1996 Honda Civic LX | Retro Review
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- Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
- I don't know which is prettier...this gen Honda Civic or the gen before? If you ever find a really nice example of either, buy it on the spot!
Show 1508 | Original Airdate 10-24-1995
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Last week I had group lunch with coworkers and they ganged up on me to mock my "old" 1999 Civic. Inside I'm thinking they can drive their overpriced, planned obsolesence piece of modern day crap. I view my Civic as a "trophy" that it has lasted so long and still brings a smile to my face. Reading all the passionate comments has only reinforced my position that I have the last well built Civic and I need to preserve it.
Keep it running as long as you can. I wish I still had my 98 LX sedan w/ the 5 speed. This was the absolute best gen Civic ever made.
Don't listen to them, they're fooled by consumerist advertising, these cars were made to satisfy customers by lasting forever instead of the current formula of useless "comfort features" and "extras".By all means preserve it!!!
GIVING mine away was/is/will always be my greatest regret.
I had a 99 Civic sedan in green for my first car. Unfortunately I sold it but was fun while it lasted
Is the Civic still with us ? I'm doing a wellness check.
Peak Honda. Peak Toyota also. The Civic EJ is the small car that other car makers, and even Honda, have been striving to beat ever since. Best small car ever.
I still have my 00 civic HX. It’s been swapped due to engine oil consumption and rarity of the failing CVT trans. Now she has a K24 and 5spd manual.
I have a '99 5-speed civic ex coupe. One of my favorite cars of all time. Was wondering when they would post a retro review of a 6th gen civic a few days ago; wake up today and this is the first thing I see. Kinda freaky
Wished it into existence!
Time to buy a lotto ticket!
I was searching for that test yesterday!
Doug DeMuro has done this to a few wonders for me too…
I told you that you were freaky!
My 1998 Civic had 450K before I sold it.
What a Great car 🚙
that's a lot, that's about to the moon and back.
what did you all replace on it
@@kareemralls2821 why did he replace it
I had a 97 hatchback with 420 km when I sold it.
I love the EK Honda Civic in stock fashion including the Type R and Si versions.
No point tuning these really, they came perfect from the factory for their respective purposes.
The SI was a sporty, fun yet economical car with great potential, amazing daily, and it can take on any road you put it on.
The Type R is a refined, perfected machine, every bit of it is highly engineered, yet it still retains it's practicality.
Anyone does whatever they want with their own car, but I'd never touch an SI or a Type R besides minor suspension mods (not an inch of lowering!!! just high performance shocks)
I bought a 1998 Civic HX / CVT new in April 1998 as my daily driver. Over 25 years later, I'm still using it as my daily. 220K on the clock, uses no oil, and still gets 40+ mpg on the highway.
In the last few years, the car has needed work, from normal wear and tear, so I just keep replacing parts and rebuilding systems as needed. If you keep them in good mechanical condition, they STAY a total blast to drive. From my perspective, as a long-term owner, these 6th gen Civics truly embody "golden age Honda" engineering, and are ideal transportation.
When I was 17, the first brand new car I ever bought was a '98 Civic EX coupe. Although it was never my most favorite, it still has some sentimental value due to it being my first new car. It does have the distinction of being the most fuel efficient car I've ever owned. Even more fuel efficient than my old lexus HS hybrid.
To me, the '88-'00 Civics/Integras were the golden era for affordable performance. Parts were virtually interchangeable during those generations. And plenty of choices for aftermarket parts, too.
One of the best Civics yet
Probably the best car of all time. Had a 99 ex and 00 Si
The '57 Chevy Impala of Hondas, best they ever got, IMO. Had a '98 EX 4dr, I miss it still.
There was no '57 Chevy Impala
@@michaelwhite4368 I stand corrected
Bought a new '97 DX coupe manual shift just before I joined the service. Had that car for twelve years. Fun to drive, economical, and very reliable. Just basic maintenance. So many memories with that car. Traded it in for a tow vehicle. If it had power steering, I would have kept it as a work car.
