2006 Honda Civic Coupe

The 2006 Honda Civic is redesigned, and Honda wants you to believe that it's still cool. To that end, the Civic shown initially at the 2005 Chicago Auto Show is a two-door Si coupe concept that represents 90 percent of the production car, which will be unveiled at the Specialty Equipment Manufacturer Association show in Las Vegas next fall. SEMA is the epicenter of the tuning and parts companies that Honda sees as the driving force behind the street scene, but the reality is that the scene revolves around the cool cars, not the other way around. The current Civic faded from enthusiasts' minds because it lost its multiple-link front suspension and rear trailing arms, and so lacks the nimbleness that once made it such a good foundation for modifications. Honda is making a lot of noise about the 8000-rpm, 200-hp i-VTEC engine, 6-speed transmission, and helical-type limited-slip differential in the new Civic, but there's no word about the reappearance of the missing suspension components. All new Civics will also feature ABS and head curtain air bags standard on all models, a compact car first. While 200 hp beats the Mazda 3's current top engine, the Civic will have its work cut out for it to be as nimble and responsive as that little car. We'll let you know when we drive one.

Previous Vehicle

Chicago 2005

Next Vehicle