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2008 Honda Civic Sedan LX Road Test

Benchmark. Dictionary.com defines it as, "a standard of excellence, achievement,

America's top ten best-selling car. It takes something special to do that. (Photo: Kevin Wang, American Auto Press)

etc., against which similar things must be measured or judged." Maglite and flashlights, Nike and shoes, McDonalds and fast food, Sony and television, Canon and camera, Civic and economy car. What do they have in common? They're all benchmarks. When we think of a particular brand, certain images pop up into our minds more often than others. In our culture of mass media and advertising, it's practically impossible to avoid its effects. And in the case of the Civic, Honda is keen on having you believe that it manufactures and produces the best economy car money can buy. And I'd have to agree.

It was 1972 when Honda introduced its very first Civic in America. Back then, it came in the form of a two-door liftback and was powered by a 50 horsepower inline four-cylinder motor. Shifting of its gears was accomplished by a four-speed manual transmission, and the car had a curb weight of 1,500 pounds. Some 36 years later and into its eighth generation, the Civic continues to maintain its dominance in the economy car class, albeit with a host of standard features and tricks up its sleeves, er, door panels. Under the hood of our 2008 Civic Sedan LX is a 140

140-horse 1.8-liter engine is willing and great on gas. (Photo: Kevin Wang, American Auto Press)

horsepower 1.8-liter 16-valve inline four-cylinder engine with 128 lb-ft of torque. It's the exact same engine that was in the Civic when this all-new design was first introduced in 2006. And considering that just one generation ago the "high performance" 2004 Civic Si Sedan had 13 fewer horsepower and 14 lb-ft of torque less than what our near-base LX has today, it becomes quite clear that 140 horsepower is adequate enough for the daily grind. More relevantly, when compared to the motor found in the older seventh-generation 1.7-liter Honda Civic in base trim, the new one produces an additional 25 horsepower and 18 lb-ft of torque, while seeing barely any change in fuel economy.

The Civic we tested has an EPA rating of 26 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway for models equipped with manual transmissions, and 25 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway for automatics. Both transmission choices come with five speeds, although a

Both the manual and the optional automatic have five gears. (Photo: Kevin Wang, American Auto Press)

sixth gear would have further reduced fuel consumption at highway speeds. It's a no-brainer for me as to which I'd choose, as the clutch and shifter mechanism of the manual transmission is light, precise, and easy to work with. In case you didn't know, Honda makes the best manual gearboxes in the business, and it's a shame that less than 20-percent of new Civics are ordered with one. Compared to the 115 horsepower Civic Sedan LX we tested back in 2005, there's a 1 mpg decrease in the city and the exact same 34 mpg on the highway for Civics equipped with stick shifts. That's not bad at all for the extra 25 horsepower. Nevertheless, an observed 28 mpg average, which is in the range of Honda's stated figures, was more than a welcome sight considering the current upward trend of increasing fuel prices. In fact, it's the best I've ever achieved in a non-hybrid vehicle.

Contributing to the excellent fuel economy are the standard 15-inch lightweight aluminum-alloy wheels, which made for a quieter, more efficient ride. It's the same P195/65R15-sized tire found in the base DX trim, but the wheel design is identical to that found in the Honda Civic Hybrid. This setup is exclusive to Canadian Civics, so we won't be getting them here in America. However, the standard P205/55 16-inch wheels are much more appealing and capable in the bends. The "hybrid rims," as I'd like to call them, are also wrapped in Dunlop SP31 A/S all-season rubber. Made strictly for hybrids and "econoboxes," these tires sacrifice performance for efficiency, minimal road noise, and overall comfort. It's evident as the tires squeal loudly and struggle for grip in medium to hard cornering. The SP31 has a speed rating of 89S, which, according to tirerack.com, means that each tire can carry a load of 1,279 pounds and, most importantly, can travel to a maximum speed of 112 mph. Not that I'm suggesting in any way that you should drive that fast, but what I'm saying is that you could, or couldn't exceed it, if you needed to. That's considering the fact that most compact cars, including the all-wheel drive Subaru Impreza, come standard

Aerodynamic body also happens to make for a great view out. (Photo: Kevin Wang, American Auto Press)

with H-rated tires that allow for a maximum velocity of 130 mph. But, being the honest and law-abiding citizen that I am, I'd of course never even dream of driving at these speeds anyway. Right. Moving on.

With better tires, the Civic is capable of much more than what's being suggested. The power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering, combined with MacPherson struts up front and double wishbones out back, contribute to a chassis that's more in tune to sport than comfort. Overall, it's a package that handles great and responds to steering inputs with precision and ease. If only for the tires.

