2009 Honda Civic Sedan DX-VP 5-Spd AT

Pros

Best Immediate Value and Long Term Investment

Cons

Strange interior touches, difficult to judge where front bumper is when parking

Purchased As New

In May I replaced my redoubtable dark blue 1993 Civic DX sedan with a 2009 blue Civic DX-VP sedan. My old vehicle had 203,000 miles on it and earned my brand loyalty with its agility, reliability, durability, ride and mileage.

The first 2009 Civic DX-VP I bought was royal blue and within 100 miles it was totaled when I was run off the road by a semi-truck when merging in a construction zone. The car proved tremendously safe as it smashed through 4 barrels full of sand and rolled over sliding a hundred feet on its roof. I emerged unscathed.

I was the only person in the vehicle at the time but the rest of the passenger compartment was not compromised and any other passengers would have escaped injury. I can vouch for the outstanding safety of this vehicle.

I now own a 2009 Atomic(light) Blue Civic DX-VP. The operating theory was my old dark blue car was vengeful that I had handed her over to cretins who covered her in strange stickers and various modifications of dubious value and replacing her with another dark blue Civic was too much!

The Civic DX-VP is a superb value. It only cost a few thousand more than my first Civic did in 1993- and the 1993 DX was a real stripper lacking air, radio, hubcaps, passenger side mirror etc.

Not only did I get a great deal on the car but I can rest assured that it will hold its retail value extremely well. A similiarly optioned focus would have cost slightly more, lacked ABS, was smaller, got worse mileage and was the inferior product.

Even if everything was equal, which they are not, the difference in depreciation between these two vehicles is tremendous. Although this allows someone else to get a great deal on a used focus it is quite detrimental to the original owner.Unless you plan on keeping your car forever (which I do) the resale value should be an extremely important consideration.

The Civic's obvious was solidity is impressive. It feels like it is carved out of one piece. Events later proved its safety but the vault like quality is evident when you first get in. The car has ample space for 4 passengers. In the rare event that you need to seat 5 the foot-well for the rear seats is totally flat and lacks the annoying hump that was present in the 5th generation version.

For front passengers the Civic is surprisingly roomy with sufficient elbow room for a couple of 200+ lb. adults. Front headroom is also impressive and is increased further by the lack of a sunroof. The driver seat can be elevated manually and lowered. The rear seat room is ample for 2 adults.

The DX-VP does have a fewer options, a different center console and interior materials than the other models. But all of the mechanical components are the same. I found the stereo quite acceptable for a base factory stereo and it does come with an iPod adapter. Surely it is no Acura TL sound system but aside from being a bit bass heavy I found it fine for automotive purposes.

The engine is a technological marvel that gets 1.5 liter mileage on the highway and 2.0 liter performance in town from a 1.8 liter package.It revs freely up to is 6800rpm redline. Car and Driver tested the heavier LX in a "15k Comparo" and wrung out a 0-60 times of 7.7 seconds and a best in test rolling 5-60mph of 8.6 seconds.

The beauty of the Civic is not just dynamo numbers or out of the box 0-60mph times. Longevity, quality, and value in a fun to drive package is what it offers. Large enough to serve as a vehicle for road trips, a top notch vehicle for urban driving/commuting and a perfect primary driver. It is a superbly engineered package.

The Civic's ultimate selling point is reliability, durability and longevity. Every car will look good on the showroom floor or even at 25k miles. But with the Civic you know that it will be free from groans, rattles and mechanical issues for a good decade.

To recap it is the best car in its class, the best value and its advantage continues to grow over the long haul....read morehide

Pros

Great Commuting Car

Cons

Mediocre Stereo

Purchased As New

I've just hit my first 1500 miles and thought I'd jot down some thoughts to help others make the decision on where to spend a ton of money (anything in the $15k range, too me, is a ton of money). A big decision. I spent approx 3 months researching and test driving a myriad of vehicles: from compacts to small pickups to small SUV's. At the end of the day I decided on a Honda Civic. My biggest obstacle was "me" defining my needs. After 20 years of driving pick-up trucks it was tough to move to a small sedan. My priorities ended up being: 1) car price, 2) gas mileage (gasoline will continue to climb in price), 3) reliability, 4) serviceability. So, I negotiated a very good price with the dealer, not hard to do these days (inventory is obviously high) - wait until the last days of the month and you'll do best (publicity owned companies need to show sales in the current month and if the dealer can turn a few more vehicles on the 29th or 30th of the month they will). My average mileage after 1500 miles is 37 mpg (I drive approx 80% highway and tend to drive using "gas saving techniques" as much as possible), the dealership is very customer oriented and close to my home and, my wife, who owns a 2002 Civic, has had great reliability with her car.
The car is very nice (context here - I'm a 5'9" male at 190lbs): sliding into the drivers seat is a tad tight, I find myself rubbing against the seat side each time (not a big deal). The seat is quite comfortable and supporting. The instrument panel is extremely well engineered: everything is easily viewable, I particularly like the elevated position of the odometer. The few times I've needed power to merge onto the highway there was no problem, I was surprised with the kick the car offers. The automatic transmission is fairly "perfect" (much better than the Toyota Matrix auto trans) with gear ratios that work very well for the engine hp and car weight. The car is obviously engineered for economy and efficiency: it is very stable and solid on the highway (aerodynamic design and low center of gravity helps here) but, the car is lightweight, which you also can feel (hard to describe). Steering and braking are superb, but with a wider turning radius than expected. The stereo controls are fine but the speakers are not (Honda could have and should have provided for better speakers all around). Road noise is an issue with all the compact cars, no exception with the Civic (it is what it is, but not horrible, actually quieter than most of the other cars I test drove). The rear seat is comfortable with plenty of room: the folding down seat feature is great (I've already used it a couple of times to move large items). Overall, a great car that exactly fits my needs. This is not a BMW (or other high-end car), it isn't built with that level of quality or structure/sturdiness. It is a low priced production vehicle that has plenty of room and comfort for four adults, gets great gas mileage (if you drive it with conservation in mind), is extremely nimble and responsive, and hopefully, will prove reliable for many years....read morehide

Pros

It's a Honda...I think that says it all

Cons

OK so it could use a few more accessories, but that's a minor thing

Purchased As New

It's a Honda. Does it get any better than this? It's a great car. It's reliable, it's quiet, it's a smooth ride, & it just about turns on a dime.

Yes, it should include some basic floor mats (but I bought basic set for $5 from a nationwide auto parts store). It could use a center console arm rest. I'm also getting a leather steering wheel cover to help protect the steering wheel....read morehide

Pros

VERY GOOD IN STARTING, ACCELERATES FAST. WIDER ROOM INSIDE

Cons

NO COMMENTS

Purchased As New

This car looks small in the exterior side but a wider space inside compared to the previous sedan that i have. it accelerate very fast even it is an automatic. So far i did not see any negative comments. i love the car.

Pros

It was FREE, we WON it, Fuel, Comfort, handling

Cons

Pull to Right, aligned twice, still pulls

Purchased As Not Purchased

What can we say? We WON it through the United Way! BUT...the car (Civic) has an obvious history of the rear wheels "dragging". It pulls to the right consistently, even after alignment. We are anxious to hear what the Dealership Tech. boss has to say. After nine years with my Taurus SES, 24V DOHC, 3.o, I am very disappointed....read morehide