REVIEW: Honda gets it right with the new Civic

After decades of building a reputation as an affordable compact car with pep and styling, the Honda Civic went astray. The design became conservative. The Civic Si sport version fell short on performance.

"There was an uproar," said Mark Pafumi, 35, a lead engineer for Honda Motor in North America whose first car was a used Civic. "A lot of the enthusiasts were really screaming: 'What the heck are you doing? We love your products, but you've let us down.' "

Pafumi and the rest of the Civic team appear to have listened. After a redesign for 2006, the Civic earned Car of the Year honors earlier this year at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. It's also won back the love of Honda enthusiast websites.

Full review here

Hyundai - 5/26/2006 7:32:17 PM

+1 Boost

I agree. The exterior styling of the Civic coupe is actually attractive though. The interior is another story altogether; it is uuuugly. The sedan Civic has the most horrid proportions I have ever seen on a car along with the Aztec. Boy how they screwed up that car! The rear tailights are ripped straight off of the A4. Acura is also ripping off the Audi's tailight design.

EnnNorak - 6/1/2006 9:51:32 PM

+1 Boost

I think that Honda has lost its way several times since it came to North America. I'll leave the styling critics to fight about styling issues among themselves -- the only quarrel I have with the current Civic is the lack of a more powerful engine and paddle shifters for the Si coupe that is currently available only with manual transmission. I'm getting too long in the tooth to drive a conventional manual and my wife absolutely insists on automatic transmission.