Rita, here is info on the later model Civic than 2003. This is on I believe the 2006!
2) Honda Civic
EPA city/highway mileage: 30/38 (manual), 30/40 (automatic)
When it comes to squeezing every last inch of motion out of a drop of gasoline, no one does it like Honda. A 40 MPG highway figure makes the Civic the most thrifty automatic-transmission-equipped car on this list bar the Prius Hybrid and the VW Jetta diesel. It's an amazing feat considering the Civic's acres of interior room and full complement of safety features. Another Honda coup.
Test drive: 2006 Honda Civic
From Aaron Gold,
Your Guide to Cars.
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Messing with a good thing
Guide Rating -
It is generally accepted knowledge not to mess with a good thing, which is why there haven't been many earth-shattering changes to the Civic over the past decade or so. Well, folks, the earth has been shattered. Along with the host of improvements that usually accompany a new Civic -- bigger engines, more interior room -- comes a new shape, a new approach to interior design and a new commitment to safety. Honda's messed with a good thing -- and they've made it even better.
First Glance
"Umm...I asked to see a Civic, you're showing me Accords." I wonder how many Honda dealers will be hearing that? The new Civic's styling builds on the puckered-and pudgy-look of the recently-redesigned Accord. The Japanese-styled sedan is a bit awkward, but the US-designed coupe is a real looker.
But it's what's underneath the skin that I like best. Honda designed the Civic using what it calls "advanced compatibility engineering". Translation: It's designed not to get pummeled when hit by a bigger vehicle. Honda showed us a Civic that had been slammed head-on into a two-ton minivan. The Civic's front end had crumpled and passed the forces of the collision up through the roof rails, the passenger compartment staying intact and keeping its shape.
Civic's commitment to safety goes deeper: Antilock brakes and side airbags, once available only in higher-end Civics, are now standard in all 2006 Civics, as are side-curtain airbags. Way to go, Honda! Side impact protection has been beefed up -- no easy feat on the coupe, which has no central door pillar -- and the front end is said to be more "pedestrian friendly" (which, by the way, is no excuse to mow down your ex, no matter how strong the urge may be).
