2006 Honda Civic EX Coupe

(Click to enlarge the image)

A car for the current season.  A new Honda Civic coupe has come to live at our house, and not a moment too soon.  The previous VW Passat wagon was nice enough, but the turbo engine had some frustrating habits: caused a delayed shift into first gear in the Tiptronic transmission when stopping in traffic - terrifying if you need to make a quick start!, and less than stellar fuel mileage.  With 90,000 miles on the odometer, it was time to move on.

The new Civic has a far different character; rather than the utilitarian capability of the old wagon, the Civic is geared more toward the actual pleasure of driving.  It is tidy in size on the outside, but quite roomy inside-at least in the front seat.  The engine has decent power, the five-speed manual transmission is smooth and with a good shifter, and the car feels quite nimble in corners.  And, thirty-eight miles per gallon on the highway is a very good thing in light of current gas prices at the pump.

The EX comes equipped with a surprising list of standard features, including a powerful stereo, sunroof and more.  Of course, at its heart, the Civic is low-priced transportation.  However, if a driver invites Walter Mitty along for the ride, the Civic can turn into a rather nice sports coupe.  That is what I expect it will be for me.