Honda Civic Hatchback (2000 - 2005) 1.6i VTEC Executive 5d Owner Review

This was my second car and was purchased within a year of having gotten my license. The purchase was gross example of peer pressure - being the only person in my group of peers who could drive, I was often giving lifts at capacity. My passengers often complained about the lack of space and insisted I get a bigger car. This could have led to an absolutely horrible purchase decision - I didn't know much about car brands, their models and respective performances. I found my Civic sitting in the back of a used car dealership for under a grand, citing a gearbox issue. I took the plunge and after fixing the gearbox issue the total cost of the car came to ~£1100. Other examples hover around this price as well, and reflecting on it after over two years of driving, and I can truly see how much of a steal that is. For the money you get a lot of car - literally. The amount of space on offer is astounding. The rear seating doesn't sacrifice boot space, and vice versa; its also similarly roomy at the front. The gearstick is mounted on the dashboard so the center console is now used to house a large storage compartment. Lets focus on the gearstick for a moment and let it segue into the driving experience. Like a MPV its mounted up on the dashboard, and with it being in such close proximity to the steering wheel it allows for quick gear changes, which is also helped by the fact that it feels so smooth and solid to do. We've all heard about Honda's VTEC engines and all the boast surrounding them, and... well there *is* a reason for it. Granted, people generally talk about the 2.0 examples found in the sportier versions of the Civic, but this 1.6 unit pulls its weight remarkably well. It may not hold a candle to proper performance hatchbacks, but its more than capable of overtaking quickly, and the sudden surge (and noise!) the VTEC provides in the higher RPM ranges is endlessly enjoyable. The handling is also surprising as its very light considering the length and weight of the car; and yet it sticks to the road very well. This trim level also offers a nice array of gadgets (for the year anyway). Heated seats, arm rests, leather sets enable this car to be a very comfortable place to be in for long stints. At the end of the day here, the point I'm trying to build up is that this car is an excellent all rounder. If you're looking to strike a balance between a practical car and one that is enjoyable to drive - whilst keeping to a strict budget - you could certainly do far worse than this. Cons? Well, I really want to look like I'm providing an impartial review here but there aren't many issues with this car - most of these are going to seem like nitpicks. Here goes: The suspension and wheel bearings seem to be the most consistent faults on this car - though the former may be a result of me driving Scotland's roads. The gearbox issue that this car had is also cited to be common and in my case, costs a pretty penny to repair. Allegedly the issue also presents itself around every 40,000 miles. The CD player seems a bit... sensitive. It has a hard time reading scratched discs and bumps on the road can interrupt its operation from time to time. This trim level has a front arm rest, which is attached to the driver's seat. The problem here is that using it blocks easy movement of your arm to the handbrake, so its only really usable for motorway driving. Whilst on the subject of motorway driving, the engine is a bit noisy when it reaches 70 MPH. This might be just my car but the air condition is particularly weak, even at full blast. The Central vents also cannot be closed. The styling is not going to be to everyone's cup of tea - you're either going to appreciate its simple, understated styling or just find it plain dull.