Honda Civic Sedan 2006

sdjosh

I've heard that buying a car the first year of its redesign is risky in terms of reliability/ working out glitches (etc.). Does anyone have any input about this for Honda? I didn't see any blaring problems with the last Civic redesign in Consumer Reports, but am tentative about jumping headfirst into a vehicle that has not yet been proven. Any thoughts?

I was previously pretty set to get a Toyota Corolla, but am disappointed that ABS/Side Airbags is difficult to get in my region even for the 06 model. I'm liking the 06 Civic EX more and more.

My target purchase date is January or February 2006, and I am also concerned about paying too much as the Civic will still be something of a novelty.

Any input is appreciated. Thanks!

backy

There were problems with the '01 Civic. Review the Civic Problems and Solutions discussion here for some owner experiences. Also there were multiple recalls. Note that when CR first reported on the reliability of the '01 Civic, it was "average"--not bad, but not up to typical Honda standards. Honda did work on the problems starting in '02 and also made several small improvements to the car (e.g. adding a seat height adjuster and a center console) to improve its livability.

I also recall that when the '01s first went on sale, dealers in my area were not discounting at all (but they still had '00s on the lot) and in fact were marking them up--not unusual for Honda for new models. I expect this will happen again; how long it continues depends on how good the new Civic is compared to its competition.

gpolt

The color of the seats and the bottom half of the dash are a dark mustard color on the '06 Navy EX that I spotted at at rest stop parking lot. The top-half of the dash is light brown for contrast. The steering wheel (with approximately 8 buttons on it) is the two prong variety as shown in the Hollywood Extra's pictures, however, even the hub of the wheel was two-tone in the one that I saw. The shifter on the automatic has the following positions: D,3,2,1; and the housing is very plasticy. Regarding the actual shifter, instead of pushing a button on the side of the shifter to change positions, it appeared that one would push down on an oblong/egg shaped handle that protrudes up from the stem of the shifter. In keeping with the two tone color scheme of the dash, the stem of the shifter and the handle on top were again, brown and muted mustard, respectively. Again, the Hollywood Extra's reveals this feature. BTW, I don't recall anyone having picked-up on the fact that the windshield is really raked. So much that there is actually another roof support/pillar between the A pillar and the side door frame. As a result (and only those of us over 40 can recall) there is the semblance of a front side window vent - in this instance, obviously non-functioning - but it does look cool.

backy

Oh my gosh, I wonder if people will accuse Honda of copying styling cues from Ford (Aerostar)?

user1235

No, but the coupe is almost an exact copy of the Scion tC

inkyofok

:surprise: I ordrered a 2006 civic EX sedan today for $500 over invoice sight unseen. I can refuse to take delivery if for some reason I do not like the ride drive when available to do so. Building it the last weekend of Sep for OCT delivery.
Beware to anyone who likes to shift gears. 5 speed manual a rare car as my dealer had to go out of state to dealer trade. Car will actually come to my dealer now directly as this is a honda acura method of business.
I want something that gets good gas mileage without complications of hybrid so this is what I got. Silver.

OK let me have it!!

J

wco81

Which city and dealer?

Did they have list of colors and options?

Or for that matter MSRP? Presumably they had some idea of pricing to give you an invoice+$500 deal?

maxamillion1

Be sure to take pics of it once you get delievery!

Congrats!

inkyofok

I have bought many cars there so I may be treated well and know the salesmanager for 8 years. But I got idea since college hills honda web site has 2006 incoming, build date etc as HONda dealers have all ordered long ago their first batch. Price is unknown until Honda releases. Currently $1550 from invoice to retail so I am getting $1000 off if that continues. That said, if todays EX sedan with side AB is $18300 with $16800 invoice, I assume that curtains are coming and the lowest price of a 06 will be $18,500$18,700 with manual( retail). The price cannot increase too much or you run into the accord. From dealers order choices a NAVI EX is avail but all must have same AB package. I assume curtains but have not seen that anywhere. Honda is in that trend. If manual is same price as auto which is another stupid industry trend, I will insist on switching to auto for value reasons. I noticed College Hills HOnda has a navi 5 speed inbound.
LX
EX NAVI

He listed only one color available since I wanted 5 speed. ONe in five states incoming!! Lots of EX autos on order out there. He mentioned the usual HOnda colors in passing if I wanted to order but since 5 speed for now we stopped there.

