1996 Honda Civic CX hatchback review from North America
"The hands-down very most for your money"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
At 84,000+ replaced the front brake rotors. At 106,000+ miles the speedometer failed. I need a new muffler now, too.
General comments?
Excellent economy (mid-thirties to mid forties MPG), excellent reliability, excellent handling (even great in snow with studded tires), and excellent aftermarket parts availability. Mine's still stock but now I'm thinking about improving engine performance.
Crashworthiness? Well' it's a pop can. My first 96 Civic hatchback got squished between a Lincoln & a Crown Vic both of which drove away. My civic was totalled cuz the frame was bent.
Could use a little more power, but that's a 4-cylinder for you. And road noise can be annoying until you put some soundproofing and your giant stereo in.
Dealer add-ons are a rip. My first 96 Civic I got from the dealer loaded (a/c, moonroof, stereo & alarm system). Except for the a/c it was generally poorly installed and the stereo quality left lots of room for improvement. My second one I had much better aftermarket stuff installed and had control over the installation quality.
Recommended reviews
| Good Fuel economy, poor performance and high maintenance |
|
| Best product I've ever purchased and owned |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1996 |
| Year of manufacture | 1996 |
| First year of ownership | 1996 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2005 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.6 Manual |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 10 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 10 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 10 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 75 miles |
| Most recent distance | 109000 miles |
| Previous car | Honda Civic |
| Date of Entry | 30th March, 2005 |