2006 Honda Civic Los Angeles

Check out our Preowned Honda Civic Inventory in LA!

The Honda Civic has set the quality and performance standard for the affordable, compact car market for years, and continues to do so in 2006.  With the redesigned, restyled, rejuvenated 2006 Honda Civic models, the automaker found its way back to the top of the class. Honda re-did everything for 2006. Not only are powertrains updated and upgraded, and a new platform developed, but the sheetmetal is new. Not a single body panel is carried over from 2005. Across the line, there's more power, improved ride and handling, and better people packaging. There are more choices as well: a sporty new Civic Si coupe, a fully populated tier of coupes and sedans with new engines and transmissions, and a more effective Hybrid sedan.  Honda doesn't hold back when it comes to fleshing out a model line. For 2006, there are no fewer than four Civic models, two coupes and two sedans

Driving the '06 Honda Civic

Three of the coupes and three of the sedans, the DX, the LX and the EX models, share a 140-horsepower, 1.8-liter inline four-cylinder with a standard five-speed manual transmission and an optional five-speed automatic. A performance-oriented coupe, the Si, comes with a 197-horsepower, 2.0-liter inline-4 fitted with a six-speed manual. The Hybrid sedan has a 1.3-liter four-cylinder coupled with a permanent magnet electric motor and a continuously variable transmission. Redesigned front and rear suspensions coupled with larger wheels and tires improve directional stability and sharpen steering. The longer wheelbase smoothes the ride.

2006 Honda Civic Design

The sedans and coupes don't share any body panels. And trim elements and markings distinguish each iteration. From the front, styling differences are subtle, but marked. A polished, horizontal bar dominates the sedan grille. Slender headlamp assemblies angle upwards as they curve around the fenders. A single, broad air intake fills the lower portion of the fascia. The coupe grille appears more open, with the Honda logo suspended on a matte-black framework. An understated badge tucked away in the far right reaches of the grille identifies the sporty Si version. The coupe headlights are more sharply outlined. The lower air intake opens between two, geometric recesses that feed cooling air to the front disc brakes and house the optional fog lamps.

Inside the 2006 Honda Civic

Splayed across the top of the seemingly unending dash in front of the driver is a hooded opening with a digital speedometer between LCD coolant temperature and fuel level gauges. Down below, in the more common place for the instrument panel, in the half circle formed by the top half of the steering wheel, that is, there's a large, round, analog tachometer. To each side of this lower IP are large, irregular vent registers. Centered in the dash above the climate control panel is either an LCD window combining the navigation display and audio settings and, in the Hybrid, a selection of graphic depictions of the hybrid system's functions and status or a stereo control head with the pertinent accoutrements.  The trunk is fully finished, a thoughtful touch is a spare tire well large enough to hold the full-size tire the compact spare will replace temporarily in the event of a flat. Below the climate control panel is a shallow storage bin with a power point and an audio input jack on the left side. Forward of the metallic-trimmed block of plastic serving as a base for the hand brake and shift levers is a good-sized, rectangular storage bin. Another, shallow cubby is tucked in between the shift lever housing and a pair of seat bottom-level cup holders under a sliding cover. Aft of this is an abbreviated, padded armrest covering another storage bin, inside of which is a second power point. Each door has a hard plastic map pocket. A magazine pouch is on the rear of the front passenger seatback.

2006 Honda Civic Lineup

The DX coupe sedan are the base models. Standard equipment is confined to power windows, tilt-and-telescope steering wheel and height-adjustable driver's seat. Buyers wanting a radio must supply their own or order from the dealer, but a rear window-integrated radio antenna is standard.

The LX coupe and sedan expands the standard equipment list to include air conditioning; power mirrors; central locking; cruise control with steering wheel-mounted controls; a center console with sliding armrest; overhead map lights; a 160-watt, four-speaker, AM/FM/CD stereo with MP3 and WMA playback and speed-sensitive auto-volume control; front passenger seatback-mounted magazine pocket; and floor mats.

The EX is the nominal top of the line in both coupe and sedan. Added to the no-extra-charge features on the LX are power moonroof; variable windshield wipers; a second 12-volt power outlet; a 60/40 split folding rear seatback; a seven-speaker, 350-watt, XM-ready, premium stereo with auxiliary input jack and steering wheel-mounted controls; and outside temperature indicator.

The Si coupe comes with all the gear found on the LX coupe plus leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, amber-tinted headlight trim rings and a body-colored rear wing spoiler. The Si coupe is available with high-performance summer tires and the navigation system with XM Satellite Radio.

The Hybrid sedan adds to the LX's features automatic climate control, a roof-mounted radio antenna, a rear decklid spoiler, and hybrid-pertinent digital data displays.

Some information for this review was obtained from NewCarTestDrive.com