Dealer is in Tulsa, OK

inkyofok

college hills honda listed:
Alabaster Silver (new?)
Atomic Blue
Galazy Grey
NH black pearl (aka black)
other usuals

Champaign
White
Red (as seen in several photos)

bigdaddycoats

Can't you order one to be built the way you want. It sounds like you are just getting one that another dealer had on order?

inkyofok

Yes, that is an option but not until next allocation cycle. Silver is fine and about 4 weeks earlier and always a decent middle of the road color on Honda products.
Surprising is my region had only two on order. My dealer had none at the time.
At the dealer there were no 5 speed accords and only one 05 civic 5 speed.
When I looked at BMWs earlier this week. NO manuals anywhere to be seen.
I thought there were enthusiasts somewhere. TSX is the same way. You can get them but always a long way away and a dealer trade. I go on....

jchan2

will let you order one, it will just take longer.

I had wanted a beige Odyssey EX with cloth in 2002. The dealer I bought from didn't have any, but they were able to trade with a different dealer before the car was even built so the Odyssey was shipped directly to them.

Honda's Trade system works very well. I've heard opposite things about Toyota's system.

biker4

If it comes directly from the factory to the dealer it's not really a trade - it doesn't cost the dealer anything. With a traditional dealer trade, the car is driven/transported from one dealer to another - which involves some extra cost. All things being equal you should get a better deal when a car comes from the factory than from another dealer.

inkyofok

I noticed on my dealers incoming sheet today when I signed my deal for a 06 that EX is listed as 5Auto, LX is 4 Auto. Since HP is the same they are adding an extra cog to make some difference performance wise. EX will get better MPG depending on gearing. Also no optional side airbags. All sides and curtain standard or just sides for now. Curtains in just about all the others now.
I also saw incoming Pilots 2WD being build NOW. They will have VCM like Odyssey which makes sense since it is the same engine from the same plant.

Also I say Accord EX 4 dr V-6 sedan 6 Speed manual incoming, plus 4 hybrids all automatic from Japan I assume.

Silver Sedan is gray interior, silver civic coupe is black, the spy shots are all of the beige.

I am getting a manual EX for performance reasons. With 5A available the civic EX will shoot along good with probably better hwy mileage than a 5 speed stick.

First Civics on my dealers list were to be built beginning last week of August and coming in expected mid september. I wonder if Honda has a surprise batch of early release Civics not shown on inventory for a 1 Sep introduction?

Pricing should be out last week of August. My dealer guessed $400 increase on EX.

maxamillion1

The EX models get the optional 5spd automatic, while the LX and DX get 4spd automatics?

That's strange! And what's stranger is the fact that Honda decided to allow the EX to have the "better" transmission, without giving it a manual-mode.

:confuse:

307web

I'm sure there will be improvements and additional features added each year or two during the run of this new model.
Maybe the 5 speed automatic will be available on all models in a few years. Maybe a sportshift will become available for the EX and maybe Si in a few years.
I'm surprised to hear that side curtain airbags are not available at the outset.

inkyofok

Dealer was unclear but he thinks at least the EX MAY have complete airbag package-as HOnda has been making some safety claims and that would be a major advantage over all other manufacturers. I guess with mass production the unit cost is less if they all have it. HOnda is smart that way. Everyone else baffles you with complicated option packages. Honda has always been simple. All other HOndas have this now. It would be major expense and hard to imagine no big price increase to cover it.
The 4 vs 5 speed auto on the LX/EX is certain as the print out of incoming was very specific about this.

backy

Since Honda has announced that all of their cars sold in the U.S. would have standard air bags and side curtains by the end of '06, I don't understand why all trim levels of the '06 Civic wouldn't have side bags and curtains--and ABS, the other safety feature that Honda announced would be on all their cars by next year.

jchan2

The dealer I bought from called it an "online trade" that involved no extra money. Just a swapping of similar inventory before production.

Also I'd think that every Civic, including the lowly DX model, would have ABS and side curtain airbags from the outset. Honda made this promise a year or two ago, and I think that they would deliver. Plus it'd be cheaper to build every car with those features. Economies of scale.

Which is good for Civic buyers- they won't have to hunt for one with ABS/Side airbags like they have to with other companies.

maxamillion1

EVERY Civic, regardless of trim level will have side airbags, curtains and ABS standard for 06.

That's pretty much a given considering how Honda is pushing "Safety for Everyone"

biker4

First Civics on my dealers list were to be built beginning last week of August and coming in expected mid september. I wonder if Honda has a surprise batch of early release Civics not shown on inventory for a 1 Sep introduction?
Remember these are built in Ohio, so even with a late August build date they could be on dealer lots within a few days of production.
There's no option for side air bags cause they all have them standard. The Civic maketeers will need something to trumpet on the new model.

inkyofok

biker4,

Due to your feedback and the others, the full airbag package appears certain.
I thought Civic was from Canada with TL and Accord made in Ohio?
I do not really know this. The original 99 Odyssey was all made in Canada whihc made the wait a little longer.

