Test Drove
reviewed by Emily Hansen

Small and Sassy

By: Emily Hansen

Test drove: 2/6/2006 to 2/13/2006

My daughter is the middle child. She is very concerned with fairness. Being an oldest child myself, this is a source of conflict in our relationship. I spend a lot of time trying to explain to her that things will work out and that her brothers do indeed get the short-end of the stick sometimes. Imagine the challenge when I load the kids up in the 2006 Honda Civic and there is a pocket on the back of the passenger seat where her brother is sitting and none behind the driver's seat where she is sitting. She nearly comes to tears until I point out that she doesn't actually have anything to put in the pocket. Being the type that never forgets, she makes sure to have something for the pocket every other time we ride in the car. Since her younger brother couldn't care less about having a pocket, their seats are switched for the duration of our test drive. My goodness, sometimes I am amazed at the drama that occupies my life.

Another feature the folks at Honda missed with this revamp of the popular Civic is that the rear seats are not designed for child booster seats. There is an indentation in the two outboard seating positions that accommodates a child's bottom just fine. When you place a booster seat in the same depression, the receiver end of the seat belt is positioned under the base of the booster. This means I must help both my 4-year-old and my 6-year-old get buckled every time we get in the car. Not a time-saver! I'm also surprised that this car does have available with leather seats. From this mommy's perspective, the increased cost of leather seats is well worth the labor saved in cleaning up the inevitable messes my kids make.

Don't get me wrong, I really like this little sedan from Honda. As a driver, I am happy in it. The seat is easily adjusted for my height (or lack there of) and the blind spots are minimal. I love the space-age dash. There is a digital speed readout that is near the vanishing point in my field of view as I look out at the road. The Civic also has an amazing amount of little storage niches. Every available hollow in the dash is made into a pocket. I am able to stash a garage-door opener, a cell phone, a packet of tissue and some spare change in separate compartments without even opening the center console. Inside the console there is a plug for my iPod and plenty of room for other mommy necessities.

My test car is also equipped with the Honda Navigation system. The voice-activation feature of the system makes it easy to enter an address or business name without being distracted away from the road. Reading the manual is a must for making the most of the navigation system, but once I get comfortable with it, it's a very valuable tool. Having maps and phone numbers at my beck and call is extremely useful in my hectic life. I can easily find the nearest coffee joint or gas station even in the most unfamiliar parts of town.

Speaking of gas stations: I enjoy not having to stop for them as often in this car. The 2006 Honda Civic boasts an impressive 30 mpg city and 40 mpg highway. In these days of high gas prices and busy schedules, that feature is quickly moving to the top of my list.

I don't normally go into much detail about the way a car drives, but I have to give some kudos to Honda on the new Civic. This car really drives like a dream; it feels very solid, has excellent pickup and has superior handling. It feels really safe and dependable in a way that I do not really expect from such a small car. The safety features in the car are impressive as well: Side curtain airbags; antilock brakes and daytime running lights are standard in all Honda Civics. Its performance in the snow is good and I am comforted knowing that my kids and I are safe in this car even if someone slides into us.

Because it is really too small for my day-to-day needs, and the seat belt issue in the backseat is a deal breaker for me, I think the 2006 Honda Civic sedan would make a super little commuter car.

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