1998 Honda Civic 1.4i from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Ace student motor with tons of potential!

Faults:

Passenger side headlight bulb has needed changing since I got the car.

General Comments:

What a car!

Love the thing to bits, starts first time and always performs when I put my foot down. Raced several other 1.4's eg Astra etc and left them for dead.

Extra kick comes from nowhere when the rev counter reaches around 5000RPM and the sound is lovely!

Go out and get one!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 17th December, 2006

1998 Honda Civic Illusion 1.4i from UK and Ireland

Summary:

I'm sticking with Honda

Faults:

Absolutely nothing has gone wrong!

General Comments:

Considering it's a 1.4 litre car, it performs like a car with a much larger engine.

Its 0 to 60 is around 7.5 seconds.

I don't know what its top speed is, but I was very easily able to get 118mph in 4th gear with 500rpm left to go. Taking that into account, it should do over 120mph in 4th gear, and maybe 130mph in 5th gear!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 10th July, 2006

18th Oct 2006, 09:57

Mine is similar, in that it is a 1998 limited edition Illusion model as well as yours and could easily be mistaken for a 1.6i if not a 1.8i, The reason for this by the way is because the EJ9 Illusion civic is actually a 1.4i Twincam & weighs only around 910kg. The engine output to the wheels is 98.7bhp, but I personally have raced a 1998 110bhp 1.6i Twincam Toyota Corolla G6R which is also a two door sports hatch and my EJ9 Illusion civic had no trouble staying ahead of it! by the way the Illusion can go just over 130mph and I was stupid enough to drive in 4th gear till the redline and got 124mph, but at this point 5th gear will only add about 7 or 8 mph extra to your 124mph!

26th Jul 2007, 00:43

I drove one of these, and as I remember it, they max out in 4th gear. Once you change into 5th, they don't have the torque to pull any faster in that gear, and start to decelerate. My max in 4th was approx 122 mph.

0-60 in 7.5 seconds? That's roughly the same as an Accord Rype R! Believe me, an Accord TR would hand a 1.4 Civic its backside on a plate LOL.

27th Jul 2007, 03:30

I think it's more like 0 - 60 in 11 seconds; where did you get 7.5 from? The 1.6 VTi roughly does it in that time.

14th Aug 2009, 10:09

This sounds all very amusing because I have owned one for 2 years now. They are cheap reliable cars to buy, nothing has gone wrong with mine in 2 years and I love it to bits! But 7.5 seconds?? I know it doesn't do 0-60 in 7.5 seconds, and I also know it does not exceed 115mph; trust me I have tried it many times...

And also the comment about it does not accelerate in 5 gear after 4 has been maxed out is also true; it does start to slow down... Can't believe people can say it can be mistaken for a 1.6 or even 1.8!!! No chance.

29th Aug 2009, 16:56

I have driven Vauxhalls for a lot of years, but got sick of fixing them and always letting me down. I bought my Honda Civic Illusion to see if they are as reliable as most owners swear by.

I must say... it has surprised me, I've owned mine for 3 years now and can vouch for the car and recommend to anyone.

An exceptionally good car for the money, reliable and very quick for a 1.4 engine, will beat any Corsa up to a 1.6 easily.

Honda from now on...

1998 Honda Civic CX Hatchback 1.5L from North America

Summary:

Love my Civics, but my interest is waning

Faults:

Nothing noteworthy has gone wrong with my '98 Honda Civic hatchback. Just oil changes every 3000 miles and the usual tuneups required. I did have to have the manifold replaced along with the exhaust, but that wasn't until 123K miles. Understandable with the New York winters and the amount of snow/SALT on the roads.

General Comments:

LOVE the simplicity of this model Civic. I also own a 2002 Civic LX sedan, but truthfully the hatchback is more fun to drive. The 1998 is consistently getting 40mpg, and the 2002 is pretty much right on the money of 38mpg.

Will I buy another Honda? Not sure. The new Civic sedans are beyond ugly, IMHO. Presently considering the Toyota Yaris, Scion xB/xA, as well as the Honda Fit as my next car.

Basically, it comes down to this: (and if there's any dealers in the upstate NY area reading this, take note) Whatever company can give me the best deal on my next car, my business is yours.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 18th June, 2006

20th Jun 2006, 13:46

New Civic ugly? I guess you love them Lancer car rental specials or those aged looking Corolla looks. I love the new Civic and I get a lot of people giving me the thumbs up in traffic.

24th Jun 2006, 16:54

You're entitled to your opinion as I am mine.