Wow, my first car i bought brand new in 1997 i miss it so much
Back when you could get a new car for 10k that would go 200k no problem
Still does today with MUCH safer car structure for safety
@@tek1645 oh yeah? My dad’s tenant has a son that rolled his 1990 Civic hatchback into a telephone pole, & he walked out with only a sore neck that lasted a week. Everyone said he should be dead. His Civic saved him. Honestly, don’t judge a car based on size, it can still be a safe vehicle. This is a good example. The biggest vehicles aren’t the safest vehicles. They take long distance to come to a stop to avoid something. In a Civic, you can dart out of the way easy, better maneuverability. And he rolled a Civic with no airbags, & he still survived. Imagine how good they are with 2 front airbags. Moral of the story: don’t judge a car based on size. Kind of like people.
My first car out of college was a Honda Civic DX, what a great car it was, made me feel so special back then. Unfortunately, the F&F crowd ruined its reputation as a reliable and stylish entry level car.
One of the worst movies ever, IMO.
If anything it brought more attention to them.. Otherwise there wouldn’t be a lot still on the road today.
@@GeeEm1313its pretty damn funny though
I have a 91 with a 94 si engine(d16z6)
But I think this ek gen is the best. The reason is because it does everything well.
We had a 1997 that we bought from my Auntie Nancy. STILL miss it!!!!
I've owned a 98 EX coupe in high school, fun little car that did the job but the stock seats were awful. Luckily there's no shortage of replacement option.
😳The moment you realize 10.8 seconds was to 60mph and not the quarter mile time.
02:10 I didn’t know you could get a CVT in a 1996 Civic.
10 grand for an EK hatchback and 12 for a full on sedan 🤯 nowadays you can't even get a crappy Chevy Spark or Mitsubishi Mirage for that price. True value!
Refined For Duty
Had 97 EX coupe with an AEM intake so you could hear the VTEC crossover. It had the 4 speed auto but it still topped out at 120
Always wanted a 1.6 vti model, I believe these shape were very very rare in the uk
They weren't that rare, maybe the other, 1.8 VTI was more popular in the UK due to it being meant for that market?
I would deem the 92-00 civic to be to the 90’s like the beetle was to the 60’s and 70’s
When that cat came out it was pretty sleek
I would walk by so many of the new cars today for one of these.
Why can´t cars be like this anymore? Simple, comfy, reliable, no need to cover the engine with awful plastic covers, metal exhaust manifolds, interior didn´t need to be all black to hide cheap crappy plastic materials, no piano crap, no overpriced infotainment, no cheap fabric on the seats of modern day cars, just honest focus on a nice daily drive wrapped in a nice familiar face, the "ability" to choose when and how to change gear. To me this and the MK1 Focus are what compact cars were ment to be, two classics and in Mexico hard to find in good condition and a manual gearbox, but worth all the time it takes to find a good example and buy it
Finally I've been waiting for this for so long now we need the coupe now.... thank you 👍🏾
had mine for 20 years, still on the road with its new owner.
John Davis is ready for this review to be wrapped up so he can head out to Sturgis
Peak Honda
True
Love these 6 gen civics wish I could buy one right now as a daily driver
Still can. I bought a 2000 LX 5 speed here in Arizona last year. Great car. No rust. In the Southwest you can buy these cars without rust. Hope you find one.
@@glennhansel9411 I still see them around even in a rust prone area. They hold up well.
Not my 2000 civic lx getting the recognition it deserves
Had no idea cvt's were in civics this early on.
What a beast these things are my favorite Honda Civic sedan lol. I learnt how to drive in a gray one.
Learned*
Base model price starts off at $10,360! That is when car prices were still reasonable.
That's almost $19,000 today, that's still better than the new civic being over $22,000 though.
mildly lowered with a subwoofer in the trunk was the style of the time...
Nothing turns me on more than 20+ years of strong reliability in a car
This was what I drove in driving school, boy did it take a minute to get up to highway speed lol
I had the 1999 Civic EX 1.6 VETEC I bought brand new from the Honda dealer. It was stolen, unfortunatelly.
Ek squad. Respect
Civic LX, muscular, that’s what I was thinking.
