HONDA CIVIC HATCHBACK 

The Complete Car Cost Guide is useful book if you want to understand just exactly how much it costs to own and operate a car.

Produced by the research firm Intellichoice Inc. of Campbell, Calif., it prints in black and white the raw numbers of car ownership: depreciation, financing, insurance, taxes/fees, fuel, maintenance and repairs. Yes, it's a U.S. publication, but its broad conclusions are valid north of the border.

And one of those conclusions is that Civics don't beat up their owner's chequebook, once you get the slightly higher-than-average purchase price. Two main reasons: they hold their resale value exceptionally well and they generally don't break.

Naturally, both are important to the used car buyer. Yes, you can expect to pay a premium for an older Civic (hatchback, sedan and coupe), but you're buying a little runabout with few flaws for a vehicle in this class. For basic transportation the Civic is a refined, smooth running commuter with nimble handling (especially the hatchback), easy-to-use features, low emissions compared to the competition and great fuel economy compared to anything on the road.

Okay, so what's the Civic's history? Currently, Honda is producing the sixth generation of the Civic. In auto-business speak, that means the Civic has been restyled and re-engineered six times since its debut in the early '70s. The last re-make: 1996. The next: due this fall.

The '96 re-do brought the Civic line crisper styling, slightly better engine performance with improved fuel economy, less noise and a little more cabin room. In fact, the then-new Civic sedan grew enough in size to qualify as a compact car, while the two-door models remained sub-compact in official size. In addition, '96 brought enhanced safety and security features. 
At the same time, Honda took out some pricy but unnecessary content in order to minimize sticker shock. For instance, the hydraulic arms that lifted and lowered the '95 Civic's hatch were replaced by less expensive spring-type arms. 

But nothing done in '96 and continuing today detracted from the Civic's ride and handling. In fact, the '96 Civics were made more roadworthy than ever. Improvements to many of the components that make up the four-wheel independent double wishbone suspension made newer Civics even more wonderful to drive--especially given the Civic's price class. 

For the record, in '96, the Civic came in three basic body styles: two-door hatchback, two-door coupe and four-door sedan. The entry engine was a four-cylinder rated at 106 horsepower and both a five-speed manual and a four-speed autobox were offered. Honda has also offered other four-cylinder engines, the most powerful of which is rated at 160 hp. in the Si two-door. 
All Civics perform adequately, although the more power engine choices enhance sportiness. Regardless, if you're shopping for a used Civic be sure of what you've got under the hood.

Moving back in time, the '92-95 edition of the Civic lineup was also a huge success - maybe the generation of cars that stamped the Civic as a benchmark in small cars. Unfortunately, the '92 remake brought the demise of the handy station wagon model for good. The lineup from '92-95 included two-door hatchbacks, four-door sedans, a sporty two-seater with an open top called the del Sol that has since been discontinued and the arrival of a coupe in 1993.

But as in '96, the '92-95 Civics grew compared to their predecessors. The most basic engine choice came in at just 70 hp. and you should be warned that its lack of power is noticeable, especially when you're trying to merge in traffic. Three other four-bangers ranged up to 125 hp.

Truth is, all four engine choices lacked real breakaway speed - at least from a stoplight. What in car jargon is called "low-end torque." If you want to climb hills and stay with traffic, you'll be working the throttle and gears pretty regularly.
What all Civics of this generation share is a smooth ride, and the sedans are the smoothest of all. Civics are nimble, although narrow (and fuel thrifty) standard tires put limits on roadholding. Most Civics are also softly sprung, so in cornering there's a surprising amount of body roll.

They are roomy inside for small cars. But do not that the hatchback of this generation came with a split-opening at the rear that can make loading and unloading tricky. 

On safety, anti-lock braking only became available in the mid-'90s and was not a popular option with most new car buyers. A driver-side airbag became part of the picture in '92, while a passenger-side airbag was available from '93. The '92-95 version earned a three star/three star rating (out of five for driver/passenger) in crash tests, while the most recent version earned four stars/five stars.

Is the Civic a good used car. Of course. Are there bargain? Not likely, but as in everything, if you shop hard enough and long enough, you'll be rewarded - and when it comes to the Civic, in more ways than one. 
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CURRENT RED BOOK PRICING (avg. retail): Honda Civic DX 2-dr hatchback (unless otherwise indicated)
1999-$14,000 ($15,201 original MSRP)
1998-$12,300 ($14,800) 
1997?$10,500 ($13,495) CX
1996?$9,575 ($12,995) CX
1995?$8,125 ($11,495) CX
1994?$6,575 ($10,595) CX
1993?$6,300 ($12,695) 

