Civic ES with a manual transmission offers a sporty driving experience. With its more powerful engine, the ES produces lively acceleration, while the manual gearbox affords more driver control. This engine produces 127 horsepower and its torque extends across a broad rpm band, so the driver gets good throttle response at any speed. Shifting is smooth and precise, due to the revised feel of the stick with notched stop points added between gears. A four-speed automatic also works well with quiet and refined shifts, although the automatic dampens any pretensions of a sporty attitude.

Civic DX and LX models have less power available to them from the base engine and that translates to flat and tepid acceleration performance. This is most noticeable with the automatic transmission; a little more time is needed in the passing lane when trying to pass another vehicle at speed.

These are smooth, quiet cars. When driving at highway speed, riders may converse in a normal voice without distractions from mechanical or wind noises. Indeed, the quietness of the Civic rivals far more expensive cars. Ride quality is smooth and easy with the Civic's new suspension. (All models use MacPherson struts up front and a double wishbone in the rear.) Noise, vibration and harshness are low, largely due to improvements in structural rigidity, along with liquid-filled engine mounts plus noise- and vibration-damping materials added throughout the Civic's body. Wind noise is diminished through aerodynamic streamlining.

Most fun to drive is the Civic Si. Civic Si's engine uses Honda's latest i-VTEC technology (intelligent variable-valve and electronic timing). It's tuned for torque. Around town it's very tractable and very pleasant. You can short-shift through the gears: snick, waahh, snick, whaah, snick. Downshifting short is fun, too. Barely pushing in the clutch pedal, it's easy to go quickly but casually through the gears. The engine pulls from a fairly wide rev range. Out on the highway, the Civic Si's engine is very responsive, giving it good performance for passing. It accelerates from legal highway speeds to super-legal speeds fairly quickly. Stand on it and it does not deliver the rush of power nor does it make the exciting sounds that we loved from the old Prelude VTEC engine. The Civic Si can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about 8 seconds, which is a tick slower than the Ford SVT Focus.

Civic Si's transmission ratios seem perfectly matched to the engine. The ratios are close together, allowing the driver to keep the engine in the power band.

The Civic Si's ride quality is very nice. It feels more upscale, more substantial than what we've come to expect from Civics. This is a very pleasant car around town, out on the open highway, and on winding roads. When pushed hard, it understeers a bit and transient response is a little squishy. An ultra high-performance set of tires may improve this. At high speeds, 80 or 90, the Si feels very stable. The Civic Si features firmer dampers and springs than other Civic models. It comes with front and rear stabilizer bars and firmer dampers and springs.

The Civic Si comes with larger disc brakes in front than the other Civic models, along with new rear disc brakes. Braking is well controlled. Stopping performance is about average for the class.