2000 Honda Civic EX review from North America

Slight window clunking noises when rolling down the rear windows.

Two tiny rattles inside the car.

The A/C blower motor makes a fluttering noise.

My previous car, a '97 Dodge Avenger ES, served as a decent first car. But as soon as the warranty ran out, the repairs began. So, I was looking for a low-maintenance high-MPG car to drive.

My 2000 Civic EX sedan (with 5-speed manual) serves its purpose quite nicely. By no means is this a luxury car--it's an economy car, and you shouldn't expect more. I drive my car very hard, and it has held up well without any major problems in 22,000 miles. I'm hard on my engine (I take it to redline dozens of times each day), I'm hard on my transmission (the occasional speed-shift for fun, and some 3000rpm clutch-drops at the stoplight), and I'm hard on my brakes. Despite my hard driving antics, I average 28-32 mpg on every tank of gas. I change the oil every 5000 miles, and I have not done any other Honda-recommended service to it (such as replacing the spark plugs). Honda recommends replacing the spark plugs every 30,000 miles, but I have 51,000 on the original plugs and my engine doesn't hiccup or miss.

I enjoy the practicality and the low-cost of owning this car. My main gripes however: engine has no low-end torque, and the factory stereo really doesn't sound that great. Did I buy this car for torque and a stereo? Nope. So, I live with it quite happily.

If you're in the market for one, you might be afraid of a Civic's relatively high sticker price. But remember, you won't be paying oodles of money for maintenance. Of course you can find an equivalent Cavalier, Escort, or Neon for much cheaper. But then you should expect to hear more rattles, and to spend some time and money at the repair shop.