  2009 Honda Civic Sport. Click image to enlarge |
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2009 Honda Civic
Inside Story is a review of interior comfort features, cabin controls, storage options, trunk space and under-hood accessibility based on a seven-day evaluation.
News flash! The Honda Civic is still very much for sale!
Did we really need the bulletin? When you factor in all the hoopla from the introduction of the Honda Insight low-dough hybrid, the Swiss Army Knife practicality of the Fit, plus the general return to cubism amongst the compact set, we’re at least bordering on “gentle reminder.” The sales numbers tell a different story, as if advertising has returned to the subliminal no-nos used in the 1950s. Not only was the Civic the top-selling passenger car in Canada for 2008, it was also the best-selling vehicle overall, the first passenger car in 15 years to do so.
Like the Accord, the Civic tends to go through an update every two to three years. While the clay on the next-gen mock-up is probably getting dry and flaky, it’s a good time to dig into the current Civic, and identify areas for improvement. (There’s gotta be SOMETHING.) This week’s IS tester is the Civic Sport sedan, in manual stick trim, with an MSRP of $21,780. (Prices shown do not include freight, taxes, regional or promotional incentives.)
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at 11:15 am
In the “Missing stuff” category, the steering wheel audio controls ought to be present as well on mid trim levels Civics. They are on the Mazda 3, Kia Forte and a myriad others. Ditto the front door tweeters.
The sunroof should be optionnal on the Sport to lower the price to what the former LX was and bring it more in line with its competitors.
There is a limit to what Honda can charge for its (quality) cars with less equipment than major competitors.
at 2:16 pm
The Civic needs to return to large, clear analog gauges in a conventional layout. The present dash has a self-conscious, precious air to it.
Also, the steering wheel should not have a middle (lower) spoke. Many drivers like to hold the wheel with one hand at the bottom – right where that spoke is.
at 2:35 pm
As an 08 civic owner, there are just TWO things I would change.(and the digital dash is not one of them , I love its clarity)
The 5 speed manual could use an extra cog to reduce revs (and engine buzz)at highway speeds, The 1.8 motor has more than enough torque to deal with a six speed with a longer 6th gear. I often skip from 3rd to 5th as it is when accelerating to 100kmh as it is.
The otherwise excellent cup holders need a removable mat at the bottom to deal with spills, Kleenex in the bottom looks less than classy.
Despite those “inadequacies” I’d still buy another in a heartbeat, and its gratifying that its Canadian made. But then I’d have optioned up to a sunroof anyway.
at 3:24 pm
Glad they added amber turn signals on the back for 2009. Now all they need are LED turn indicators on the mirrors like the Mazda 3.
at 10:56 pm
I purchased a 2009 Civic Sport at a dealership in Toronto with an automatic transmission seven months ago and I absolutely love it and sing nothing but praise for it. You are right though that the revs are way too high and a bit annoying in the manual trans. I used a free service for dealer invoice pricing (honda invoice canada advice or something?) and got a deal for $490.00 over dealer net so I think I may buy some new mirrors with the LED’s with the savings.
at 12:30 am
I’ve finally gotten used to the door-stop styling but still haven’t warmed up to the wacky two-tier dash. I’ve owned multiple Honda’s in the past but they always had amazingly legible tach/speedo readouts.
I may still buy another but it depends on where the styling goes with the next generation. I’m not sure how much more adding hydraulic struts cost but the prop-rod for the hood screams “cheap”. Sorry.
at 7:13 am
The digital speedometer is so big in the Civic that your fellow road users know exactly how fast you are traveling and that include your friendly traffic enforcement officers. Come on Honda…get rid of it!
at 3:58 am
This is nice car. We were searching this type of car. At least we would like to take the test drive.
at 12:12 am
Features missing: Auto-headlights, or at least auto-off headlights, gas struts for the hood, a conventional instrument pod, traction & stability control. Otherwise, it would have trouble competing with cars such as the Mazda3, VW Rabbit, Mini Cooper, or even the Mitsubishi Lancer.
at 3:35 pm
As a long time Civic owner it concerns me that this car is getting too fat. For years the Civic was know as a low powered car that was simply “fun to drive”, and for the most part people in southern Ontario certainly don’t need a 300HP car, but the Civic is getting fat enough to justify a big jump in HP. Either a jump in HP or MAYBE a nice diesel engine.
