EVER SINCE ITS INTRODUCTION IN 1973, THE HONDA CIVIC HAS BEEN ONE OF THE TRUE BENCHMARK AUTOMOBILES IN THE COMPACT-CAR CLASS. RELIABILITY, DURABILITY, AND ECONOMY HAVE ALL BEEN THREE OF THE CIVIC'S STRONG SUITS AND ALL THREE CONTINUE TO HIGHLIGHT THE 2008 HONDA CIVIC, IN BOTH THE COUPE AND SEDAN VERSIONS.
Carried over from 2007, THE latest generation CIVIC's are JUST SLIGHTLY SMALLER THAN THE PREVIOUS generation, WITH A RAKED BACK WINDSHIELD, SMALLER FRONT AND REAR OVERHANGS, AND A TIGHT TIRE-TO-FENDER GAP. THE SEDAN AND COUPE DON'T SHARE A SINGLE COMMON BODY PANEL.
The DX, LX, EX models, and new for 2008, EX-L MODEL that includes the first ever Civic all-leather interior COME WITH A 1.8 LITER, I-VTEC, FOUR CYLINDER ENGINE THAT MAKES 140 HORSEPOWER AND 128 POUND FEET OF TORQUE, AND EITHER A FIVE-SPEED MANUAL OR FIVE SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
THE CIVIC SI COUPE IS THE MOST POWERFUL CIVIC EVER, OFFERED WITH A 197 HORSEPOWER 4-CYLINDER ENGINE, A SIX-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND A HOST OF PERFORMANCE UPGRADES. AND THERE'S ALSO THE CIVIC HYBRID-POWERED VERSION IN THE MIX.
EVERY CIVIC COMES EQUIPPED WITH ANTILOCK BRAKES WITH ELECTRONIC BRAKEFORCE DISTRIBUTION, FRONT-SEAT SIDE AIRBAGS, FULL-LENGTH SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS AND ACTIVE FRONT-SEAT HEAD RESTRAINTS. DX, LX AND HYBRID MODELS HAVE FRONT DISC/REAR DRUM BRAKES, WHILE THE EX AND SI HAVE FOUR-WHEEL DISCS.
MILEAGE ESTIMATES FOR THE 140 HORSEPOWER 1.8 LITER CIVICS ARE 26 MILES PER GALLON CITY AND 34 MILES PER GALLON/HIGHWAY. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION-EQUIPPED CIVICS WILL GIVE YOU AS MUCH AS 36 MPG ON THE HIGHWAY.
WITH A GENEROUS LIST OF OPTIONS TO CHOOSE FROM, THE SUGGESTED BASE PRICE OF THE 2008 HONDA CIVIC IS 15,010 DOLLARS WITH THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION, AN AUTOMATIC EQUIPPED CIVIC'S BASE PRICE IS ABOUT 800 DOLLARS ADDITIONAL.
AS THE SAYING GOES, IT'S A LOT OF CAR FOR A LITTLE MONEY, AND THE EIGHTH-GENERATION OF HONDA'S WORLD-CLASS COMPACT SENSATION CONTINUEs its SUCCESS IN A CATEGORY IT HAS DEFINED FOR OVER 30 YEARS.