They will want to make a big show about the safety features as you mention. I preordered a 01 Civic last cycle and when it was released I cancelled my order as I was disappointed. I still like the 96-00 cycle but new one looks promising and I must take delivery anyway as I need the car.

If economy is higher that current, a Civic could have 32 city-40 highway rating. this is a very good time to release such a car.

Hybrid buyers will want to check the new energy bill very closely. Hybrid buyers will get a big tax incentive in Jan 1, the current $2,000 deduction will look tiny compared to the expected $2000-3000 tax credit depending on mpg. That means the accord hybrid will only get like a $500 credit as that car is only expensive an no big gas saver. However, it appears the new rules will almost pay for the hybrid price difference (if you pay taxes)

jchan2

Honda has two manufacturing plants in Ohio:

Marysville, OH- manufactures the Honda Accord and Acura TL

East Liberty, OH- manufactures the Honda Civic, Honda Element, Honda CR-V, Acura RSX, and the upcoming Acura RDX I believe.

Honda also has countless research facilities and engine plants scattered all over Ohio.

biker4

East Liberty, OH- manufactures the Honda Civic, Honda Element, Honda CR-V, Acura RSX, and the upcoming Acura RDX I believe.

Close, but not quite. The redesigned 07 CR-V and RDX will be made there. Currently all CR-Vs, including the upcoming 06s, are made in England or Japan.

jchan2

oops. Sorry. I was always under the impression that since the CR-V is loosely based on the Civic, that they would be manufactured in the same place.

irnmdn

Will the coupe come in HX trim?

nowakj66

As we get closer to the intro date - anyone know if either the US Civic 2006 (or European - which would be some indication) has a tilt and telescoping wheel?

maxamillion1

From the specs we all have seen...it appears that the HX model will be discountined for 2006.

jchan2

would they offer the Hybrid in a stick shift form?

ctalk

A hybrid with manual... hard to imagine.

andysandiego

Maybe you've already covered this stuff, but yesterday I spoke with a Honda salesman just returned from a new Civic presentation for Sales where they drive them, etc. He had some booklets. I asked what the horsepower would be for the LX. He couldn't find that, but found a $250 option to get the 140 h.p. engine in the LX with automatic. (It's actually just under 140, he said, but I forget the number.) He said prices are up 3%. He thinks they'll have them in the showroom in mid-September. A year-plus ago I bought a 2004 EX auto sedan, and would love to get a 2006 LX, but would lose too much money.

maxamillion1

is ONLY avaialble with the automatic transmission. Isn't it a CVT???

But the previous model was available with the manual or the CVT.

natenj1971

Sounds like the same colors offered on the euro model
http://www.honda.co.uk/

some look pretty cool too!

alpha01

Prices up 3%? That puts an EX auto darn close to 20 grand, similar to a loaded Mazda 3i auto, which has more hp, manumatic, but lower fuel efficiency.

Interesting.

~alpha

ctalk

Honda Civic may be faster then the Mazda 3. But i doubt it will. I expect it to be fast, but not class-leading.

But, fuel efficiency is beginning to be more important to buyers.

tawneycat

That is $500 on an EX Sedan 5 Speed. Not out of line. I did enjoy the honda UK web site a few posts back. It sheds light on colors and interior styling of Civic.

What amazes me most is the Honda Diesel in CRV , Civic and Accord. In the US we waste all that weight and effort on a hybrid when Honda makes quiet fast and reliable diesels that have gotten 92 mpg in distance challenges.

Honda Diesel Sets New World Records

U.K., May 6, 2004 – Honda’s new Accord 2.2 i-CTDi Sport has this week set no fewer than 19 world speed records and achieved 3.07 litres / 100 km (92 mpg) fuel economy to boot. British racing driver Robin Liddell and freelance journalist Iain Robertson were part of the European record-setting team

Even the heavier 4x4 CRV has a combined 42 mpg with the diesel, the accords are above 50 mpg combined and the Eurpean Accord is a TSX!

What is worse all the 1 Jan 06 tax incentives go to Hybrids, leaving the diesels with nothing.

Why not here? Our high sulfur fuel and EPA regulations . Europe is crowed and they are happy with the HOnda diesel why not in the United States?

that may change soon as next year low sulfur fuel becomes available (mandated).
Honda has claimed to have a US diesel in bound by 2007.

stickguy

I really do like the Euro 5 door. Too bad we won't get it here.

a $500 increase isn't too bad, although I assume that is above the price of an '05 with the SAB package (they were optional, right?) and the SE stuff (ipod stereo, etc.).

