2005 Honda Civic Reviews

The seventh gen Honda Civic was more staid than sporty compared to its forebears, but remained a popular small car, with front-wheel drive and five seats. A sound choice if you buy one in top shape.

Ewan Kennedy reviews the Honda Civic sedan and hatch between 2003 and 2015 as a used buy.

Honda Civic began as a small car but increased in size over the years to become a small-medium by the period we are considering here.Because of the expansion in body size Honda also imports a smaller model, the Honda Jazz. Those who loved the smaller Civics of old may care to check out the Jazz. The Honda Civic has long had a reputation for build quality and reliability and this has lifted it a notch or two in the image stakes in Australia.Civic is a Japanese design in sedan format, with a fair bit of European input in the hatchback. The latter is built in England, the sedans in Japan or Thailand, the Civic petrol-electric hybrids are all made in Japan.Build quality doesn’t appear to be dependent on the country the Civic is manufactured in because the Japanese head office keeps a tight rein on the output of the factories. Interior room in the Honda Civic is good without being outstanding. There is space for four adults but in reality the rear seat is probably best left to children.Boot space is fine. Sedans are longer than hatches and most of this extra body size is put into a larger luggage area. There is some loss of boot space in the hybrid due to the installation of a large battery, but it’s better than many hybrids in this area.The Honda Civic is easy to drive and park thanks to light controls and good feel for the driver. These cars are popular with suburban users, but can be used on the open road, although bumpy secondary roads in the bush can cause a rough ride at times in older Civics as they have relatively short-travel in their suspension. Later models, from 2006, are better than the older ones.On smooth and moderate roads the Civic offers the sort of relaxed noise and vibration levels that are generally only found in cars from the next size class upwards. Engine sizes in the standard Civics are 1.6 litres and 1.7 litres in the older models; rising to 1.8 and even 2.0 litres in the current versions, introduced in 2012. The 2.0-litre engines are fitted to the sportier Civics and give plenty of performance.The semi-race Civic VTi-R, sold from 1996 until 1999, is very quick and is a delightful hot four. However, its engine only has a capacity of 1.6 litres and you have to work vigorously at the gearbox to keep it high in the rev range. If you’re not a keen driver you may find it frustrating and should perhaps avoid it. But if you do love pushing a car hard all the time then a VTi-R should definitely be on your short list.Five-speed manual gearboxes are standard in most models. Four-speed automatic transmissions are offered in all except the sporting Civic VTi-R. A five-speed auto is used in the eighth-generation Civics, launched at the start of 2006.The Civic Hybrid was introduced to Australia in early 2004 and is less extreme than previous Honda hybrids. As a result it’s more favourably priced. It has significantly lower pollutants from the exhaust as it runs a small 1.3-litre petrol engine, as well as an electric motor.The automatic fitted to the Civic Hybrid is a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Repairs and servicing can be relatively expensive. Spare parts also used to fall into that category, but Honda has worked hard with its parts network in recent years and things have improved considerably on the later Civics.Civic is reasonably simple mechanically so a good amateur mechanics can do a fair bit of the work themselves. Having a workshop manual at hand makes a lot of sense. Don’t attempt to carry out repairs to safety related items unless you have top class experience.Insurance costs are generally reasonable, with few companies making any real differentiation for the sportier versions of the Civic. Which is a surprise for such a little hotshot, it probably hasn’t sold in sufficient numbers to have come up on the radar of the insurance guys, let's hope it stays that way.Bodywork should be undamaged and free from rust. A Civic that has been poorly repaired after a smash may turn rusty later. Make sure the engine starts promptly and responds quickly and positively to the throttle. If possible arrange to start it when it’s cold after an overnight stop. Any engine that hesitates when revved suddenly should be treated with suspicion.A worn engine will smoke from the exhaust when it is driven hard after a period of idling. A conventional automatic transmission should be crisp in its changes and not hold onto any gear for too long. A continuously variable automatic transmission feels different in its operation so have an expert drive it if you are not confident it’s working correctly.The clutch pedal should be smooth in its operation. All manual gear changes should be light, positive and quiet. Problems will show up first on fast down changes, usually when going from third to second. Make sure the brakes pull the car up without any pulling to one side and that no one wheel locks while the others are still rolling freely.Look for Civics with a full service history as many belong to people who are very fussy about their cars.

