Honda Civic Hatchback (2000 - 2005) 1.6i VTEC Inspire S 5d (2003/53) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

I didn't go for a run-of-the-mill Ford, Vauxhall or VW.

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

Practical and spacious, noisy.

Would you buy this car again and why?

No, because it is noisy and not comfortable enough for long trips.

What are you likely to buy next?

Just bought a Honda Accord diesel - much quieter, comfortable and fuel efficient. Very happy with reliability and Honda's customer service.

Type of dealer you bought from?

Franchise

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£6,999

When did you buy the car?

May 2007

Did you get a good deal and why?

Yes - good trade in value for my car and prepared to negotiate good finance.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

Old Clio was dying of age and mileage. Honda reputation of reliability. When comparing cost, spec and reliability of other brands (Ford, Vauxhall, VW) it was good value.

What was the dealer like?

Very good with sales and for the one service.

What's it like to drive?

Needs revving for quick performance, suitable for overtaking on A roads if there's no more than one passenger. Quite slow when loaded. Very noisy for long distances, with engine, wind and road noise all through cabin. Otherwise it will happily stick to motorway speeds all day. Fine around town. Reasonable steering feedback but can understeer a lot when pushed. Performance much better with decent tyres.

What's it like to park?

Quite easy, good visibility. Shorter at back than you think. Steering a little heavy when parking.

Have you had any problems with the car?

Front wheels seem to throw off weights too easily, therefore causing a vibration between 65-80. Different garages (Honda, Kwik-fit) and different tyres did not resolve issue, presume coating on alloys. Air conditioning had slow leak which got worse as years passed and various garages could not find the cause, despite adding UV dye. One fog light corroded shortly after warranty (possibly due to flooding) - sourced one on eBay and Honda were quick and cheap with fitting. Overall trouble free and expected a couple of faults with age/mileage. Far less than Renault!

What's most practical about your car?

Very large for its size, bigger than equivalent Ford/Vauxhall/VW. Cheap insurance (group 6) for performance (0-60 in under 11 seconds).

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

Aftermarket stereo worked well with standard speakers. Heated mirrors and foglights are useful.