Also contributing to the overall efficiency of the Civic is the large, steeply-raked windshield engineered for improved aerodynamics. If you have a chance, take a few steps back and just look at the Civic from its side. Even better, compare it next to just about any other

No other car has an instrument panel like this. (Photo: Kevin Wang, American Auto Press)

car short of a minivan. The differences are enormous. Heck, the windshield is enormous. But, it isn't nearly as bad as it sounds. Not only are you like a flying saucer slicing your way through air, but your view out the front is as good as it gets in a small four-door sedan. I only hoped for a better view of the actual front of the car, which would have made it easier when parallel parking. And due to the size of the front windshield, Honda's engineers had no choice but to also super-size the dashboard. It's so large, actually, that you could read your morning newspaper on it and check your e-mail on a laptop at the same time. Fortunately, Honda was able to work their magic by creating a passenger volume of 90.9 cubic feet, which is just 1.1 cubic feet (1.2-percent) less than the new 2009 Toyota Corolla. The numbers speak for themselves, as the interior cabin feels incredibly spacious, especially in the rear quarters with its flat-as-a-pancake floor. Contrary to what others have to say about its design, I find the dashboard layout quite refreshing. I do have to say that its two-tier approach is different, but the digital speedometer up top is large, clear, and easy to read. I also prefer the cool blue color of the instrument

Due to its shape, the Civic is inherently aerodynamic. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

panel lighting over the high-revving pocket-rocket Civic Si's red-colored lighting theme any day.

Inside, you'll find cupholders that are some of the best I've ever seen, plenty of small- and large-sized storage bins, an auxiliary input for MP3 players and iPods, programmable door locks, a lockable switch for the interior gas/trunk release, power door locks, windows, and mirrors, a fold-down rear seatback that's useful even though it's not a 60/40 split, and well-padded armrests on the doors and in the center (it also slides back 'n forth). And to add to that, a tilt and telescoping steering wheel combined with driver's side manually adjustable seat height make for a near-perfect fit. These features come standard on the LX, which is just one model trim up from the base DX, but below the EX and EX-L. The best part is, the whole array of safety features come standard on all Civics. There's four-wheel ABS with Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD), active front seat head restraints, Honda's Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure that includes a higher strength steel frame designed to

Civic's a good car no matter what angle you view it from. (Photo: Kevin Wang, American Auto Press)

distribute loads in the event of a collision, six airbags, and an immobilizer theft-deterrent system. The only safety feature left out is Brake Assist, which comes standard in the new 2009 Toyota Corolla. Honda's efforts have resulted in the highest possible NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) five-star Frontal NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) crash test rating for the Civic and the highest IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) "Good" rating in frontal offset crash tests. And for that, the IIHS has honored the Civic with the designation of "Top Safety Pick - Gold," an award given to only five vehicles and the Civic being the only small car to receive it.

As you can see, you get a whole lot at the LX level. But because it's just a step above base, like I'd said before, it's clearly obvious when you come across items such as the following: a hard plastic shift knob that could have been made of a softer vinyl material, door panel trim that is hard plastic (although the pattern mimics real cloth), no key fob activated trunk release, no heated side mirrors, no glove box light, a vinyl-wrapped steering wheel, no sunroof, a stereo system that could be better, no steering wheel audio controls, and no variable-intermittent windshield wipers (fixed intermittent is standard). To get some of these features, an upgrade to an EX will cost an additional $1,750, while the top of the line EX-L adds $2,950 or $4,700 with GPS navigation. But if you're like me and what you're looking for is a simple, economical fuel-sipper, this is the car for you. Ask yourself if you really need any of those features (remember, it's more want than need). In fact, save yourself $1,950 and go for the base DX. The price? LX models start at $16,960, while adding an automatic transmission tops it out at $17,760. Our base LX costs less than the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer ES ($16,090), but is more than the 2008 Mazda3 i Sport 4-Door with ABS and A/C package at $15,170. And the aforementioned 2009 Toyota Corolla? Well, a base Corolla with cruise control will go for $15,650, which is $1,310 cheaper than the Civic. But then again, if you're looking for a sportier package, the Civic is still your best bet.

With so many choices out there, it can be mind boggling. Go for it, and try a Honda Civic out for yourself. See if it meets your needs and try out the competition too. But before you leave, keep in mind that the Honda Civic is America's top ten best-selling car, and that being there is a position earned and not randomly given. It's the reason why it's called a benchmark, and you can't go wrong with that.

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