BUYER'S ALERTS: In more recent versions ('96 onward), look for front windows that bind or have come out of their run channel (TSB 97021, April '98; 97021, May '98; 97021, March '97); water leaking on the floor due to insufficient sealer on body seams under the corner of the dashboard (92050R, Feb. '97); the button that keeps the seatbelt tongue from sliding down that tends to break, as well as seatbelts that may not retract or may retract slowly (93033A, June '96); cupholder lid that sticks closed or will not close due to missing latch (95047R, Feb. '97; 97090295047, Sept. '97); a whistling or howling noise from the middle of the windshield at highway speeds; a moonroof seal along the front edge of the glass that sticks up or squeaks (96039, March '99; 97090296039, Sept. '97); a sticky ignition switch that makes it difficult to remove the key (97009, Jan. '99; 97009, Feb. '97); a loose exhaust pipe that rattles or buzzes (98014, Feb. '98; 980014A, March '98); a loose rear package tray that rattles (97085, Dec. '97); an inoperative AC condenser fan (98028, Sept. '98); squeaks from the instrument panel (SN010197, Jan. '97); peeling paint on front and rear bumpers (MSG024, Jan. '97); torque converter does not lock up because a faulty thermostat keeps the engine from reaching normal operating temperatures in cold weather (97025, March '97); sagging headliner (97110397056, Nov. '97); loose inner fender liner (96043, Sept. '96); a clunk noise from the front suspension that might be traced to the front upper control arm (95052, Dec. '96); a rear suspension squeak that may be caused by dry or loose gusset bolts (961001, Oct. '96); timing belt noise that may due to the tension being too tight (96057, Oct. '96).

For Civics from '92-'95, look for a trunk that's hard to open with a key due to insufficient clearance on the latch (93002, Nov. '94); broken seatbelt tongue stopper button (93033A, June '96); moonroof chatter while opening and closing (96045, June '96); water leaking into the passenger footwell as a result of insufficient sealer on the seat at the firewall. (Look for rust on the floor pan; also, run water over the right lower corner of the windshield in order to spot water leaks.) (92050R, Feb. '97); head gasket leaks (97111097047, Nov. '97); squeaks while turning the steering wheel (94005, March '94); harsh shifts from cars with high mileage with automatic transmissions that may be corrected by adding a bottle of Lifeguard conditioner to the automatic transmission (94013, May '95); corrosion from the main wiring harness to the AC harness connectors that may cause the AC system to stop working (079401, July '94); a temperature control lever that's hard to move (94016, June '94); vibration during braking that may be traced to worn brake pads (92031, June '94); premature or irregular tire wear that may be traced to a lack of tire rotation and wrong front toe alignment (93029A, Oct. '94); issues with the transmission shift linkage of the '93 del Sol model (HON950405A, April '95); front suspension knock that might be traced to the front stabilizer bar (93030, Aug. '93); moisture trapped inside the rear window and lower seal, causing deterioration, hot spots and possible window breakage (94008, April '94); vibrations and noise from the front end that may be caused by loose engine mounts (079401, July '94); long engine crank times that may be traced to a leaking check valve inside the fuel pump (92043, Nov. '92); a trunk that is hard to open due to interference from the latch (93002, Jan. '93).

For recalls:

1991-86: No. 1995086 refers to plastic front seat belt buttons that may break into pieces and fall into the buckle assembly.
1995-92: No. 1997073 refers to an engine hood secondary latch that may corrode and fail if the latch is not clean and sufficiently lubricated.
1994-92: No. 1994069 refers to vehicles (including the Civic del Sol) with automatic transmissions in which the retaining clip that connects the shift cable to the shift lever actuating rod may come off.
1998-96: No. 1997181 refers to passenger airbag modules that may have been improperly assembled.
1996: No. 1996090 an assembly issue that could lead to a loss of brake power assist.
THE VERDICT: Very good urban commuter with generally low overall ownership costs.

CHECK THE SPECS
1991 HONDA CIVIC DX SEDAN

MARKET SEGMENT: Subcompact sedan
Typical market competition: Nissan Sentra, Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Ford Escort/Mercury Tracer, Hyundai Excel, Mazda Protege, Chevrolet Corsica, Pontiac Sunbird, Subaru Loyale, Dodge Shadow, Plymouth Sundance, Eagle Summit. 
Engine: 1.5-litre, 16-valve, SOHC, dual-point programmed fuel injection: 92 horsepower at 6000 rpm; torque is 89 lb-ft at 4500 rpm. 
Steering: rack and pinion (with power-assist on AT).
Brakes: disc front/disc rear, power-assist
Tires: P175/70R13 all-season radials
Fuel economy: litres/100km--automatic four-speed with electronically-controlled lock-up torque converter, 8.6 city/6.5 highway/7.0 combined; five-speed manual, 7.7/6.0/7.0.
Pros
* Roomy, open interior with excellent visibility
* Rides like a much bigger car (quiet and solid feel)
* Snappy driving response
Cons
* Steering without power-assist is heavy, particularly in parking-type manoeuvres
* Nearing end of current product cycle
OVERALL SCORE: (out of 10)

Overall: 8.5

ROAD TEST REPORT CARD for 
Access: B
Driving position: B 
Instruments/Controls: A 
Visibility: A
Climate Control: B 
Steering: B
Brakes: B+
Handling: B 
Acceleration: B- 
Engine: B+
Transmission: B 
Interior space: B 
Trunk/Cargo: B
Noise/Vibration/Harshness: B 

DURABILITY/RELIABILITY REPORT CARD 

Overall: B+
Mechanical: B+ 
Hardware/Body/Paint/Trim: B

SAFETY REPORT CARD

Anti?lock braking: 
Airbags (driver/passenger): 
Traction control: 
Driver/Passenger Front Crash Protection (0-5 stars with five stars the best): stars/ stars

INSURANCE HISTORY

Collision cost rating: 
Comprehensive cost rating: 
Theft claim cost rating: