While they look like they're from the same family, the sedan and coupe differ in appearance. In fact, more than three-fourths of their body panels are not interchangeable. The coupe features a more aggressive windshield rake for a sportier look, and its tail lamps light up in a signature pattern. The sedan and coupe do share the same wheelbase and inner structure.
The appearance of the Civic Hybrid sedan is also subtly different, with a deeper spoiler under the front bumper, a small spoiler on the lip of the trunk lid, and unique, lightweight aluminum-alloy wheels.
The styling of the Honda Civic Si hatchback seems to polarize people. Some think it's ugly; others love it and are quick to defend it. It's edgy and wedgy. The huge, flat windshield is steeply raked. The nose slopes radically downward, giving the car excellent aerodynamics and driver visibility. Its unique mesh grille is framed by huge triangular headlamps which, like those of the coupe and sedan, have been updated for 2004. New taillights lend a custom appearance, with oval amber turn-signal lenses behind a contoured clear cover. The Si is slab-sided, without any sculpture in the sheet metal. In the past, critics have suggested the wheels and tires do not look big enough for the bodywork, but Honda has taken care of that for 2004 with new and better-proportioned 16-inch alloy wheels, and a new sill molding that suggests a slimmer profile. The Si features a subtle roof spoiler and a dual tipped exhaust, and comes standard with a moonroof.
Honda is known for its space-efficient design, and the Civic packs its engine into a condensed engine bay, leaving more space for the interior. The door handles are the lever kind, which we find harder to operate than the kind you stick your hands through. Next Page