2006 Honda Civic mini-review

Here's my mini-review of the new Civic, reposted from rec.autos.tech:

I looked at a new Civic yesterday, more out of curiosity then anything
else since my 88 Volvo is still running nicely at 195k miles.

Engine compartment(!):
Cramped, cramped, cramped. In its quest for an additional 0.25 mpg, Honda
has seen fit to move the front edge of the windshield over most of the
rear engine accessories (PS pump, throttle body, et al). Looks like you
can only get to them from the bottom, or may even have to pull the engine
(unless the engine rolls forward like in some GMs).

What good is an additional 0.25MPG if the economical service life of the
car is reduced? Remember that more than 50% of the energy expended by a
car is spend building it.

No electric power steering on anything but the Si and hybrid. Sigh.

Gauges:
The digital gauges are neat. However, there does seem to be a lot of
wasted space on the bottom cluster around the tach. Why not put gauge
blanks for optional gauges there (or an optional NAV screen in front of
the driver's eyes)? True, there are warning lights and an auto trans
shift quadrant beside the tach, but there's still wasted space there.

Trunk:
Pleasantly huge for a car of that size. The rear seat folds 60/40.
Unfortunately, the folding mechanism seems to be only in the trunk - I'd
prefer to be able to fold the seat from the *INSIDE* of the car!

Si/Hatchback:
What happened? The Si is now a coupe. I loved the little square
hatchbacks made from the 80s to the 90s. Good mileage, practical, and a
bit different from everything on the road. I guess Honda has a "sporty"
image to maintain in the US and hatches just don't fit into that mold.
But it would be neat if they built a car that combined sport and
practicality, like the current Subaru WRX or old Volvo 1800ES. Those are
selling like hotcakes, BTW.

Honda, give us a new CRX please. I wonder if building a sporty version of
the Insight with better tires, suspension, and gearing at the expense of a
few MPG could be justified. Call it the first sports hybrid. Maybe even
make it AWD using a 15hp pancake motor driving the rear axle. (The new
Lexus RWD hybrid sedan is more of a luxury touring car.)

I guess if you want cargo room, you have to go to one of Honda's SUV-esque
vehicles like the Element (which has its own problems in its narrow rear
seat - why can't Honda offer 3-person rear seating as an option?)

Update: Honda is making a Civic hatch, just not for US sale anymore:
http://www.modernracer.com/autonews/autonewshondacivicpic2.jpg

Looks neat, kind of like a modern interpretation of a Saab 900T, if you
ask me.

-Andrew

 

I used to think Honda's struggle for every last 1/10 mpg was an attempt at
improving their CAFE numbers. Now I'm not so sure. From what I've been
reading in Forbes and other publications, is seems more now like Honda is
simply losing focus.

I think they're just getting obsessive about "safety" and enviro-stuff,
almost to the exclusion of all else.

The cars are no longer cars to Honda, but are instead flagships for their
particular safety/enviro philosophy.

Honda's biggest achievements in recent years have not been automotive at
all: Asimo the robot, and a genetically engineered form of rice (yes!).
http://www.japancorp.net/Article.Asp?Art_ID=10373

All good things in-and-of themselves of course, but not to us as Honda
drivers.

 

If the Honda Jazz/Fit is available now or is supposed to be
in the near future where you are, I would be interested in
your comparison of it to the 06 Civic. If you feel like
it...

Right now, I'm thinking my next wheels be a Fit/Jazz. Five
years down the line or so, I suppose.

rec.autos.tech:

 

Elle, if you do see a Jazz wherever you live, post yer review here.

I'm in the US in New Jersey (very close to NYC). The Jazz wasn't
available at the dealer's, nor do I see it listed on Honda's US website.
The Jazz is a mini-wagon, right? Honda seems to have given up on wagons,
hatchbacks, and light sporty cars in the US, unfortunately. (They're
keeping the Insight so they can keep their place as the builders of the
car with the highest fuel economy rating in the US.)

Honda, if you are listening, bring a sports version of the Insight to the
US. Give the option of adding two pancake motors in the rear to give, in
effect, an AWD system with a limited-slip rear differential.

Since the front motor would be used for regenerative braking, the rear
motors could be comparatively low-tech permanent magnet DC motors, which
would keep price down (PMDC motors are inefficient if used as generators
unless battery voltage is very close to output voltage, and that can't be
guaranteed).

Cheers,
Andrew

 

"Andrew Szafran"

review here.

If a test drive with me behind the Fit wheel happens, it's
going to be a few years down the line.

But my dealer (here in the Western U.S.) says he'll have the
Fit/Jazz in 2006. I've seen reputable sites on the net
saying the same.

I guess so, from the pictures at the site below. A bit
Cooper-esque.

unfortunately.

I hear you. Maybe Honda did, too, hence the Jazz/Fit!

It's been coming up now and then this past year here.

Here's a site with lots of photos:
http://fitfreak.net/gallery/

See especially:
http://fitfreak.net/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=11

Take care,

E

 

*Now* I see it on the Honda web site. (Didn't look too closely at
work Thanks! I guess the dealer's salesdroid was wrong about Honda
not importing any more hatchbacks to the US.

Looks like it'll be something equivalent to the wonderful 'tall Civics'
that were offered in the late 80s, but probably no AWD.