I seen a dude in Vegas with classic plates on one of these
I had one when I was 17! It was a great car until an old lady ran into me and totalled it.
Did they really put CVT's in some civics of this gen? Are any still around? I still see these 1996-2000 Civics everywhere here in Michigan. Hard to find one rust free though.
HX trim only got the CVT or 5-speed
Nostalgia
500k and still going
Have great memories in this car and that time....."The one that got away" if you know what I mean.
CVT…? How did I not know that?
that US bumper really kills its looks
Hooold up Honda had a CVT Civic in 96?
not bad
THE CIVIC😎
Honda man can’t ever go wrong. Another one down in history.
Had a 93 hatch and recall when this gen came out, I found it boring. Till 99 when the sir arrived. Now with a 19 hatch, manual of course.
Ricer
My girlfriend purchased a 98 Civic EX in 2000. We sold the car in 2018 to buy an Accord. The car had 275k miles on the original clutch. She’s now my wife of 20 years.
Truly one of the greatest cars of all time
100% agreed. We were spoiled with quality built cars in the 90’s from Japan. These are still on the road. Maybe more than any other 96’ vehicles sold back then.
This alongside the Corolla. These were the best cars that are still surprisingly still on the road today. Excellent era to own a Japanese vehicle for longevity and reliability.
No, it IS the greatest car of all time
in so many ways I agree (even the 1.4 90hp was a gem), but in the UK the suspension was way way too soft and the steering lacked feel or weight. awful really. everything else was brilliant tho
Lol Honda had some of the best sells 96-98 no lie when ppls dream car is a Bugatti mines is a Honda civic 96-98 sedan why I have no clue but this car has not let me down I crashed one boui the same car lol I own my dream car it's just so reliable and on top of that gas saver and don't think you can't make it fast you can make anything fast and it has so many accessories and styles you can make it your own
I'm still driving my 96 Coupe
The greatest Civic ever made! Excelent built quality, peppy, economical engines and nice handling. The only drawbacks IMO are the flat seats and slow steering ratio. Otherwise, a great car that didn't deserve to be abused in droves by ricers.
new one is better
Kinda feel like the 5th gen was better, rock solid, went a little cheaper in the 6th gen
@@cwbetb Having much experience with both, the 6th feels (and is) a more refined 5th. More rigid bodyshell thus better safety and better quality interior IMO, and also more creature comforts.
Some say that the engines on the 6th weren't quite as bulletproof (thinner rods), but I think thats nitpicking because any D-series can hold to A LOT of abuse.
Any 4th, 5th or 6th gen Civic is a great car. No that the others are bad, but as an owner of an 8th gen, I feel that the cars have been cheapened out as the generations progressed. 1988-2000 is the sweetspot.
One of the best cars ever made.
The eg civics look better
My first car 🥲
I just got one of these for $900 and omfg I love this little thing :D
I absolutely love these old reviews!! They're so much better than the current ones!!
This is the car that made me fall in love with Hondas. I had always been a BMW guy but picked up a ‘96 lx sedan as a disposable beater to commute to the city in. It cast its spell and now nine years later I still have it, even though the Boston commute is no longer a thing for me.
It’s the bmw that is disposable, the Honda will last much longer
@@callum4035 As a former BMW mechanic (nearly 20 years) I can confirm this is correct. Wasn’t always so, unfortunately.
@@callum4035 That's absolutely not true. I know a gentleman who has a 1988 BMW 735i that still runs like new. Everything on the car is original. I love how people use a 3-4 owner BMW that was not maintained properly, with bad quality gas to judge reliability. If you do the same to any other car, it will break too. BMW has the best build quality in my opinion out of any brand. There was no Honda in 1998 that could come close to a 540i or 750Li. These cars were legends. The 540i E34 in the early 90s is still faster than most midsize V6 sedans today.
Bmw quality dropped in the early 2000's
90's bmw are maybe the best cars ever build (not as reliable as honda/toyota, therefore suffisticated and extremely fun and beautiful, cars for enthusiasts)
Still everywhere on the road today!!! Such a solid car and the Si of this gen was and is still purely epic. Everyone had these cars.
