The Good: Cavernous cabin, peppy and fuel efficient engines
The Bad: Cheapo interior trim
The Say: Does not have the driving excitement of its elder generations but is a great family car.
Go For: 1.6 VTi-S
Avoid: 1.5 LXi
Price Range: P180,000-P310,000
Our Rating: ****
Full Review: Used Car Review - Honda Civic (2001-2005)
Latest vehicle profile: Honda Civic
See the different versions of this vehicle:
2001-2003
2003-2006
Vehicle Overview
The seventh generation Civic saw numerous changes which included a size bump to compact category, a flat rear floor for the comfort of rear seat passengers, and the usage of a McPherson strut, which ditched the double wishbone setup used in previous models. While this one became more mature, this one became "disappointing" for some Honda loyalists.
Utilizing carryover engines from the previous model (the SIR's 1.6 isn't available, though), the 1.5 shows its life at 3,000rpm and can carry the heavy body while the common 1.6 has more power on the lower end and is more relaxed, and a 2.0 whose trait is a smooth delivery to the top. Driving experience is good with precise steering and excellent braking (for models with ABS brakes) but going to road bumps tends to bottom up the car.
As mentioned earlier, the interior became roomier than the previous model with the rear passenger in the middle need not to dangle his/her legs. Controls are easy to reach within the driver but cheap plastic materials come standard among low models.
What Should I Get
Offered from 2001 until 2004, the LXI gives you a 108hp 1.5 engine, all power features, alloy wheels, AM/FM tuner with CD player added in a 2003 update, this rather basic variant is best skipped for this generation of this Civic. Aim for models having the 128hp 1.6 engine which starts with the VTI that adds CD tuner and for facelift models, alarm, keyless entry, and MP3 function. Our pick is the VTI-S that adds vital items such as ABS brakes, dual airbags, and fog lamps (2003 and above). Introduced in 2004 is a 153hp 2.0 which adds a larger engine and can be ordered with either fabric or leather seats. A special edition RS model was introduced in September 2002 which has the specifications of the VTI-S but available in black and with a manual transmission plus only a few units are available.
How Much Would It Cost Me
For a 15 year old vehicle, this one would give you plenty of parts access while maintenance costs are on par with Japanese rivals. While you have to worry about the air conditioning unit, this car was involved in numerous recalls for the following issues: a fuel tank which isn't tightened in 2005, passenger airbags for 2001 to 2002 VTI-S in August 2010 and April 2013, and for front airbags in July 2014.