As far as an armchair review - interior looks nice and roomy, but again
the nose is very short, so it likely has the same engine compartment space
issues as the new Civic.

-Andrew

 

"Andrew Szafran"

Yes, from the photos, that engine compartment looks /very/
tight.

 

Another point about the small compartment...

I wonder if it'll have an engine heat issues due to the fact that the cat
is *in front* of the base engine (the intake manifold is in back).
Hopefully, they've made the mixture control very tight so the thing
doesn't heat up too much except on startup.

The Si's engine seems to have all of its exhaust hardware in back of it
and the cat under the car, so this may be less of an issue.

-Andrew

 

The Honda Fit*: Coming Spring 2006.

Small on the outside, big on the inside, the Fit will transform the way
you live. That's because the Fit has the same Honda quality, know-how
and dependability built right in.

There's not a whole lot of information we can reveal right now, but rest
assured there will be a few surprises for those expecting the steering
wheel to simply move to the left.

So look for the U.S. Fit to satisfy your needs for fun-to-drive excitement.

 

small on the outside, big on the inside. itll be neat to see what little
space saving tricks they can pull.

side note: my mom has a 2003 scion xA (the NOT popular one), purchased
mostly because i recommended it and wanted one myself.

anyway- checking out the engine compartment, i noticed its kind of
tight, but laid out very methodically. typical toyota engineering! one
thing ive never seen before was the radiator overflow bottle is molded
into/part of the fan shroud. saves space, saves parts, saves assembly time.

and of course, it has a plastic intake manifold.

 

Remember the good old days, when Honda used to be run by engineers?

Dave

 

And the situation is not much better with their bikes. Witness
abominations like the 1800cc Shadow and the Valkyrie. And the lack of a
large selection of 'standard' bikes and street legal dual sports in the
US. OTOH, the 599 is a pretty good all-around bike that I wouldn't mind
owning if it were about $1000 cheaper new than it is now.

However, they should really release a 250cc and 400cc sport standard bike
in North America - 250cc scooters are all well and good, but they aren't
motorcycles. And the Nighthawk 250, with its drum brakes and 30-year-old
engine design is just sad - Kawasaki's 250cc Ninja eats it for lunch and
is actually cheaper.

-Andrew

 

If you are interested in a SI -- at an exorbitant price, see Ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/HONDA-CIVIC-Si-06-WARNING-TOTAL-PRICE-YOUR-BID-ADM_W0QQitemZ4598415002QQcategoryZ6256QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
The same could be said for the Accord coupe 6 speed. I saw one advertised
at an Atlanta dealer for over 31k.

 

dayum! its not like its an xbox360!

 

In my 98 Civic Hatch, the catz's also under the hood. Having the cat safely
tucked away inside the hood instead of being exposed to the hazards on the
underside seems like a more ideal placement. I've got 260,000km on the cat
and it's still passing emission.

Pars

 

Now that the Civic is more upscale, there's space for the Honda Fit to fit
in...

Back in 98 I bought my bare bone Civic Hatch for $14K Canadian (when
Canadian dollar was only worth 65% that of US). And that's with a bigger
1.6L engine and the most vaunted suspension system out on the market.

I wonder if the Fit can compare? It's going to have to really pack-in the
options since the sporting aspect will be somewhat lacking. Also, I feel
that a 1.5L is a little too small for highway driving (unless it's turbo
charged). A good displacement that return good highway mileage should start
at 1.6L. That way, you don't need to rely on the high rev's to maintain a
good cruising speed. Perhaps in Japan, highway driving isn't a priority, but
in N.A., I would say at least 1/2 of the driving is at high speeds.

Pars

excitement.

 

I recall that in decades past, Toyota seemed to let a popular model get
better, bigger, more expensive, and then slipped a new model in under it in
the product line. Maybe that's what Honda is doing now.

 

1.5L will put out about 100-110hp, knowing Honda. The Fit weighs less
than 2500lb. My current car is 115hp and a bit over 3000lb. My old Fiat
Spyder was about 2400lb (IIRC) and had 80hp (out of 2L due to
badly-implemented emission controls). Neither car had the least problem
cruising at 80-85 mph. Even if the Honda engine does have to rev a bit
due to poor low-end torque, so what? Honda engines are normally short
stroke and can take that kind of driving without damage or too much loss
of fuel economy.

If you want a low-revving cruiser, get a Town Car or Dodge Magnum... If
you want an economical small car, get the Fit. (BTW, both types of cars
have their places and I'm not knocking the American full-sized cars - with
me, "knocking" is reserved for SUVs

-Andrew

 

I have just driven the rather nice 2.2 diesel Honda Civic. A great
drive,with 50+ mpg. Don't like the bar across the rear view, but I could
live with it. Too many instruments, I would not even like to guess the price
of the main instrument panel, but it will cost a packet if it ever needs to
be replaced.

 

Thanks for the report Mike,

I was wondering about all the gear being on the wheel

How did you find the chrome pedals - I'm not sure I would like the sensation
my foot slipping off the pedals ?

I can get 50 mpg with my present 1.7 ctdi civic (2004) but I take it the 2.2
had a lot more power ?

is it true the 2006 model has a full glass roof ?

Jim (UK)