2006 Honda Civic Coupe First Drive

Coupes are more expressive and aspirational than conventional sedans, but modern automotive marketing wisdom says that unless it’s a luxury or sports car like a BMW 3 Series or Nissan 350Z, a two-door won’t sell. Buyers of small cars choose them because they must for reasons of practicality, the theory goes, and a coupe is clearly impractical. Yet Honda, never afraid to buck a trend in the process of setting a new one, has continuously offered a Civic Coupe since 1992. That tradition continues with the introduction of the redesigned 2006 Honda Civic. The new Civic Coupe is still less practical than the Civic Sedan, but moves solidly into expressive and aspirational territory with a big dose of style and refinement. Radically cab-forward in terms of design, the 2006 Honda Civic Coupe possesses a strong European flavor, a spirited driving character, and an upscale ambience that belies its fully-loaded price of around $20,000. Coupled with Honda’s technologically-advanced four-cylinder engines – among the most fuel efficient and least polluting available today – and a nearly complete roster of safety equipment, the all-new 2006 Honda Civic looks to be a smash hit. If you don’t mind the lack of rear doors, that is.

Model Mix

Model Mix The 2006 Honda Civic Coupe is offered in three trim levels. DX is the base model, LX is the popular mid-grade version, and EX is the fully equipped high-end model. Honda offers three different versions of the 2006 Civic Coupe, each equipped with the same 1.8-liter, four-cylinder engine teamed with either a manual or an automatic transmission. The base model is called DX, the popular mid-grade version is the LX, and the most upscale Civic is named EX. Standard equipment on the DX includes seat-mounted side-impact airbags, front and rear side-curtain airbags, and antilock brakes. A tilt and telescopic steering column, power windows, a driver’s seat height adjuster, and a rear window defroster with a timer are also a part of the entry-level price. The 2006 Honda Civic DX Coupe rides on 15-inch steel wheels with wheelcovers, has a small lip spoiler on the decklid, and features black door handles and black manually adjustable side mirrors. The rear seat folds down to expand cargo capacity, but is not split. If you want a stereo, air conditioning, power door locks with remote keyless entry, power mirrors, cruise control, and other niceties, we’d suggest giving the 2006 Honda Civic LX a look. It also comes with floor mats, 16-inch wheels wearing wider and lower profile tires, body-colored exterior trim, and a huge center console storage bin with a sliding armrest. The Civic LX also gets upgraded interior décor; map lights; a power driver’s window with one-touch up and down functions; and a 160-watt audio system with CD player, speed-sensitive volume control, tweeters, and an auxiliary input jack for your iPod. Pop for the 2006 Honda Civic EX and you’ll bask in the sunshine thanks to a standard power moonroof with one-touch open and close. The premium for the Civic EX also includes spiffy five-spoke alloy wheels and rear disc brakes. EX trim is also your ticket to a remote power trunk release, variable wipers, a rear seat center armrest, a 12-volt power outlet in the center console, a split-folding rear seatback, and an outside temperature display. A navigation system is optional on the Civic EX, and it includes a digital audio card reader. The Civic EX is also wired for XM satellite radio, and comes with a kick-ass 350-watt audio system with six speakers and an eight-inch subwoofer. Ambient center console lighting bathes the middle of the Civic in a warm glow at night, and on the outside the EX gets a chrome exhaust finisher. Despite an on-sale date of September 15, 2005, Honda hadn’t set final prices for the redesigned 2006 Honda Civic Coupe when we published this story. Estimates ranged from about $14,500 for the Civic DX to $18,500 for the Civic EX. Honda plans to sell about 85,000 Civic Coupes a year, roughly 25-percent of all planned Civic sales.

