Reveiw - 2011 Honda Civic

"TheJacobJones" (fartyjr) 09/22/2014 at 13:19 • Filed to: Honda Civic

1

8

My dad sometimes talks about the Civic he owned in the 80s. He'd say it was a sturdy, reliable, and economical car. Today, the civic lives on as one of the most popular cars on the market, supposedly for those same reasons my dad mentioned. I drove my friend's 2011 to find out for myself.

The civic packs punch (very light punch) in the form of a 1.8 liter inline 4. It's a small engine, but I think it's perfect for everyday driving. It feels very eager and feels more powerful than expected. The VTEC system can be felt just above 3,000 RPM. It's very subtle, but there is a noticeable change in the characteristic of how the power is delivered. The revs build slightly faster and a smidge more power can be felt. The engine is definitely more powerful in the top end but has plenty of oomph down low.

In my idea of a better car world, this engine would be mated to a six speed manual transmission with close ratios. But instead it's hooked up to a five speed automatic. Which isn't terrible, but it's too economy oriented. After every shift it seems as though the revs are way to low. However, this allows for a quiet and relaxed highway cruise which is something I appreciate. I was unable to test how the car does economy-wise but the owner has stated number close to and matching EPA numbers.

I think for all drivers, there comes a point where they don't really have to think about what they're doing to drive their car. That point came in a matter of minutes in the Civic. Driving around town felt so natural and easy. Yes, I was still moving my foot to go and stop, my hands and arms to steer and my eyes to see, but I didn't think about any of it. The feel of the car was like the one in the middle for Goldilocks: Just right.

Pushing the civic into corners was fun as it is with most cars, but it wasn't as fun as I was expecting it to be. Understeer is the name of the game here and it is abundant. For a few turns the front tires broke loose and my only indication of that was the squealing of the tires and my vision of the apex. The steering wheel didn't really budge and not much could be felt. i found this somewhat troubling because of how hard it is to detect the Civic being at its limit. I went a bit slower for the rest of Skyline. I had no desire to enter into the unknown again going around a corner.

Venturing down Piedmont Ave was easy and thoughtless much like the rest of the city driving. On the highway, the Civic accelerated onto the interstate briskly. Well by briskly I mean briskly enough to the point where I wasn't really worried about making it in front of the Cavalier behind me. After a quick button press to set the cruise the Civic settled into a calm and smooth stance. I think I could do a lot of miles in the Civic,. Its seats are great for me and it never seems to be trying that hard going around other motorists and is always giving me an excellent view to pass.

Going up 21st was fine and dandy once the transmission was happy with its choice of gear. The gaps between gears being as large as they are does not help in a variable grade hill climb.

Inside the civic you'll find a surprisingly roomy cabin with a sporty spaceship like style to the cockpit. Me being used to the plastic fantastic-GM-Beigemobile-blah interior of my impala, I was like: Woah, Six years and built by Honda can do a lot for a car. (My Impala is a 2005, so hopefully the previous sentence makes sense now.) I particularly like the central tachometer and the digital speedometer above it. What a great layout.

As for the exterior, I'd say they styling is good. It's not exciting, or boring, or cool, or lame, it's just Civic. The look embodies the idea of the car. Simple, easy, practical, and enduring.

I now understand why the Civic is/has been as popular as it is. I have no doubt it will live on with that title as long as Honda exists.

Final Details

2011 Honda Civic Sedan ~20,000 miles

Seats 5 (Including Driver)

Engine: RA18A1 SOHC I4 138HP@6300RPM 128lb-ft torque@4300RPM

Transmission: 5 Speed Automatic

EPA Gas Mileage Figures: 26 City/34 Highway

Photos by TheJacobJones

This review was conducted in various areas of beautiful Duluth, MN. I wrote this because I love automobiles and love driving and writing about them. Hopefully you enjoyed the review. If not, well that sucks and hopefully you enjoy the next one. Feel free to give me some feedback in the comments, I'd love to improve my writing.

Raphmoe > TheJacobJones 09/22/2014 at 13:22

1

well done; a great read!

miadaman? yes please > TheJacobJones 09/22/2014 at 13:30

0

Lovely car for what it is, my friend has an 09 and I drove it once (not by choice). Biggest thing you notice right away is how much power steering it has, it takes more effort to turn a door knob. Wasn't really a big fan of that but it does give the driver a sense of confidence and in-control-ness.

TheJacobJones > Raphmoe 09/22/2014 at 13:33

0

Much appreciated!

TheJacobJones > miadaman? yes please 09/22/2014 at 13:35

0

There were moments while driving this one that I thought the same. However, pushing hard into corners the wheel felt like it had a good amount of heft.

miadaman? yes please > TheJacobJones 09/22/2014 at 13:42

0

I wonder if that was intentional or just the ps system unable to keep up. I'm always conflicted when asked about Civic, because most of the time I can't think of a reason why it shouldn't be classified as a "good" car.

Zohaibman72 > TheJacobJones 09/22/2014 at 14:26

2

Woah, Six years and built by Honda can do a lot for a car. (My Impala is a 2005, so hopefully the previous sentence makes sense now.)

My mom owns a 2006 Civic, and the Interior is exactly the same, so it's really more like one year.

My mom went from a 2002 Malibu to a 2006 Civic, when she had the Malibu I was too young to drive, The '06 Civic I probably my favourite car I've driven.

I agree with the entire article though, there is a reason its Canada's best selling car, and this specific generation perfected it. I've sat in and seen many Civics, but this is by far the most 'futuristic' design wise (Interior and Exterior [When compared to the Corolla or Jetta of 2006-2010])

Everyone who has been in my civic (I technically share it with my mom) has said the dashboard and the speedometer are amazingly awesome compared to the dials in everything else, while some might oppose the numbers and prefer dials, I say the numbers make it feel modern.

Handling and everything wise, I think you got it spot on. I have to say that the 1.8 VTEC feels more powerful than it is, which is very nice.

Also, if you have ever been in competing compacts, the Civic's interior space & legroom is extraordinary. The Corolla has a decent interior, I'd say the "middle". The Mazda 3 has a "below average". Jetta has "above-average", and the Focus probably has the worst legroom, no adult can really fit in the back.

Overall, I think the 8th Gen Civic is definitely the staple compact of its time. It got everything just right, handling, ride, power, space, (from what I've heard the manual is perfect for teaching how to drive since it is very smooth). Sure, other compacts excelled in other fields, but I feel like the '06 - '11 8th Gen Civic was the most consistent. Sadly, I can't say the same for the 9th gen :(

I liked this review, it was a good read and I look forward to more :)

Sn210 > TheJacobJones 09/23/2014 at 13:11

0

Nice write up! Very thorough.

I bought a 2008 brand new back when I was in college (lx, 5mt). It was a good little car, very reliable and great on gas. After 6 years though, I got bored with it. I wanted more power, another gear for the highway, less body roll, more trunk space, and more interior features. It was just a basic car for basic transportation but the best car for me at the time

mkevin88 > Zohaibman72 09/25/2014 at 16:40

1

I had an 07' and it always surprised me that other more expensive cars had worse interiors!