After three months behind the wheel of Toyota's Prius we thought it only fair to devote an equal amount of time to Honda's equivalent, the hybrid-powered Civic.The two cars are the only hybrid-powered vehicles currently available on Australian market.Like Prius, the Civic Hybrid uses a combination of petrol and electric power to achieve remarkable fuel economy.It has a small 1.3-litre four cylinder i-DSI VTEC ULEV (Ultra Low Emission Vehicle) petrol engine supplemented by an ultra-thin electric motor that is located between the engine and transmission.The petrol engine produces 63kW of power at 5700rpm and 119Nm of torque at 3300rpm.Combined with the assistance of the 10kW electric motor, total power output rises to 69kW at 5700rpm and 146Nm of torque at 2000rpm, with the electric motor's extra torque instantly on tap.The Honda's power output is less than the Prius whose larger 1.5-litre engine produces 82kW in total but the Civic is the lighter of the two at 1190kg versus 1295kg.Like the Prius, the Civic employs a Continuously Variable automatic transmission (CVT) to maximise performance and economy.The shiftless system is smoother than conventional automatics with less torque loss, allowing the driver to make the most of the engines characteristics.Aerodynamic aids have also been added to achieve a low wind drag co-efficient. The Hybrid's front bumper, engine undercover, rear floor side under covers and rear spoiler are shaped to improve airflow over the car.The car also rolls on low rolling resistance 185/70 R14 88H tyres.The resulting fuel economy, Honda claims, is 5.2 litres per 100km.So far our test car's consumption seems to be a little higher than the Toyota's, with our last tank of fuel achieving 730km at a rate of 6.2L/100km, using 47.97 litres of the 50-litre tank.The Prius which averaged 5.52L/100km in the time we had it.The Honda is a very different car but equally as impressive.One thing we miss from the Prius, however, is cruise control which is not included.Contrary to popular opinion, cruise is a convenience item rather than a fuel saving device.Hybrid Civic, priced from $29,990, costs $6510 less than Prius. 

After three months behind the wheel of Toyota's Prius we thought it only right and proper to devote an equal amount of time to the Honda equivalent, the hybrid powered Civic.Honda was the first manufacturer to offer a hybrid powered vehicle in Australia with the aptly named Insight back in 2001.We were there for the historic launch and the Civic Hybrid followed in February 2004, with a second generation Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid system and the practicality that comes with of a traditional four-door sedan.By way of explanation, the futuristic Insight, while suited to the role, was anything but practical as a two-seat, three door hatch with so so suspension.Like Prius, the Civic Hybrid uses a combination of petrol and electric power to achieve remarkable fuel economy.The revised IMA system in fact scooped two categories in the 2003 International Engine of the Year awards.The Hybrid has a small 1.3-litre four cylinder i-DSI VTEC ULEV (Ultra Low Emission Vehicle) petrol engine that is supplemented by an ultra-thin electric motor located between the engine and transmission.The petrol engine produces 63kW of power at 5700rpm and 119Nm of torque at 3300rpm.Combined with the assistance of the 10kW electric motor, total power output of the car rises to 69kW at 5700rpm and 146Nm of torque at 2000rpm.This less than the Prius whose larger 1.5-litre engine produces 82kW in total but the Honda is the lighter of the two at 1190kg versus 1295kg.Like the Prius, the Civic employs a Continuously Variable automatic transmission (CVT) to maximise peformance and ecomony.The shiftless system is smoother than conventional automatics with less torque loss, allowing the driver to make the most of the engines characteristics.Aerodynamic aids have also been added to achieve a low wind drag co-efficient. The Hybrid's front bumper, engine undercover, rear floor side under covers and rear spoiler are shaped to improve airflow over the car.It rolls on low rolling resistance 185/70 R14 88H tyres.The resulting fuel economy, Honda claims, is 5.2 litres per 100km.We averaged 5.52L/100km during our stint in the Prius, so it will be interesting to see whether the Honda can equal or better this figure.Hybrid Civic is priced from $29,990 plus on- road costs.