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Honda Civic

Honda Civic SE five-door

It's not often that car manufacturers admit to getting something wrong, so Honda should be applauded for its approach to revamping the Civic.

By Chris Thorp

November 2003

It's not often that car manufacturers admit to getting something wrong, so Honda should be applauded for its approach to revamping the Civic. Having studied feedback from customers, dealers and the motoring press, three areas were highlighted for improvement - cabin noise, styling and steering feel.

A fairly simple job then? Actually, it's taken 3,000 new parts to complete the facelift. We drove a middle-of-the-range model to see if the Civic has

got what it takes to beat the next-
generation Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra and VW Golf. The designers have tidied up the looks rather than carrying out a full restyle. New headlights and a revised front bumper add more character, while the revamped rear and clear tail-light clusters are intended to appeal to younger buyers.

Inside, the five-door models now have back-lit dials, but the Type R-style items in the three-door versions are easier on the eye. To give more centre console storage, the flat-floor layout has also been revised.

The suspension and steering have been overhauled in a bid to bring the handling closer to that of the class-leading Focus. While the three-door now feels sportier, the five-door still sounds noisier than most of its rivals, even with improved insulation.

Despite a more generous quota of standard equipment, the good news is that prices are unchanged, which keeps the Civic competitive in the compact family hatchback market.

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FIRST OPINION

    With so many changes to the Civic, you might expect something very different. Instead, it's a more polished version of an already competent family hatch.
 
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