6
0
Compact car; Built in USA, Canada, Japan
  • 2-door coupe
  • 2-door hatchback
  • 4-door sedan
  • transverse front-engine/front-wheel drive
Good condition price range: $1,000 – $2,600*


1992 Honda Civic Si 2-door hatchback


1993 Honda Civic DX 2-door coupe


1995 Honda Civic EX 2-door coupe


1995 Honda Civic EX 4-door sedan


1993 Honda Civic EX interior

Pros:
  • Acceleration (EX and Si)
  • Fuel economy
  • Handling/roadholding
  • Ride (4-door)
Cons:
  • Acceleration (CX and VX)
  • Cargo room (hatchback)
  • Noise (hatchback)
  • Rear-seat room (hatchback)

You pay a hefty price for a nice Civic, but in this case the expenditure might well be worth it. Flaws are few in these refined, quietly impressive subcompacts, overwhelmed by some highly tempting virtues. Civics stand apart from the crowd because of their nimble handling, smooth running, enjoyable operation, and miserly gas mileage.

Overview

Restyling of Honda’s front-drive subcompact for 1992 brought the demise of the prior generation’s station wagon. But 2-door hatchbacks and 4-door sedans returned with a standard driver-side airbag. Sedans rode a slightly longer wheelbase than hatchbacks. A 102-horsepower, 1.5-liter 4-cylinder went into DX and LX models. The top-rung EX 4-door carried a 1.6-liter four with variable valve timing, plus antilock brakes. Other models included the base CX with a 70-horsepower, 1.5-liter four, a miserly new VX that featured a 92-horsepower engine, and a sporty Si with a higher-output 1.6-liter four and standard antilock braking.

Yearly Updates

1993 Civic
A notchback Civic Coupe joined the other two bodies for ’93, in midrange DX and upscale EX trim, and a passenger-side airbag was available in the EX as part of an option group.
1994 Civic
A passenger-side airbag went into all Civics for ’94, and antilock braking became available on additional models. The LX gained 14-inch tires, while DX Civics stayed with 13-inch.
1995 Civic
With a complete redesign awaiting the 1996 model year, the carryover Civics went to dealerships without further change.

Engines

transverse front-engine/front-wheel drive

Civics of the early 1990s used four different overhead-cam 4-cylinder engines. DX and LX models held a 102-horsepower, 1.5-liter powerplant. A 1.6-liter four with variable-valve timing, rated at 125 horsepower, went into the EX 4-door sedan. In between was a base CX with a 70-horsepower, 1.5-liter 4-cylinder. Rounding out the quarter, the VX used a 92-horsepower “VTEC-E” engine. Civics had either a 5-speed manual gearbox or 4-speed automatic, but the latter was not available on all models.

ohc I4
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 1.5/91
Engine HP 102
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 98
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
5-speed manual
4-speed automatic 		34/40
29/36
ohc I4
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 1.6/97
Engine HP 125
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 106
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
5-speed manual
4-speed automatic 		29/35
26/34 		29.6
ohc I4
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 1.5/91
Engine HP 70
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 90
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
5-speed manual

 42/46
ohc I4
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 1.5/91
Engine HP 92
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 97
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
5-speed manual

 47/56

Road Test

All four engines are weak on low-end torque, lacking in zest. Although they pull smoothly enough in the middle gears, they fail to exhibit much overall gusto–especially with automatic transmissions. To climb hills and keep up with highway traffic you’ll have to shift gears often and push hard on the gas pedal. Automatic transmissions shift neatly, lacking the harsh jolt of earlier models. Fuel economy is great. Over a long-term trial, a 5-speed EX sedan averaged 29.6 mpg. Wind and exhaust sounds are reduced, especially in sedans, though tire noise is a problem.

Civics ride smoothly for a subcompact, although sedans have a much better ride than coupe and hatchback models. Handling can best be described as modest, if agile, with the narrow tires and softer suspension leaning over in tight turns. The steering and brakes work well.

Interior room is surprisingly good for a subcompact. Four adults can stretch out in modest comfort. Interior controls are thoughtfully designed and easy to use. Cargo space is good as well, but the hatchbacks’ split opening makes loading and unloading difficult.

Ratings

Model Tested: 1994 Honda Civic EX 4-door

Ratings values are on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the best. With the exception of Value, these numbers reflect how the vehicle compares against the universe of vehicles, not just against rivals in its class.

Performance

Acceleration - 4
40%
Fuel Economy - 7
70%
Ride Quality - 4
40%
Steering/Handling - 4
40%
Quietness - 4
40%

Accommodations

Controls/Materials - 4
40%
Room/Comfort Front - 5
50%
Room/Comfort Rear - 3
30%
Cargo Room - 3
30%

Other

Value - 8
80%

Total: 46

Specifications

2-door coupe
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
103.2 172.8 66.9 50.9
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
11.8 11.9 5
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
38.5 34.9 42.5 31.1
2-door hatchback
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
101.3 160.2 66.9 50.7
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
13.3 11.9 5
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
38.6 36.5 42.5 30.5
4-door sedan
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
103.2 173.0 66.9 51.7
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
12.4 11.9 5
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
39.1 37.2 42.5 32.8
Safety Ratings

Model Tested: 1995 Civic 2-door coupe

NHTSA

(5 is the highest rating)

Front Impact Test

Driver Injury - 3
60%
Front Passenger Injury - 4
80%

Side Impact Test

Driver Injury - N/A
N/A0%
Rear Passenger Injury - N/A
N/A0%

HLDI

(A score of 100 is average. Lower is better)

Collision 121
Injury 134
Theft 97

Trouble Spots

Air conditioner
Description: If the air-conditioner belt repeatedly comes off, the splash shield under the engine is probably knocking it off when the car goes over a parking curb, etc. (1992-95)
Automatic transmission
Description: Cars with high mileage may begin to shift more harshly, which may be corrected by adding a bottle of Lubeguard conditioner to the automatic-transmission fluid. (1992-95)
Audio system
Description: If the CD changer in the trunk will not eject, the company will exchange the CD magazines with a redesigned one. (All)
Trunk latch
Description: There may not be sufficient clearance on the trunk latch making it hard to open with the key. (1992-95)
Water leak
Description: There may be water leaking into the passenger footwell because of insufficient sealer on the seam at the firewall. Look for rust on the floor pan and run water over the right lower corner of the windshield to watch for water leaks before buying the car. (1992-95)

Recall History

1992-94
Description: Retaining clip at automatic transmission can come off, so position of lever does not match actual transmission gear range.
1994
Description: Passenger-side airbag module on small number of cars may contain incorrect inflator, therefore unable to provide adequate protection.

Equipment Lists

Equipment lists are only viewable on larger screen sizes.

Pricing

Used-car pricing varies widely depending on local market conditions. Therefore, we recommend visiting websites that list used cars for sale to get a better idea of what a specific model is selling for in your area.

More about Tom Appel
Written by: Tom Appel on July 15, 2014.
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