The sixth generation Honda Civic has turned 20 years old.
I think the design has stood the test of time very well. The most beautiful of them all is the 2-door coupe, followed by the 3-door hatchback. Civic as a 4-door sedan, does not look as modern.
After 20 years, you know a lot about the car's quality. The British-made Civics made many friends, because the cars seemed half a class bigger than the Japanese ones, and could be had both as a 5-door hatchback and station wagon. Moreover, they were better equipped. But today there are hardly any left on the road due to rust.
Japanese Civics (1996-2000) are still a fairly common sight along the road. Almost all have some surface rust in the transition between the rear fender, wheel arch and bumper. It is also not uncommon for rust to form in the rear wheel arches and under the doors. Engine-wise, most Civics are motorized with either a 75-horsepower 1,4 liter engine, or a 90-horsepower one.
"My" Civic is taken from the house's own garage. It goes by the nickname "Bulkisen" because of all the parking dents that have been caused by careless youth. It is an American version, manufactured in Toronto, Canada. The American Civics received more thorough galvanization, and coped with rust better than their Japanese relatives. The base engine in American Civics is a 1,6 liter SOHC engine with 16 valves and 106 HP. Torque of a modest 103 Nm at 4600 revolutions. The same engine is found in almost all American Civics from this era, as well as in the Civic-based HR-V from the same era.
In the United States, the Civic 6 ended up at the top of sales, right behind favorites such as the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. It is still frequently sold as basic transport for people who need affordable and reliable transport. Almost all have completed 100 miles both 000 and 1 times. In Norway, the importer, Skotvedt, brought in 2 American models, - 2 door coupé version and the first generation HR-V which was based on the Civic 2. Both models had the Civic's 6 liter 1,6 HP engine.
106 HP sounds like a lot considering that the car only weighs 1040 kg. Nevertheless, the engine does not feel particularly sporty, as the power is delivered quite high up on the rev scale. Accelerations between 60 to 80 km/h are done most quickly in 2nd gear. Nevertheless, you rarely need to push the engine. Therefore, the car uses incredibly little petrol.
The low seating position gives the feeling of sitting close to the road. You get a bit of a go-cart feeling. A bit primitive compared to modern cars. You feel very well what the wheels are doing through the steering wheel. In addition, the chassis lets a lot of noise into the passenger compartment when it is working. Nevertheless, the car is surprisingly quiet at speed. The go-cart feeling is present when you put the car hard into the bends. It rolls little and therefore feels safe, but the retrofitted cheap Chinese tires let go of the roof quite easily, especially on autumn slippery roads.
The Honda 6 is a car model that I can safely recommend as a car for under 30. They can withstand high mileage. Should you find a car with 000 km on the odometer and little rust, you have a friend for many years with whom you can drive many thousands of kilometres. The Civic 100 is easy to tinker with, and many examples can probably be tampered with by young, overzealous and inexperienced mechanics. Avoid cars with a high plastic factor in the form of spoilers and the like, especially if the work is not done professionally. If you want a fun project, the Civic 000 is a grateful object, not least because of the many custom parts that can be bought.
If you're looking for a Honda Civic under 30, you can also afford the Civic 000 (7-2001). It is not a bad car, but is known for more small problems than its predecessor, especially cars from 2006-2001.
In Terje's cars, cars under 30 will occasionally appear. Why 000? There is a price limit that everyone can afford, without mortgaging the farm and land. If you want to, you're allowed. But remember that even if the prices are low, the cars don't have to be boring or politically correct. On the contrary. Maybe a hobby project? - or a car just for fun?
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