Honda CIVIC COUPE (1994 - 2002)
MODELS COVERED: Fifth generation Civic 1994-1996: (1.5i Coupe [LSi]) Sixth generation Civic 1996-2001: (1.6i Coupe [LS, SR ,Sport] / 1.6i VTi Coupe) Seventh generation Civic 2001 to date (1.7i Coupe)
BY ANDY ENRIGHT
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Ask most coupe owners what they want from their car and, if theyre truthful, a large percentage of it will be a look at me factor. Coupes say something about their owners, that they are young at heart, fun loving and appreciate a healthy dose of style over substance. For every rule, however, there are always exceptions. Hondas Civic Coupe is a case in point.
Leaving aside the charismatic CRX model which are considered separately, the Civic Coupe isnt really a car thats easy to visualise. Most wouldnt register its presence in the traffic so inoffensive is the styling of any of the three generations we look at here. Take away the showmanship and what benefits do the coupes bestow over their more practical hatchback siblings? The answer is very few. Nevertheless for those who want a Civic but dont want a car thats an everyday occurrence, the coupes are well worth a look.
Their unspectacular image means that used bargains are plentiful.
If youre looking for a small coupe that can accommodate human beings in the back, the
Honda Civic is a good place to start looking. All models are reasonably proportioned, getting bigger as the generations progressed. All VTEC cars 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. The sixth generation car will probably be remembered as the one to have, especially in VTi trim. Here was car that knocked on the door of the fabled 100bhp per litre from a normally aspirated engine, members of which include the McLaren F1, the
Ferrari 355 and the
BMW M3.
Fifth generation Coupes start at around £1,800 for a 1994 Civic 1.5. Automatic versions of each add around £200 to the asking price with the top book for a 1996 N-plated LSi automatic hovering around £2,900. Opt for a sixth generation car and prices open at £3,100 on a 1996 N plate.
This gets you a 1.6 LS coupe, with SR models starting at £3,300 on the same plate. The Sport Civic Coupe not breast-fixated tabloid is available from £4,900 for a 1999 V-plate example. If you are planning on spending this much on a Civic Coupe, it really is worth going the whole hog and seeking out the excellent VTi version.
Prices start at £5,000 on a 1999 S plate rising to £7,000 for a 2001 Y-plated model.
Watch out for high insurance premiums and tyre wear on the VTi variants and worn
seat trim on fifth generation cars. Otherwise, there is very little to catch you out.
(approx based on a 1994 Civic LSi coupe - 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.
We make no apologies for concentrating on the VTi coupe in this section. It is, after all, the only Civic Coupe that offers an exceptional driving experience. The others are perfectly competent and benign, if lacking a little charisma. No such problem with the crackerjack VTi.
Under the bonnet lies Hondas glorious 160bhp VTEC engine, which revs all the way to 8,000rpm with a yowl that's intoxicatingly rich. It's fantastic to drive, and it's stunningly fast. The tarmac result is rest to 60mph in a fraction over eight seconds on the way to 134mph, but such is the aural accompaniment that you feel like you're going a great deal faster. One of the endearing things about this car however, is that it doesn't force you to drive like Damon Hill all the time. In fact, under about 5,000rpm, it feels like any other small family runabout. Put simply, chameleon-like qualities come as standard. To change from sober suit to sports jacket, simply put your foot down.
Unlike some other car manufacturers who have toned their engines down to create warm instead of hot hatches, Hondas engineers have resisted the temptation. The VTi unit boasts a state-of-the-art engine management system and has been changed very little during it lifetime. Past revisions have instead concentrated on improving the suspension and the five-speed gearbox. But the burning question for keen drivers is, whats this car like to drive? Handling first: the Civic's stiff bodyshell and all-wishbone suspension produce a car that turns into corners like a shark turning towards a meal. Yet this doesnt mean the VTi has nervous, pointy handling that can be unnerving for the driver. We've all come upon a corner quicker than expected and had to hurl the car in at a faster speed than we would have liked. Well the Civic will work with you as predictably as anything this side of four-wheel drive. You don't need to be a motoring expert, or to cover many miles, to quickly appreciate that this car has been designed by a team of engineers who understand the subtleties of driver enjoyment. The development team readily admit that once the engineering blokes had done their work, many pleasurable hours were spent pounding Civic VTis around the twisting Takasu test track. The fruits of their labour can be yours for less than you may think. Find a well looked after used example and youll have ample cause to thank them.
If you want a coupe but dont want to put up with many traditional coupe headaches, the Civic Coupe in any of its generations is a reasonable bet. The sixth generation car is the one to go for, the fifth now looking a little old and the seventh still very thin on the ground. Mechanically tough and usually well looked after, the Civic Coupe is an unlikely gem in a congested compact coupe market.
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