Hope you're doing good Chad , missing your uploads.
Still everywhere? I’ve not seen one of these on the road in years.
@@dabnisbrickey6527 He's in Florida. Unfortunately they rust pretty badly anywhere that regularly salts their roads.
@@averyalexander2303 I live in an area that heavily salts the roads during winter and I still see these civics all the time. If they are taken care of properly they wont rust.
@@Andrew_460 "If they are taken care of properly" is a big factor and most people don't. Also, proper care is no guarantee that it won't rust. I've had an 05 Civic since new and it has a decent amount of rust just from the 7 years it spent in Chicago before moving south despite very frequent and through washes, engine bay and undercarriage included. The rust hasn't gotten any worse since moving south, but when just 7 years in the rust belt results in rust holes in the hood, dozens of broken bolts, chunks of metal missing from the back wheel wells, etc even with good care, it's hard to imagine that very many are still around in the rust belt this many years later with most being neglected as bad as they usually are.
This car is under the "cockroach car" category for me. That's not a bad thing - I love these cars to death, I'm referring to how these things are nigh unkillable and would probably survive a nuclear apocalypse, much like a cockroach. Even another 20 years from now I'll probably still see one putting around as a commuter occasionally.
Yup. The old Accords are maybe even more common. 6th gen Accords are still incredibly common here in the Memphis area. I even occasionally see 4th and 5th gen Accords on the road. The old Civics don't seem to be nearly as common. 8th gens are still common, but anything 7th gen or older not so much. That may be a regional thing though, when I went to Charlotte last year to visit a friend I still saw a lot of old Civics there.
What I love is how you can watch a youtube vid of a guy who is like my boi hit a deer and thinks his civic might be toast- 1 afternoon later they put a new dog house on it and spray paint it flat black like it never happened.
The last good Civic
I still own a silver 96 dx coupe. 5 spd, No power steering, no AC no cruise control, just an honest little runabout to keep miles off my Acura TL 6 speed. 290,000 and starts every time.
I want an acura tl type s 6 speed so baddd
About the only thing that’ll kill one of these is a broken timing belt… and a Fast and Furious teenager crashing it into a tree.
I had 5 of these over the years and blew two head gaskets. I took pretty good care of them too. They both had around 200k miles when the gaskets failed, so I guess that’s ok
@@christophermartin972 - Interesting. I know the 7th gens had a lot of issues with head gasket failures, but those used the D17. Luckily a head gasket job on one of these D16s can be done in an afternoon provided it didn’t overheat and warp the head.
My brothers 97 civic lx was honestly one of the best regular cars I ever drove. 90’s Honda still had that proven Japanese driving philosophy of good handling, lightweight, communicative steering, great shifter and everything just falling to hand perfectly.
My dad wanted to get me a Mazda3 / Protege Auto, I told him I'd appreciate him getting a '97 Civic EX with 5MT to lower the price difference.
And the Civic it was! Loved the car. Last generation with the double-wishbone front suspension.
Had bought an '02 Civic after but it wasn't as good.
Yes the Civic after this was awful
@@JDMHaze yeah but mine was still pretty reliable though experienced minor issues and had to replace front struts. Bought mine used with about 28,000 km and drove it to 273,000 still on the original clutch, engine and transmission. Didn't baby it one bit. Replaced it with a CT200h, bought from a friend leaving Canada, as my household didn't need a fourth car. Still miss care-free car ownership haha. Didn't bother wiping bird droppings on the Civic or worry about backing into tight parking spots haha.
Good old days. Still rooting for Honda when it is time to go BEV shopping. Still love the way my '11 Accord coupe drives.
Actually can the rear suspension on the 01-05 7th gen civic be called double wishbone suspension? I'm pretty sure the rear was macpherson struts.
Would be a 4AT in '97. Civics didn't have a 5 speed automatic until 2006.
@@therealcarlmarti sorry meant 5MT
The last well-built Civic.
I just got rid of my ‘22 Civic Sport Touring hatch. I was very disappointed in the quality. I miss my ‘98 Civic LX Sedan.
