Honda Civic sedan 2001-2005 review

2005 Honda Civic

Honda Civic

The seventh generation Honda Civic was introduced in 2001. One of the best selling small cars in North America. Available as a four-door sedan or a two door coupe. Very simple, economical and inexpensive to maintain.

Front-wheel drive. Transversely mounted engine, disk brakes in the front, drums in the back. Hybrid version is available starting from 2003 model.

Inside the Civic is fairly roomy for a small car. Fit and finish is very good. The instrument panel is easy to read, simple controls located exactly where you want them to be. Driver's seat is comfortable and supportive, the rear seat folds down for extra cargo room. The trunk is spacious for a small car.

Handling is good, although ride feels a little bumpy - well, it's a small car.
ABS is standard on Honda Civic EX models. Side airbags are optional. IIHS Best Pick for Offset Frontal Crash, five stars for both the driver and the front passenger in NHTSA frontal crash test.

The engine

4-cylinder 1.7-liter 127 h.p SOHC 16-valve VTEC engine

Aside from rare-to-find hybrid and natural gas powered models, the 2001-2005 Civic comes with two main engine choices: the 4-cylinder 1.7-liter 115 h.p SOHC (Single OverHead Cam) 16-Valve engine and the more powerful 4-cylinder 1.7-liter 127 h.p SOHC 16-valve VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) engine. Either engine made very compact and lightweight for better efficiency. Both engines have a timing belt that must be replaced at a certain interval. Honda Civic engines are very reliable if properly maintained.

Strengths

- Fairly reliable
- Good fuel economy
- High resale value
- Interior quality and comfort
- Low maintenance costs
- Great trunk space for a small car

Weaknesses

- Road and engine noise
- Slightly "bumpy" ride

Overall

If you are looking for a small economical sedan, the Honda Civic is one of the best choices on the market. It's cheap on gas and inexpensive to maintain. The Civic has been pretty reliable so far, however, there were some complains about an automatic transmission.

What to look for buying a used Civic

First, check the used car history records. Even though it will not give you a 100% guarantee that the car is perfect, it's well worth the money spent. A history report may uncover problems that you may not be aware of such as previous accidents, flood damage, rolled back odometer, rental use, etc.
Follow this link: How to check used car history
- Check the service records if available - it's important to verify that the car was properly maintained.
- Check for leaking front shock absorbers (one of the common problems)
- Clunking noise from the front suspension while braking may indicate bad suspension components.
- Check if the timing belt has been replaced; if not, you will need to do that.
- If the "check engine" light is on, make sure to check it with a Honda dealer before buying a car.
Learn more what to look for when buying a used car
After you buy a car, visit your local Honda dealer to check if all necessary recalls have been performed.
Shop wisely, check few cars to compare; it's worth to pay a little extra for a well-maintained vehicle in good condition.
Some models may be costly to insure. Check the insurance quotes first.
As a last step prior purchase, I'd recommend to have the vehicle inspected by a mechanic of your choice.

Few maintenance tips

- Wash your car regularly, wax it once in a while to keep the car body shiny and protected from harsh environment.
- Frequent oil changes are very important to keep your engine in a good shape.
- Change transmission fluid regularly, use only original Honda transmission fluid.
- Take care of minor problems as soon as you can, so they won't cause serious problems and an expensive repair later.
- Always check your parking space for leaks, and if you find one, get it fixed as soon as you can.
- Try to avoid overheating the engine - it may cause serious problems.
- It make sense to replace the water pump when you change the timing belt.
- Have your car inspected, at least once a year, in the garage on the lift (e.g. when doing tire rotation) to keep it safe. Many components (e.g. brakes, steering, suspension) cannot be properly inspected by simple visual inspection at one of those fast lube places; the vehicle must be on the lift.
- No matter where you service your Honda, try to stick with original Honda parts.
To know more about your Honda maintenance, visit Honda’s Ownerlink website (see links section below). Check more Car maintenance tips from Samarins.com

Honda Civic sedan short specs. (2003 US model)

Links

If you are looking for more detailed technical information

If you want to find technical information about you car such as repair manual, check engine codes description, wiring diagrams, diagnostic procedures, fluid type, maintenance schedule, component location, technical service bulletins, recalls, etc. follow this link:

by Vlad Samarin