Honda Civic 3dr Hatch / Saloon (1987 - 2001) : LEADER OF THE PACK?

Tuesday October 7

Models Covered: Fourth generation Civic 1987-1991: (1.3 Hatchback,Saloon [DX,GL]/ 1.5 Hatchback,Coupe [i,CRX]/ 1.5 VTEC Hatchback, Coupe) Fifth generation Civic 1991-1995: (1.3 Hatchback [DX]/ 1.5i Hatchback, Saloon, Coupe [LSi]/ 1.5VEi Hatchback/ 1.6i Hatchback, Saloon, CRX Convertible [ESi]/ 1.6VTi Hatchback, Saloon, CRX Convertible) Sixth generation Civic 1996-2001: (1.4i Hatchback/ 1.5i Saloon, Hatchback [LS]/ 1.5i VTEC-E Hatchback 5dr/ 1.6i Hatchback 5dr, Coupe [LS] / 1.6i VTi and SR Hatchback, Hatchback 5dr, Coupe)

BY JONATHAN CROUCH

If you're looking for a small second-hand 3-door hatchback or saloon that offers something a little different, then to be honest, there aren't many really obvious choices. You want your car to look individual; to have hi-tech features; to be safe and to hold its value when trade-in time comes. It's hard to think of a small car that meets all these criteria better than Honda's Civic - which is probably why so many second-hand buyers choose one.

What many journalists have described as the world's finest small car. The fourth generation models are still worth having and you either love or hate the split-tailgate on the fifth generation post-1991 models. The most recent cars are larger and pricey. I would recommend going for a five-door (M-plate onwards) new generation car if you can afford it.

All VTEC cars (even the early 1990 examples) are brilliant - driving enthusiasts queue here. If you can't afford one or want something less frantic but still sporty, try an L or M-plate fifth generation Coupe; it looks superb, particularly with alloy wheels.

Fourth generation cars start very low in 1.3 DX hatch form and all these models should really be priced on a car-by-car basis. Some will be looking a bit tired by now. The fifth generation Civic looks more modern but is no spring chicken itself these days.

A 1993K 1.3 DX costs from around £400 (many of the special editions are based on DXs). Meanwhile, an N-plate version of the Vti hot hatch will still reach £1,400. Sixth generation Civics are plentiful in three-door hatch, saloon or coupe form, and there are also numerous five-door hatches on the market (remember, the five-door which looks much like a Rover 400 and very different from other Civics arrived in June 1995, six months before the rest of the range).

Prices for the five-door in 1.4-litre form start from around £1,000 (three-doors are closer to £1,100). The 1.5-litre three-door hatches and saloons are priced from about £1,400.

Avoid DX models; you don't get power steering. Watch out for high insurance premiums on the VTi variants. Otherwise, there is very little to catch you out.

(approx based on a 1991 Civic 3dr LSi hatch - ex Vat) A clutch assembly is around £135 and an exhaust system about £280. Allow a budget for around £45 for front and rear brake pads. A radiator is about £165, an alternator about £330 and a starter motor around £245. A front headlamp costs from around £107.

Like all Japanese hatchbacks, very simple to operate and to drive - though the VTEC sports hatches are still extremely rewarding for the enthusiast. Whether you like the 'slant-eyed' oriental look of the fifth generation post-1991 models is a personal matter; rather curious at first, but it does grow on you. What's far more important however, is the range of engines to be found under the Civic's bonnet. In terms of technology, this is far and away the most advanced second-hand small car you can buy.

If you want a small car and you don't mind the slight price premium for the technology and badge, the Civic should be high on your list. It is on mine.