You sold new car???
I really wish Honda still made Civics like these. Much nicer interiors than the gloomy black, plastic-y, tech-filled Civics of today.
Disagree had a 97 ek hatch, loved that car but the new base civic interior and type r interior are light years ahead, the exterior and weight gains have turned me off from the new ones
Back from the days when a compact car really was compact. And what do we have today? 9000 pound, 1000HP Hummers which should require a special license to operate.
You still see so many of these on the road every day. Pretty crazy.
No you don’t
@@dabnisbrickey6527 unless you live in the boonies, yes you do.
@@owen75 I live in Knoxville Tennessee. I drive every day and have not saw one of these cars in at least 15 years so nice try.
@@dabnisbrickey6527 lmao 15 years and you never once saw a 90s civic around. Yeah everyone believes you. 🙄
@@owen75 come to Knoxville and look for them if you don’t believe me.
I owned one that was exactly like the one tested. Had 250k miles before it was t boned by a distracted driver running a light. Best little car I ever owned.
@Brandon Gant the body of the car was totaled. But I’m sure the engine, transmission and interior bits were sold at a pick and pull. Here in the Central Valley of California, cars like these last forever until their either wrecked stolen or completely worn out.
Honda sent a car with plastic wheel covers for testing, how things have changed!
Yes and that was the top trim level. Times have changed; and in that regard at least, for the better. I hate steel wheels and wheel covers
@Cabbage Head No, they're called wheel covers because they cover the wheel. Hub caps cover just the hub; that's the center part of the wheel.
Yes and they are cheaper than alloys, and easy to replace, unlike curb damage.
Man, I love these small Japanese cars. They are feature-rich, best for mileage and never disappoint you.
These are still all over the place. Back in HS we all wanted to have a civic!!!
Love the 90's civics
a time when the civic had the best suspension, double wishbone front and back, now only seen on premium rides...
Yeah, funny how the cheapest of the Honda lineup had sports car like suspension back in the day! If modified right these things corner like hell!
My 1996 has 271k miles and still gets 40 mpg
My best friend had a 1997ish Civic EX coupe, 5 speed as his first car, in that fetching shade of green. Keep in mind this was around 2001, when this gen Civic was ALL THE RAGE cause of that Fast & Furious movie. I drove it a few times on a curvy back road, handled great, shifted great compared to the Toyota truck I learned to drive on. The engine had no pickup off the line as I was used to driving torquey V6 and V8 Detroit barges, but rev it out past 3000rpm and it just sang. As a serious performance car, stock it left A LOT on the table(crap narrow 14" tires for fuel economy, small brakes), but you could tell it had a damn good chassis with that tight/responsive handling.
For some reason the previous generation looked sleeker, more mature, and just better overall. However, the interior of the '96 was a vast improvement from before.
yeah but its adorable look it at
I still see also many of these old Civics on the road today, that tells you something.
These cars were absolutely 100% fabulous in every aspect!! They will never make a car this good ever again! Some days I long for the past more than others
The hatchback version of this model is getting popular back and its price is begin to skyrocket at least in my country.
had a 97 civic HB manual. man that car NEVER broke down!! built so well.
What? A bone stock Civic? No way
What’s wrong with 36 mpg from an ICE? I loved my 1997 civic. Who says all that everyone wants is a pickup or SUV? With the coming financial storm, cars like the civic will be hugely popular.
An awesome automobile, full of qualities. But i still love the previous generation. It was absolutely beautiful.
Back when cars did their job and aren't the pieces of fucking abysmal shit in our driveways now.
It was the beginning of the Civic generation that would eventually give us the legendary 99-00 Civic Si. The Civic would lose its magic in 2001.
One of the greats, sadly one of the most stolen 😔
And the most riced out car out there.
They steal these a lot, but.. Otherwise, yes, they are great! Just a little slow.
By far the best car I've ever owned
I love those 90s compact sedans. Upload the review of the 1998 Corolla and 1996 Elantra.
One of the best cars ever built. I wish i could buy one new