Still, could be a lot of car for the money, especially if supply builds up quickly and there are year-end discounts.

IMO, I bet the Civic will be almost as quick as the 3S, but will probably get better mileage than a 3i. For the sedan, most buyers probably won't know (or care, or be able to tell in real life) that the 3 is maybe .5 quicker 0-60, but they sure will notice the MPG sticker on the windo (a 5 speed 3S is 25/32, a Civic EX will probably be closer to 32/40 from what has been reported).

If the Civic was pulling Aveo acceleration numbers, then sure it will be a problem, but I bet that it will have good for the class/more than adequate acceleration.

Honda's have always been more about balance (power/weight, smart gearing, efficient powertrains) and tend to perform better in the real world than the raw numbers would predict. Plus, they feel good.

307web

Most likely this info is not true. It is too early for price announcements and Honda likes to keep these things private even from dealership employees so dealer salespeople do not blab it to anyone.

jchan2

An optional engine on the LX...
Hmmm....

Interesting.

user1235

The invoice price for a 2005 civic coupe EX w/side airbags and manual transimission is $16381 (incl destinaltion charge). Right now the TMV is equal to the invoice price, meaning that you can buy it for this price.

So 2006 models which have 3% price increase will have invoice price of about $16870. Suppose they will sell for $500 above invoice as another person who ordered reported here, the price is $17370. Remeber now I already mentioned that the price for an equivalent 2006 Scion tC is $17365 - about the same as the civic.

Now again tell me why a normal shopper that compares these two cars, which cost about the same, would choose the civic over the scion. Scion has a 2.4L 160hp engine, 17" wheels, dual moonroofs, and knee airbags to mention just the things we KNOW for a fact are NOT included in the civic. So the only reason to prefer the civic, aside from subjective styling preference, is the better gas mileage ?

btw, the definition of a flop in this context is not HOW MANY cars you sell, but how you retain and increase the number of cars sold and the market share. Civic has had DECLINIG sales, and SLIDING market share in this category for the PAST TWO YEARS. If the new model doesn't increase the sales, compared to previous years, it will be deemed a flop.

inkyofok

First there is no 4 dr Scion so that entire market share is lost. It is a competitor price wise on coupe. I thought Scion MPG figures were poor and I noted a well assembled but cheap interior. Anyhow, HOnda must have a home run here to regain lost market. In this game it is all about volume.

If I were HOnda, I would leave pricing the same as 05 despite content increase and wait until 1 Jan and 1 Jul next year for modest 1% increases each. Much easier to digest.

Remember the 95 Maxima, less than a 94 with much more equipment. It happens.

In fact the 97 Lexus ES 300 I bought used last August for $9000 was bought for $37,000 in Nov 96 at MSRP. Today you can buy just about any ES 330 for $32000 with much much more equipment. And the 97 was less than the 96!!!!

Therefore I have decided to predict HOnda plays middle of the road with an average increase of $200 per car depending on Model with an EX sedan 5 speed only
$250 more.

jchan2

few things:
1. No Four Door Scion tC
2. Fuel Economy
3. Some people like a beige interior. The Scion doesn't offer another other color except black.
4. Navigation system. One is not offered on the tC.

The 4 door Civic will be the bulk of the sales.

dudleyr

The TC is small inside and is a guzzler - using alost as much fuel as the Avalon.

Gas mileage is not just about money saved. Some of us just don't believe in wanton waste.

bamacar

As spoken previously if the Civic manual can pull down a combined 36mpg (40/32) versus the Scion combined 25.5mpg (29/22), that is a very large difference. Even at $2.50, driving 15000 miles a year, the savings will be over 400 dollars in just the first year. At $3.00, it would be over 500 dollars a year. People are willing to pay about $6-10000 more for a Prius than a Corolla with a real world mileage difference of only 12mpg (48 vs. 36). If Civic got 10.5mpg better than the tC, that must be worth $4-8000 right there (ha ha).

Second, unless the Civic is just a hot success, the price within 6 months will be invoice or less. When the Accord came out it was about $500 under invoice in about 4 months after intro. My guess is even at the MSRP and invoice you quoted, it could be had for invoice or $16870 and possibly even less within 6 months.

richards38

There was an event at a dance club in San Francisco with 3, '06 Civics parked outside: a coupe, sedan, and sedan hybrid. The only distinguishing exterior feature (name badges and logos were covered) were the hybrid's oddly styled wheels that were mostly solid--the spoked wheels of the other cars looked better to me.

