Honda Civic Hatchback (2006 - 2011) 2.2 i-CTDi SE 5d (2007/56) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

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

Everyone liked it. It is a handsome car but Honda have done everything on the cheap and it shows. It could have been awesome.

Would you buy this car again and why?

Definitely not!

What are you likely to buy next?

I traded it in for a Japanese built Honda Accord 2.0 Type S. Great car but still has some dodgy interior materials but no way as tacky as the Civics.

Type of dealer you bought from?

Independent

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£9,000

When did you buy the car?

November 2008

Did you get a good deal and why?

Not really. They gave me next to nothing for my Toyota Corolla (Direct Cars Sheffield) and the finance deal was poor. You live and learn as they say.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

Liked the styling and Honda reputation. Also wanted a nice torquey diesel engine with good fuel economy.

What was the dealer like?

Second to none selling the car, never went back to them so can't say anything regarding after sales. They did post me the service book for the car which i briefly mentioned relating to its existence when buying the car.

What's it like to drive?

Good, handles well enough with a heavy diesel engine in the front. Lots of power and near sports like performance. Not very good at getting the power down if you floor it in second gear in the wet. Road noise is terrible and not a good car for long motorway trips, quality of the ride is about the same as my old 2000 Toyota Corolla only with more noise coming from the suspension.

What's it like to park?

Not had a problem but the spoiler on the rear window makes reversing a little tricky however it does remove headlight glare from cars behind you on the motorway.

Have you had any problems with the car?

Car has some problems, mostly superficial: Build quality is poor, quality of materials are even poorer. Paint my biggest problem with this car. I have uploaded a picture of the bonnet after 37000 miles. Paint is very soft and thin, swirls occur on first wash with wool mitt and chips very easily. My bonnet and wings were ruined after 47000 miles. Honda claim paint is adequate quality. Interior materials ware very quickly. Instrument panel cover scratches when you look at it. Suspension problems; squeaks when moving over bumps, knocking when cold, very very harsh ride and too much road noise. Loud cracking noise caused by dirt build up in right front subframe - fixed under warranty. Croaking sound from windscreen wiper - fixed under warranty. Clutch and accelerator pedal squeak.

What's most practical about your car?

Lots of boot space and magic seats are great but i hardly used them. Car is pretty roomy too. Car has favoured style over substance in my opinion.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

The 2.2 i-CTDI diesel engine is a real peach. Lots of power and is very economical. Well refined at speed if a little noisy at idle.