2003 Honda Civic LX 1.7 Non-VTEC
Summary:
A balanced buy for the balanced person
Faults:
So far, the only thing to date that has been faulty is the driver side map light. It actually is a very trivial fault as it would only get stuck sometimes and not all the time.
General Comments:
Ownership of this car has been top notch since day one.
Gas mileage is excellent, especially in comparison to the car I used to have (1998 VW Beetle). I average no less than 30 mpg overall and hit a high of about 506 miles on one tank with 1.8 gallons of fuel still remaining in the tank.
Handling is okay, considering Honda is probably one of the few car manufactuers equipping their cars with 185/70/14 tires!
Tire pressure is very important with this car I've noticed. Even being a few pounds over-inflated can cause very noticeable adverse effects to the car. Like upon purchasing there was roughly 35psi front and rear, but the factory recommended setting is 30psi front and rear. Upon lowering the tire pressure to the factory setting, the car handled much, much better - much more Honda-like to say.
The updated gauges in the 03 Civic are so nice that I feel bad for anyone who purchased a Civic prior to the 03 model year. It gives the interior a much more fresh and upscale look in comparison to the 2001-2002 model years.
One minor gripe I have is why did they totally omit the ashtray? Okay, I can understand the lighter being that after a few years it gets pretty trashed if not non-operable or may usually just use their own lighter to light their cigarettes. Also, to get an ashtray, it's the cup holder style, which I find totally lame because it occupies one of only two cup holders in the front of the car. If they removed it because they felt it would save money in production costs or perhaps to discourage smoking while driving, they should at least put another cubby or tray where the astray normally would be if it came straight from the manufacturers in Japan - where of course an ashtray in the car is without a question a must!
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 4th June, 2003
18th Dec 2003, 17:46
On most new cars now the ash tray and lighter are options.
I have a Civic LX Sport (which is/was only available in the 03 model year in Canada)
I have just under 17,000kms on it and haven't put a cent into it, other than gas. Even the dealer has done all my oil changes for free so far.
I'll of had it for a year in Feb.
Only complaint I could make is lack of power. I think Honda should start putting more than 127hp in the Civics.
You look at the new Mazda's, or Neons or even the Sentras... they have a min of 150 hp all the way up to 230hp.
3rd Sep 2003, 06:25
No, he's right... there's no ashtray or cigarette lighter in these cars (at least not in the 03 Civic LX I just got two weeks ago anyway). Whatever sliding compartment you're talking about is either an option on the '03s or in an older model. There's a covered cigarette lighter socket with no element in it, and a spot that looks like where an ashtray would go right next to it. You either use the world for an ashtray or keep an empty Pepsi can in one of the cupholders.
He is also correct in that tire pressure is very important in these cars. Mine was handling a bit strange for the first week, in that the most minor movement of the steering wheel had an INSTANT effect. Even given that it was a nice, tight new car, it was a bit unnerving. On a whim I checked the air pressure in the tires, and right off the showroom floor, all four Firestones on the car had a whopping 42 pounds of pressure in them! I dropped all four tires down to the recommended 30 psi, and received an instant improvement in handling.
I'll reserve further comments until I've had the car a good long while. It is impossible to comment objectively on a car with only 1100 miles on it.