There were only a few people there at 6 PM when the cars were unloaded from an enclosed truck, but we were not permitted to sit in the cars. A few people were admonished not to take photos (silly with all the pics on the net), and we were asked not to even touch the cars. It's a sure thing the cars were touched quite a bit because they had well-worn tires. Somebody put some hard miles on those cars, I think.

Style is well known as photos are everywhere on the internet now. The front part of the car reminds me of a 15 year old Isuzu Stylus the way it resembles a Dust Buster, but it's a far better style, of course. The windshield is taller than it is wide and the hood is wider than it is long. It's a very "swoopy" profile similar to the "cab forward" look of older Chrysler cars. I wonder if the long top of the dashboard will reflect into the windshield, a common annoyance in cars with sharply angled front glass.

Airbags all around and ABS are standard. I think the base engine is 140 HP, 1.8 L. The Civic has a very modern interior although the light tan fabric in the sedans looked like a dirt magnet--I hope dark interiors are available on the sedan (the slick-looking coupe had a dark interior).

The event itself was decidedly lame: Honda gave away some iPod covers, but no food nor anything else. It was very cold and windy in that area of San Francisco and the only comfortably-dressed living thing out there was a Husky dog.

The new Civic will surely be a success and should set a new standard for small cars if it beats the Mazda 3 which is probably the best in that class now. But as good as the Civic might be, it is DEFINITELY NOT as good as the Accord, nor should it be all things considered. A friend of mine is a Honda technician and he says that rather than buy a Civic, a better choice is an entry-level Accord which is a much better car. I don't think the '06 Civic will change that opinion at all.

Honda deserves praise for including ABS and side curtain airbags standard instead of making those valued features options. Expect to see '06 Civics everywhere in a few months..........Richard

anonymousposts

The Civic Hybrid is available with a manual tranny.

briang8505

Hey everyone. I'm new to the forum, but have been following it for the past couple weeks. I had a chance to go to one of the "Civic Parties" they are holding in various locations around the country tonight, so I figured I'd try to make my first post a good one.
First of all, I have to say with all the criticism it's been getting, the interior of the Si really isn't that bad. The digital speedometer looks great and the tach's electroluminescent gauge looks really nice and bright too. The seats were cloth with a similar mesh material as the TC, but with a suede (or suede-like material) side bolsters, arm rest, and touches throughout.
There are a total of 7 speakers: 2 front tweeters (which are located on the top of the dashboard pointing towards the windshield, which should probably sound nice especially considering how raked the windshield is), 2 mids on the bottom of the front doors, mids behind the back headrests, and a sub in the middle of those 2 speakers. Also, all three rear headrests are height-adjustable.
The navi system looks really nice. It's a touch screen and looks really clear. Also, the cd/dvd slot is behind the screen, which has it's own motor to electronically slide in and out to allow access to the slot. Also, the two buttons on the bottom left of the steering wheel do not have the Bluetooth icon on them, so I have a feeling they might be voice recognition buttons. Hopefully though, there will be Bluetooth and you will be able to access those options from the navi screen.
Unfortunately, I do not think there will be dual zone climate control like the Euro model, and we also lost the start button in process. The exterior also looks very nice. I was surprised to see, though, that the wheels were only 17's and the tires were only 215's. They were still nice though and I'm sure there will be a wheel upgrade option.
Also, regardless of anyone else's speculations, there are no LEDs in any of these cars. The Si, sedan, or hybrid. The sedan and hybrid do look like they should be, but they ARE NOT.
This brings us to the front. The engine compartment is very surprisingly small. The wipers are actually very nice. They both start from the middle and wipe away towards the outside of the car and are huge. They should cover most of the windshield.
I was there at about 7:30 when the sun was just going down, but they did turn the headlights on and even though they are not projectors or HIDs, they still looked liked like they had a sharp cutoff line. Once again though, it was only 7:30 and this is judging off the line that was on someone's jeans.
As far as the sedan and the hybrid go, I didn't ask many questions, but the interior was similar, besides the fact that it was that ugly mustard color and had the 2-spoke steering wheel.
Overall I was very impressed, even though the reps really didn't know much about the cars and they were tight about pictures. If anyone has any more questions for me, I am sure I am forgetting something so just post a reply!

vcarreras

Does the new 06 Civic have 4 wheel disk brakes?

corey415

The EX and Si has 4 wheel disks. The hybrid has drums. I am not sure, but I believe the lower models have rear drums as well.