Edmunds First Drive: 2006 Honda Civic

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Zim Hosein

Zim Hosein

Super Moderator | Elite Member
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Nov 27, 1999
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More Style, Less Room
Available in two body styles ? coupe and sedan ? the new 2006 Civic is offered as four distinct models: the Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hybrid (sedan only), and the racy Si (coupe only). The hatchback body style, which was exclusive to the previous Si, is a goner.

For the first time, the coupe and sedan don't share a wheelbase. Honda's engineers felt the sedan's new 106.3-inch wheelbase was just too long for the coupe to feel as sporty and responsive as they desired. So while the new sedan's wheelbase has grown 3.2 inches over last year's, the coupe's is only 1.2 inches longer.

Even with the longer wheelbase, somehow the coupe has lost 2.5 inches of rear-seat legroom. Meanwhile, in the name of styling, Honda's designers sacrificed some rear headroom. The new coupe's roofline is several inches lower than its predecessor's. Combine that with the car's radically fast backlight, and those with large craniums should ride in the front.

"True coupe buyers will sacrifice a little rear-seat room for better performance and sexier styling," says Greg Thomas from Honda's product planning division. "But you can still sit full-size adults back there very comfortably."

He's right, you can.

The sedan's rear-seat room is about the same as before, and both body styles gained 1.4 inches of additional width, so sticking a third in the backseat of either no longer qualifies as bad karma.

Due to the shorter rear overhang, trunk space also took a hit. It's now 12 cubic feet in the sedan and 11.5 in the coupe (both used to be 12.9). But Honda points out that the trunk sides are now flatter so the space is more useful. And the rear seat in every model but the hybrid folds flat to increase cargo space.
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Edmunds First Drive: 2006 Honda Civic

:)
 
Nitemare

Nitemare

Lifer
Feb 8, 2001
35,461
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NFS4 is going to be sad....

*might be getting one, since a cabbie wrecked my Accord
 
Zenmervolt

Zenmervolt

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Oct 22, 2000
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I love the look of the coupe...

Enough that one may repalce the Lincoln as a daily in a couple years when they're coming off of leases... *ponders*

ZV
 
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RagingBITCH

Lifer
Sep 27, 2003
17,618
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Ouch. The rear headroom of the Civic has ALWAYS sucked. Unless you're a 5'2" girl, it's gonna be tight for anyone.
 
T

tennisflip

Golden Member
Sep 25, 2003
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Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
I love the look of the coupe...

Enough that one may repalce the Lincoln as a daily in a couple years when they're coming off of leases... *ponders*

ZV
Click to expand...

Agreed. I wish the sedan had the same tail as the coupe. :(
 
S

SSP

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
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Edmunds made a typo.

Although it makes 23-percent more combined power than the 2005 Civic Hybrid it gets better mileage. Honda says it gets 50 mph in the city or on the highway. (Photo courtesy of Honda)
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:cool:
 
K

klah

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Aug 13, 2002
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With the optional five-speed automatic, the Civic is EPA rated at 30 mpg city and 40 mpg highway.
Click to expand...

:thumbsup:

Are Ford or GM even going to attempt to compete with that? I guess they are content with barely breaking 30mpg hwy with their compact cars?




 
B

blakeatwork

Diamond Member
Jul 18, 2001
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Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
Ouch. The rear headroom of the Civic has ALWAYS sucked. Unless you're a 5'2" girl, it's gonna be tight for anyone.
Click to expand...

I'd be going from a 4-door Firefly "sedan" to a Civic... it should feel like the bloody grand Canyon... :D
 
W

Wag

Diamond Member
Jul 21, 2000
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I'll take 2!

No, seriously. I am so jazzed about the '06 Civic I don't even think I can wait to test drive the Coupe, and might end up with the Sedan. I'm over 35 so I might just have to.:D
 
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thomsbrain

Lifer
Dec 4, 2001
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Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
Ouch. The rear headroom of the Civic has ALWAYS sucked. Unless you're a 5'2" girl, it's gonna be tight for anyone.
Click to expand...

i'm 5'10" and have fit just fine in the back seat of any civic i've ever been in. can't say the same for some "full size" american sedans.
 
ElFenix

ElFenix

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Mar 20, 2000
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Originally posted by: klah
With the optional five-speed automatic, the Civic is EPA rated at 30 mpg city and 40 mpg highway.
Click to expand...

:thumbsup:

Are Ford or GM even going to attempt to compete with that? I guess they are content with barely breaking 30mpg hwy with their compact cars?
Click to expand...

ford has cars that break 30 on highway mileage. they just don't sell them here.


i wonder how hard it would be to start selling fiesta here? the diesels get 52 miles per gallon of diesel in the city.
 
A

Aftermath

Golden Member
Sep 2, 2003
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ford has cars that break 30 on highway mileage. they just don't sell them here.


i wonder how hard it would be to start selling fiesta here? the diesels get 52 miles per gallon of diesel in the city.
Click to expand...

The Ford Focus auto with the 2L I4 gets 26/32. If you go with a manual it goes up (slightly) to 26/35.
 
R

RagingBITCH

Lifer
Sep 27, 2003
17,618
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Originally posted by: thomsbrain
Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
Ouch. The rear headroom of the Civic has ALWAYS sucked. Unless you're a 5'2" girl, it's gonna be tight for anyone.
Click to expand...

i'm 5'10" and have fit just fine in the back seat of any civic i've ever been in. can't say the same for some "full size" american sedans.
Click to expand...

Then you're really a midget measuring 4'6".
 
D

DragonMasterAlex

Banned
Feb 3, 2001
5,156
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0
Originally posted by: klah
With the optional five-speed automatic, the Civic is EPA rated at 30 mpg city and 40 mpg highway.
Click to expand...

:thumbsup:

Are Ford or GM even going to attempt to compete with that? I guess they are content with barely breaking 30mpg hwy with their compact cars?
Click to expand...


Nah, they're too busy promoting their "Biggest SUV EVAH!!" while the rest of us go broke on $3+ per gallon gas :)

Jason
 
M

MazerRackham

Diamond Member
Apr 4, 2002
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Man, I wish my 05 RSX-S had a LSD!!! :( Oh well. Hindsight is 20/20 eh?

I don't know why ANYONE would buy a 06 RSX-S over the 06 Si at this point.
 
JDub02

JDub02

Diamond Member
Sep 27, 2002
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The SI looks awesome. I don't think I could give up 10 mpg over the regular civic and be required to run premium.

I have a 60 mile/day round trip commute to work. These new civics are looking awfully tempting. I was considering a scion tc, but the civics get another 10 mpg on top of the scion.
 
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