First Glance
The previous generation of Civic had quietly settled into maturity, with conventional lines and an elegant shape. For 2006, Honda has taken a sharp pen to the design, especially in the front end. Hood slope has been increased dramatically, almost to mini-van shape, in the interest of aerodynamics. It's almost a straight line from the tip of the grille to the top of the roof, so steep is the slope of the hood and windshield. You could use your Civic as a wedge to keep a heavy door open.
The rear of the car is more conventional, with a high, flat trunk lid to maximize space. Big, organically shaped taillights are great for visibility. The overall look is modern, maybe a little futuristic. If you squint real hard, the profile of the Civic Sedan is reminiscent of the Mercedes CLK Sedan in miniature. 16" x 6.5" alloy wheels are standard on the EX, and they're a big visual improvement over the narrow 15" steel wheels you used to find on Civics.
Fit and finish are fantastic, the Honda hallmark of quality. You'll find deep, lustrous paint, tight, even seams and gaps, and solid build quality all around the Civic. There's nothing cheap or chintzy about the Civic Sedan. So where's the sacrifice? It must be hiding inside the car...
In the Driver's Seat
The futuristic theme continues on the Civic's dash. A digital speedometer is housed beneath a small eyebrow above the steering wheel, flanked by temperature and fuel gauges. A traditional round analog tachometer lives behind the steering wheel, with indicator lights and panels on either side. The wheel itself has two thick spokes with cruise, audio and voice command controls embedded. The wheel is adjustable for tilt and reach, making finding the right driving position much easier. At the top of the center stack is a color LCD screen for the navigation and audio system. Simple AC/ventilation controls sit beneath the nav system. The whole dash is sharp, modern and cool-looking, constructed of high quality materials and very functional. There are a few too many colors at work in the gauge cluster, which can be distracting at night -- easily remedied by dimming the dash lights a bit.
The seats in the Civic are comfortable and supportive, covered with a soft, durable feeling cloth. The driver's seat is adjustable for height, a nice feature. Here's a sacrifice -- no power seats and no leather seating surfaces are available, so you'll have to adjust manually and be careful of coffee on the fabric. Oh, the tortures of economy.
On the Road
With a 1.8 liter 4-cylinder engine that produces 140 hp and 128 lb-ft of torque, the Civic's acceleration is adequate for everyday driving, but hardly inspirational. The new 5-speed automatic transmission does a good job of keeping the engine in its power band, but load your Civic with a full compliment of people and groceries, and you'll wish there were more ponies under the hood. The Civic is a performer at the gas pump, however -- the EPA estimates that you can expect 30 mpg city/40 mpg highway, great numbers for a conventionally powered vehicle.
Civic is the first economy car equipped with drive-by-wire technology, which replaces the conventional mechanical connection between your gas pedal and engine with an electronic one. You'll never notice the difference, but your engine will -- it will be able to deliver fuel more efficiently and precisely, a great thing for economy and emissions -- the Civic achieves ULEV2 standards (Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle).
Four wheel disc brakes with electronic brake assist do a good job of hauling the Civic down from speed. Front McPherson struts and rear double-wishbone suspension deliver a comfortable ride. The Civic is quiet and composed on the road. It's hard to find the sacrifices here.
Journey's End
If you're looking for a good quality, efficient, straightforward car with modern features, and you've just got to have factory navigation -- it's going to be hard to find a better car than the 2006 Honda Civic EX. The navigation system, by the way, is great, though a little painful at a $2,300 premium over the standard Civic EX. $2,300 will buy a pretty good aftermarket navigation system, so shop around to see what's available before you commit to the Honda factory unit.
There are other sub-compacts worth considering. The Mazda3 is a hoot to drive, and has a style all its own. Toyota's venerable Corolla and Nissan's Sentra are solid performers, if a little dull. Chevrolet's Cobalt and Ford's Focus are viable entries to the field, and many drivers love the Hyundai Elantra and Kia Spectra (I don't). Don't overlook the real economy alternatives, like the Scion xA and Chevy Aveo, which could save you thousands over a Civic, leaving plenty of room for aftermarket navigation.
I'm not ready to declare the Civic as my benchmark sub-compact, but I was very impressed with this new iteration. I'd have to decide if I could live with the modest performance and drive like an adult, the one big sacrifice I can see with this new Civic.