Nuts and Bolts

Nuts and Bolts A 140-horsepower, 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine comes standard in every 2006 Honda Civic Coupe, expected to get as much as 40 mpg on the highway with the optional five-speed automatic transmission. Every 2006 Honda Civic Coupe gets the same engine, a 1.8-liter, inline four-cylinder equipped with i-VTEC variable valve timing. With 140 horsepower available at 6,300 rpm and 128 lb.-ft. of torque peaking at 4,300 rpm, the 2006 Civic Coupe’s engine is more powerful than both motors offered in 2005 and runs on regular unleaded fuel. A five-speed manual transmission sends the power to the front wheels, and is estimated to provide 30 mpg in the city and 39 mpg on the highway. The optional five-speed automatic is expected to do even better when it comes to fuel efficiency, matching the manual’s city rating but getting 40 mpg on the highway. Suspended by MacPherson struts in front and double wishbones in back, the 2006 Honda Civic Coupe gets tighter spring and shock tuning than the Civic Sedan for a sporty ride. The Civic DX wears P195/65 all-season tires, while the Civic LX and EX get P205/55R16 treads. All three models have a conventional hydraulically-assisted rack-and-pinion steering system, unlike the drive-by-wire electric units in the Civic Hybrid and Civic Si sports coupe. Ventilated front disc brakes are standard, but DX and LX make do with rear drum brakes while the EX trades up for solid discs for better, more balanced braking performance.

Design

Design The 2006 Honda Civic represents the most radical redesign of the car in its 33-year history. This redesign of the 2006 Honda Civic might be the most radical of any in the car’s 33-year history. It is a distinctive, forward-thinking package defined by European flair and subtle detailing, and should wear well over time. From some angles it’s hard to tell if the 2006 Civic is coming or going – so short are its hood, rear deck, and overhangs – but there’s no denying that this is a contemporary, upscale look for the new Civic. Importantly, the 2006 Honda Civic Coupe shares no exterior sheetmetal with the Civic Sedan, though the cars look similar from the windshield pillars forward. Up front, the sedan’s chrome grille spear is replaced by a dark metallic-finish garnish, and the headlights on the coupe are different. Also note that the Civic Sedan’s front quarter windows and folding side mirrors are replaced on the Civic Coupe with a single pane of glass and fixed mirrors. And the rear of the coupe is entirely different from the sedan. While we’re having trouble warming up to the 2006 Honda Civic Sedan’s rear end, we think the Civic Coupe is extremely attractive. It resembles the sleek Honda Accord Coupe, but with that bigger car’s fleshy hips liposuctioned to proper proportions. From the side, our favorite bits are the rakish roofline, the wedge profile, the hefty door handles, and the neatly integrated moldings in the lower character line. The 2006 Honda Civic Coupe’s trunk holds 11.5 cubic feet of cargo, and while that doesn’t sound large, the cargo area is usefully shaped with a low liftover height, a large opening, and a nice lining. Plus, with a folding rear seat, the Civic will hold longer items when necessary. Gooseneck hinges mean fragile packages need to be stowed toward the middle, and we didn’t see a handle on the inside of the lid to assist with closing, but otherwise the Civic should prove capable when it comes to carting stuff.

Interior

Interior The gauge layout takes some getting used to, but the 2006 Honda Civic Coupe is quite comfortable and user-friendly for the front seat occupants. It might look radical, but the 2006 Honda Civic Coupe’s interior layout is extremely functional. The gauges are split between a digital display located at the base of the windshield and a traditional cluster viewed through the steering wheel. In the digital display, which acts much like a heads-up system, vehicle speed, remaining fuel, and engine temperature are shown. In the lower binnacle there’s a huge tachometer flanked by dormant warning lights. An average fuel economy display would be nice to have, especially with the price of gas reaching three bucks a gallon in some parts of the country, but that feature is only offered on the Civic Hybrid. Shown in this photo is the optional navigation system with voice control, which works easily enough but groups the stereo and navigation functions together. Plus, the buttons are small and sun glare has a detrimental effect on legibility. We prefer the standard knobs and buttons for the stereo, which work as simply as those for the heating and air conditioning. Materials are tasteful and upscale for a small car, with plush fabric upholstery, a soft mesh headliner, and quality parts and panels with a refined look and feel. Leather seating is not offered on the 2006 Honda Civic Coupe.

Comfort

Comfort A seat height adjuster and a tilt-and-telescopic steering column come standard on the 2006 Honda Civic Coupe. More comfortable seating, front and rear, is one benefit of the 2006 Honda Civic Coupe’s redesign, but full-sized adults relegated to the back seat won’t want to stay long. At least it’s relatively easy to get into and out of the rear quarters through the large passenger’s side door, and thanks to the tilt-and-slide front passenger’s seat. Up front, firm, supportive chairs that hold a body more snugly than the sedan’s bucket seats offer excellent comfort. The driver gets a manual seat-height adjuster, and in combination with the standard tilt and telescopic steering column, a perfect driving position is easy to find. You sit high in this car, and the dashboard is low, providing a good view out. But the Civic Coupe’s smaller greenhouse, sportier seats, and our test car’s dark interior color created an intimate feel quite unlike the Civic Sedan’s open, airy ambience. If you’re claustrophobic, try to stick with the lighter colored décor shown in this photo.

