14th Jan 2005, 14:14

The Civic LX does not come with the 127-hp engine as you stated; only the Canadian Civic Si (4-door), and the US Civic EX (4 door) come with that engine. Lesser Civics in both countries come with the 115-hp 1.7 litre engine. Since I own a 2001 1.7EL (manual) and a 2004 Civic LX (sedan, manual), it's my opinion that both engines are lacking in the power department.

27th Jul 2005, 12:47

I was told that there are other differences between the Civic and the EL not mentioned above:

The EL buyer gets fog lights, simulated wood trim, side air bags, climate control, sunroof air deflector, the first two maintenance services free, a courtesy car free when the car is in for servicing as well as a hand wash, 4 years of excellent free roadside assistance, disc brakes on all FOUR wheels and, most importantly, 5 years of MAJOR components warranty.

Apparently none of this comes with a Civic. If this is all true I think the EL is well worth the extra money.

27th Aug 2007, 09:38

Hmmmm, seeming that this is basically a Honda Civic, and my Civic has 150,000 miles on nothing but oil changes, tune ups, and a timing belt, I have to say it is quite reliable. I also just came back from Manitoba and was surprised at how many Hondas I saw... many GM's too, but for a small company Honda was really getting it on.

17th Sep 2007, 14:46

I have an 2001 EL, and currently I'm having issues with the side airbag warning light. I was in an accident and an Acura dealership replaced the side airbag, but recently I have been having the side airbag light come on randomly without anything on the passenger seat. I'm wondering if anyone else has had this issue with the passenger side airbag warning light.

Also the top speed of an 2001 EL (Manual), is 208 km/h, which I was able to achieve in a controlled environment, with a stock engine.

3rd Jun 2008, 20:49

Hi, I have a 2004 Honda Civic LX (Canadian) sedan & I was looking forward to swapping it for 2004 Acura EL 1.7 leather seats. Base on what people have said, it should fit but I would like to double check before I pay for it. Thanks.

8th Aug 2008, 00:15

I own a 2002 EL Premium.

I've had it for a year and a half... I'm reaching just under 290000 km... and she still drives perfect.. other than regular oil changes and tune ups I have had zero problems. I have drove her soft... and I've done some serious hard driving with her too, and she always manages to do exactly what I tell her too!

She accelerates smoothly.. and she can really hang a turn at high speeds when I use her E brake!

The only complaint I have is that like the other individual a few comments above said.. I have had my passenger airbag light come on randomly!

Other than that this has been the most reliable car I have ever driven.

Oh also by the way she was in a wreck before I bought her and she was repaired... so with all that in mind, for this car to run and perform so perfectly really speaks on Acura's quality!

As for the people above who had so many troubles.. I'm sorry you have had such a bad taste left in your mouths... but give Acura another chance! They're outstanding cars and very reliable... those of you who had so many trouble just happened to get the ones made by the part time drunks at the plant! =0)

Thanks!

21st Jun 2009, 23:41

The problem with the side air bag light turning on has nothing to do with the car being in an accident, and does not suggest there is a problem.

I own a 2001 1.7 EL, and occasionally have the same problem occur. I simply read the owner manual and it explains it clearly. If the side airbag light comes on, it simply means that the side air bag is deactivated because there is something obstructing it. The seats have sensors, and if you are leaning on them in certain ways, the light comes on and the side air bags deactivate. It is actually smart because if you were siting in the back seat and you leaned forward and the car was in a collision, the side airbag would not deploy in your face!

25th Jun 2009, 09:33

I bought a 5 speed 2004 EL Premium.

Absolutely love it, have had it about a year.

Suspension is superior to the Civic, as is the interior. Fog lights make a huge difference in out-of-city visibility. The engine is very quiet, fuel efficiency is great, heated leathers are wonderful in the cold months, and climate control is such a great feature.

Trunk and gas tanks are secured which is also wonderful.

Had to replace tires (only because it came with worn snow tires on it when I bought used) and it needed new brakes.

Have 4 friends who owned same vehicle in past and said the only maintenance they ever had to do was a brake job (and the routine oil changes, air filters etc).

I recommend it, and although it is not a TL - it seems a whole lot nicer than an Si or EX Civic to me.

:) Happy Driving.

24th Sep 2009, 01:00

I own a 2001 Acura 1.7 EL and it currently has over 304000K on it. Need I say more? The exterior has little scratch here and there, not very noticeable because it's black. Yes overall the seats are getting worn out, certain things are getting discolored. But that's what happens when you own an 8 year old car. The only other thing I ever changed was the alternator in 2008.