driver faces a low steering wheel and easy-to-read gauges. Split folding rear seatbacks on all Civics expanded cargo capacity. The '01 redesign brought obvious gains in space, refinement, and comfort. Acceleration is liveliest with the EX, but all Civics perform at least adequately. Gas mileage also is a bonus: An EX with automatic reached 36 mpg on the highway, averaging 29 mpg in suburban commuting. Engine noise has been quieted, but road noise is still prominent at highway speeds. Except for some overreaction to wavy surfaces, ride comfort is pleasing--well above average for a small car, with few jolts and minimal bounciness. Easy to maneuver, stable, and well-controlled on the highway, the Civic delivers superior steering feedback and excellent response.

Value for the Money
This generation continues Civic's long-standing tradition of reliability and durability. Largely for that reason--coupled with the high new-car prices of LX and EX models, in particular--their resale prices as used vehicles tend to stay high.