Safety

Safety With standard dual front, seat-mounted side, and side curtain airbags, the 2006 Honda Civic Coupe should prove its crashworthiness when the NHTSA and IIHS conduct testing later this year. With the 2006 Honda Civic Coupe’s redesign, engineers focused on safety. Standard equipment includes dual-stage, dual-threshold front airbags; seat-mounted front side airbags; front and rear side-curtain airbags; antilock brakes with independent electronic rear brake distribution; and active head restraints. Plus, the new Civic Coupe was engineered using Honda’s Advanced Compatibility Body Structure (ACE) principles, which dictate better crash energy absorption through multiple load paths that limit structural penetration. What does this mean to you? Honda expects the 2006 Civic Coupe to receive five-star frontal crash-test ratings from NHTSA and a “Good” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in the 40-mph frontal offset crash-test. Furthermore, Honda predicts that the Civic Coupe will get a ‘Good” side-impact rating from the IIHS, with NHTSA assigning a four-star front occupant side-impact score and a five-star rear occupant side-impact score.

Driving Impressions

Driving Impressions Though our drive in the 2006 Honda Civic EX Coupe was short, we did get an extended 90-minute stint behind the wheel of the Civic Hybrid, which shares the Coupe’s dashboard, door panels, and center console designs. Immediately, the 2006 Honda Civic Coupe’s added refinement is noticeable, both in terms of cabin comfort and engineering. Quiet and responsive, the silky powertrain provides good punch off the line, managed by a fluid gearbox and a light clutch. The steering is linear and quick, and the brake pedal feels great underfoot. However, mid-range passing power is only adequate, and the engine seems to make more noise than velocity under hard acceleration – but that’s been a common trait of Honda four-cylinder motors for a long time. Tighter suspension tuning quells the sedan’s tendency toward body roll in corners and body bob on the highway, giving the 2006 Civic Coupe a more controlled, if slightly less cushy, ride quality. Though our drive in the 2006 Honda Civic EX Coupe was short, we did get an extended 90-minute stint behind the wheel of the Civic Hybrid, which shares the Coupe’s dashboard, door panels, and center console designs. In this car, I discovered that the parking brake handle, which is located on the left side of the gear selector right where my leg rested against the center console, dug uncomfortably into the bone just below my knee joint. That doesn’t bode well for extended travel, and I can only assume that with a similar amount of seat time I’d suffer the same discomfort in any 2006 Honda Civic. Making up for this to some degree are the Civic’s upper door panels, which are slightly padded and feature a perfectly located concavity disguised as a character line, creating an excellent place to rest your left elbow during extended trips.

Specifications

Specifications The 2006 Honda Civic Coupe’s primary competitors include the Chevrolet Cobalt Coupe, the Ford Focus ZX3, the MINI Cooper, and the Scion tC. Test Vehicle: 2006 Honda Civic EX Coupe with manual transmission Estimated Base Prices: $14,500 (DX); $16,500 (LX); $18,500 (EX) Engine Size and Type: 1.8-liter inline four with variable valve timing Engine Horsepower: 140 at 6,300 rpm Engine Torque: 128 lb.-ft. at 4,300 rpm Transmission: Five-speed manual (standard); five-speed automatic (optional) Curb weight, lbs.: 2,593 (DX manual); 2,767 (EX automatic) Estimated EPA Fuel Economy (city/highway): 30/39 mpg (manual); 30/40 mpg (automatic) Length: 174.8 inches Width: 68.9 inches Wheelbase: 104.3 inches Height: 53.5 inches Leg room (front/rear): 42.6/30.3 inches Head room (front/rear): 38.0/35.1 inches (DX/LX); 37.8/34.7 inches (EX) Max. Seating Capacity: Five Max. Cargo Volume: 11.5 cubic feet Competitors: Chevrolet Cobalt, Ford Focus ZX3, Mini Cooper, Saturn Ion Quad Coupe, Scion tC, Volkswagen Golf

Photos courtesy of American Honda