HONDA CIVIC Hatchback 2000‑2005

Ill take a different approach

A guy I know has blown 2 valves in his VAG doing high speeds, In my VAG Gearbox, Clutch and Driveshaft went! My Honda is quicker than the 1.6 equivalent of that year 2002, more reliable nothing has broken and uses less petrol, is cheaper on insurance and tax, has more features such as heated seats and sun roof and climate control, you dont have to like Japanese cars, but when it comes to running costs they cant be matched,

Honda cars have more road noise and are less insulated than german counter parts

Honda need to return to their roots and the good old days of the EK9 and NSX, The EP2/EP3 is the last generation of good old fashion bang for buck reliable cars.

My next car is a Type R Civic, Having owned the Civic 1.6 for a year it has been very forgiving, Ive had only a few niggles such as calipers and the occasional steering pull due to the annoying electric power steering, although there is sometimes feedback from the steering wheel its not as involving as it could be,

The 1.6 sport has low end torque and close gear ratios which comes in handy for daily driving, Unlike the type R which apparently has to be revved to get the raw power the 1.6 has a low end torque but nothing in the mid range then decent power in high end,

The 1.6 sport SE comes with Sunroof and climate control as well half leather suede seats, Car is nippy and can be pushed a bit without fear of bolts falling off,

Make sure its serviced and oil checked, Mine doesnt use much oil but its worth checking every 2 3 weeks!

Most reliable car so far, I can drive long distances with confidence, MPG is about 35 to 38, depending on your mileage, service history and driving habits, It is fairly forgiving on petrol if serviced regularly. Suspension in the sport 1.6 is stiff, but it holds the road well even on standard wheels,

Good overall car would recommend as long as you are not seeking comfort of german rivals!

I had the car for the past two years now and I did not have to spend any money on it besides maintenance cost. (oil change, spark plugs, brakes, ball joint, struts etc..)

It is obviously very reliable but you have to make sure that you change the oil every 6 month and that you address any issue straight away.

Pros:

-Good looking

-Strong residual value

-Reliable

-Spacious

-Quick

Cons

-Noisy at higher speeds

-High fuel consumption

All in all I am really happy with the car I would definitely buy again. This car is a charmer as it will keep on going and with quite a poke.

If you are planning to buy a car that you can enjoy and not spend too much on it, this is the one for you.

If you want to do smaller things on it at home you can as it was designed so you can reach things and have a go at a bit of DIY.

Reliable, fast, spacious, Honda engines are amazing.

You wont regret owning a Honda civic Vtec 1.6.

Very cheap on gas

When looking for a car I wanted one which was quick, reliable, pratical and looks good, not allot to ask?! For me the Honda Civic 2.0litre Type S is perfect. Not many people know about these cars only being aware of the Type R which is a fantastic car but being a 3 door limits things when it comes to having kids.

It's the first Honda I have owned and the build quality and reliability is amazing especially compared to other cars I have previously owned. The engine is a masterpiece its surprisingly good with fuel if not driving mad and the vtech is superb making any drive fantastic fun. I have had fitted a stainless custom backbox which sound superb when in the vtech especially in third gear.

Steering and cornering is fine not as sharp as the type r but this is a 5 door car. Its surprisingly practical as well and on a regular basis I load mine up with fishing gear without any issues at all.

Some people are image conscious of a brand like Honda but I have always loved Japanese cars from the 80's and 90's sports cars. If you get a sporty version like a type S or R then your laughing!

It has some funny quirks like the gearstick coming out of the dash but this works really well to be honest. My advice is if you are considering this car then buy it quick

Its the best car i have owned so far. With the 1.6 vtec engine, it pulls really good. Very spacious compared to the newer models. really good on fuel as it is doing 42.6 mpg as i am driving both town and motorways.

Good points are a blazing, rev-loving engine combined with an absolutely lovely gearbox. You also get two great, figure hugging seats.

You also get a very poor paint job (mine is presently three different shades of red), and the interior plastics are seemingly worn by seatbelts, jean studs and even hands.

But the main problem with this car is its' useability. When you access the v-tech in 2nd gear you have to redline it before you change gear in order to stay in the v-tech in third - if you change too early you'll drop out - and that redline zings round fast!

It's good fun but 8,000 rpm in second equates to @65mph, 3rd 85mph and 4rth a tonne plus.. If you're having fun it's most likely going to be illegal.

But it's a great little maniac

Can't fault this car in anyway, its looks good and in my opinion will be a classic quick car one day.

Its built to last and will never break down with it's honda reliabilty, the ride quality is alittle hard but i wouldnt expect anything less with a car that is a fast and handels like a type r.

It gets used on a daily basis, for the commute to work, has plenty of space inside and the interior is really nice too with those type r bucket seats that really hold you in place.

The Vtec engine sound is amazing with alot of bhp(198), very quick and handels superbly whilst still good on the tyres and if driven cerefully very fuel efficent aswell.

All round great car and the new version is not a patch on this shape(EP3) and i should know, ive owned both!

I've had my civic type r for 4.5 years now and not really had any probs with it beyond routine maintenance - tyres, brakes and servicing. Just passed 101k and still going well and fun to drive. Downsides are average mpg of @30ish which isn't great.

Also I've had it valued for part-ex and only worth about 3k now, having paid 10k 4.5 years ago so quite steep depreciation.

Generally a good solid fun car though which I will miss if I do exchange it for something else.

Very good car to drive. Cheap to run as it is 1.4 engine, cheap to insure as well. Good looking.

Amazing honda engine, 10 years old but still running very quiet and smooth. Did not had any problem at all, only did normal maintains like new brake, tyres, oil ... Very reliable.

Very quick for a 1.4 car.

Plenty of space inside, easy to fit 3 people at the back seat. Boot has lots of space too.

Easy to drive, good to handle, only negative thing I can think of is the car is very light, sometimes you can feel it on motorway if it is windy, but thats why the car is cheap to run.

Good all round car, very comfy handles ok a trade off for the comfort. running costs good 55+ Mpg, honda parts and services can be costly tho