I’m always amazed that Honda misses some of the easy stuff(as stated by by RS), while the gas strut idea for the hood seems a little unneeded seeing the low use of the hood, the move over to struts for the trunk would be a huge improvement. That and lengthening and raising of the water channel from the windshield to the back of the car would be a welcome improvement. Nothing’s worse then driving with the window open only to have a constant stream of water fall over the seam between the drivers door and the windshield and all over your left arm.
at 9:46 pm
Honda’s slogan used to be “We make it simple”. Maybe there is still a faction within Honda that still believes in that. It’s not really valid anymore because there is really nothing simple about Honda cars anymore, nor should there be in this electronic age, and given the market position of Honda. But maybe they try to cling to that by skipping some of the easy stuff, as Goo said. IMHO, something like auto-headlights should be standard equipment on anything over $12K. Yes, it is a convenient item, but to me it is almost a safety item, like the third brake light, or DRL. Do you really want your kids or wife stranded somewhere at night because they left the lights on? It took Honda the longest time to include that feature on the Accord, and now it looks like they are following the same pattern with their cheaper models. I mean, there is absolutely no excuse a $35K CR-V does not have auto-headlights.
at 2:08 am
RS…i totally agree. Auto-running lights is a no brainer..should be standard on all cars in this day and age.
at 2:11 am
On 2nd thought…now i think Civic is cheap…it doesn’t even have steering mounted controls and HID lights offered from Mazda3…wut else doesn’t the Civic offer….hmmm
at 4:53 pm
Current car is a 2006 Civic LX which is a great car providing great fuel mileage, interior volume with fit and finish not found in other cars in it’s class. I’ll be purchasing another in a few months but took out a 2010 Mazda 3 Sport GS for comparison since some folks rave about Mazda’s. My immediate thoughts climbing into the car was that the quality of materials, fit and finish is lacking and not on par with Honda, the rear legroom and headroom much smaller and the rear hatch seems to provide no more room then that of the Civic’s trunk. Granted the Mazda does come with several features not found on the Civic model for the same price but I’d rather pay for quality than gadgets and gizmo’s. The interior cabin seemed much smaller overall space wise compared to the airy feeling Civic interior plus the stick-shift is ergonomically too close for operating comfort. The Civic’s dash makes perfect sense with the large digital readout directly ahead of you compared to the Mazda’s strange ‘offset’ readout? I think I’ll stick with the Civic!
at 10:13 am
You don’t buy a civic for steering wheel controls, or other options. You buy it because you want a car that won’t break down and gives you great mileage. If you want more styling, options, performance, get another car.
at 10:13 am
I have a US-Spec. 2009 Civic LX-S. I too agree that the Civic is a high quality car, but only makes available features on its highest trim levels, that even the cheapest Kia Forte have as standard.
Disc brakes were invented over 50yrs ago. The base Kia Forte has 4-wheel disc brakes. However, my LX-S (’S’supposively for SPORT !), only comes w/ rear drum brakes just like a 1940s VW Beetle !!
The base Kia Forte comes standard w/ Stability Control. My LX-S does not even offer it. I have to step up to the EX or Si to get stability control.
And yes, the 1.8L can certainly use a 6th gear !! It’s no fun buzzing at 65mph with 3,000rpm on the tach.
I suppose I could just get a Civic Si and have all of this corrected. But then that wud defeat the purpose of buying a cheap to insure economy car w/ great mpg.
Love the two-tiered instrumentation. Love the digital speedo. Love the modern styling. Love the manual shifter. Love the overall quality. Love the size. Love the ease of driving. Love the cool handbrake. Love the 3-spoke steering wheel. Love the 60s Mercedes wiper movement. Love the 6 airbags. Love the fake suede seat material (LX-S).
Yeah, as others have pointed out. Why have those space robbing cheap boot hinges instead of struts. Even Civics from the early 1990s had struts !!!