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- Lakeland, FL
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- autoshopper.com
2007 honda civic si review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. New civic si sedan joins winning lineup. introductionthe compact class remains one of the most competitive in the new car market, in number of entries as well as price. Honda in 2006 re-staked its claim to the head of the class with the introduction of a completely reworked and updated civic. And not just in the mainstream, family-car niche, but in the sporty subcompact arena, too, with the return of a hopped-up coupe, the si, the latest reincarnation of the late, lamented crx. for 2007, everything pretty much remains the same, with one notable exception. Honda's engineers tweaked its suspension to compensate for the sedan's longer wheelbase. Front-seat passengers get the si coupe's sport seats. And both si editions come standard with an electronic stability program for added control in emergency maneuvers. honda also continues offering a natural gas-powered sedan, the gx, which the company introduced during the 2006 model year. This reduces emissions dramatically, while improving fuel economy. the 2007 honda civic is available in coupe and sedan versions. Other cars in the class may undercut the civic on pricing, but the civic includes important safety features, including side-impact airbags that others leave on the option list. lineupthe honda civic dx coupe 14,810) and dx sedan 15,010) are the base models. Standard equipment is confined to power windows, tilt-and-telescope steering wheel, height-adjustable driver's seat and fold-down rear seatback. The coupe gets a rear decklid spoiler. Brakes are disc in front, drum in rear. P195/65r15 tires wrap around steel wheels with full-cover hubcaps. the lx coupe 16,760) and sedan 16,960) includes air conditioning; power mirrors; keyless remote and central locking; cruise control with steering wheel-mounted controls; a center console with sliding armrest; overhead map lights; a 160-watt, am/fm/cd stereo with mp3 and wma playback, an auxiliary input jack and speed-sensitive auto-volume control; front passenger seatback-mounted magazine pocket; and floor mats. The coupe has a rear seat walk-in feature that remembers the front passenger seat's setting. Tires grow to p205/55r16 on full-capped steel wheels. the ex coupe 18,710) and sedan 18,710) add power moonroof; variable windshield wipers; a second 12-volt power outlet; a 60/40 split folding rear seatback; a seven-speaker, 350-watt, xm-ready, premium stereo with auxiliary input jack and steering wheel-mounted controls; and outside temperature indicator. The keyless remote adds a trunk release button. There are few options available, and honda positions its options packages and automatic transmissions as separate models, so for example, there are the civic coupe ex with voice-recognition navigation, xm satellite radio and automatic transmission 21,260) and the similarly equipped sedan version 21,260). the si coupe 21,090) and the new-for-2007 sedan 21,290) come with all the gear found on the lx coupe and sedan plus leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, amber-tinted headlight trim rings and a body-colored rear wing spoiler. Standard tires are all-season, p215/45r17 on alloy wheels. New for 2007 and standard on both coupe and sedan is electronic vehicle stability assist system with traction control. Both also are available with high-performance, p215/45zr17 tires and the navigation system with xm satellite radio 23,040 and $23,240, respectively). the hybrid sedan 22,600) adds to the lx's features automatic climate control, a roof-mounted radio antenna, a rear decklid spoiler and hybrid-pertinent digital data displays. The hybrid is available with the navigation system and xm satellite radio 24,350). the gx 24,590) is essentially an lx sedan with the alternatively fueled engine. dealers offer a wide range of honda-approved accessories (installation is extra in all instances). Among these are 16-inch alloy wheels 876), 17-inch alloy wheels 976), chrome exhaust finisher 125), fog lights 325), a full nose mask 155), a trunk tray 105), leather steering wheel cover 79) and a full menu of aero-style, exterior body add-ons for the sedan (e. G., side spoiler: $589; rear wing spoiler: $499). rising to the challenge (read: profit potential) of the performance aftermarket, honda factory performance packages are offered for the two si models and for the lx and ex coupes and sedans. The si hfp packages include lowered springs, more tautly tuned shocks, a sports muffler, 18-inch alloy wheels, a full lower-body aero kit and the hfp emblem (coupe: $3754; sedan: est. $3800). The lx and ex hfp package for the coupe 3118) and sedan 3197) substitutes 17-inch alloy wheels, drops the muffler and adds a rear spoiler. (prices do not include installation, which is set by dealers, or tires, which are priced locally.). walkaroundhonda changed nothing on the outside of the civics for 2007. The sedans and coupes don't share any body panels. Trim elements and markings distinguish each iteration. Reinforced mounting points and gussets provide a platform to the sport compact aftermarket to make suspension and certain other modifications without diminishing body integrity. from the front, a horizontal bar dominates the sedan grille; the si sedan gets a monochrome version of the coupe's grille, with the iconic 'si' badge at the far right end. Slender headlamp assemblies angle upwards as they curve around the fenders. A single, broad air intake fills the lower portion of the fascia. the coupe grille sports the honda logo suspended in a two-tone frame. As with the si sedan, an understated badge tucked away in the far right reaches of the grille identifies the sporty si version. The coupe headlights are more sharply outlined. The lower air intake opens between two, geometric recesses that feed cooling air to the front disc brakes and house the optional fog lamps. The front ends, but especially the coupes', push the leading corners down and outward, emphasizing the wide track (the distance side to side between the tires). save for a lower body character line, drawn slightly higher on the coupe than on the sedan, the sides of the new civic are more slab than sensuous. Understated fender blisters, more pronounced on the coupe, break up the otherwise featureless expanse. What excitement there is in the side view is in the sleekness of what honda calls a monoform design. A central expression of this is the windshield, the leading edge of which reaches into the hood all the way to the middle of the front wheel wells, pushing the design concept of cab forward to a new extreme. On the coupe, the windshield is raked at a radical 21. 9 degrees, the sedan's at a barely more upright 23. 9 degrees. The sail (the body panel aft of the rear side window) is unique to each model as well. The coupe's forms an acute angle emphasizing the two-door body style, while the sedan's curves down over the rear door's trailing edge, pulling the eye through the higher roofline. The coupe's be-spoilered, rounded rear profile suggests swiftness. The sedan's somewhat abbreviated trunk lid and chopped off tail end adds perceived mass to the tightly proportioned, smallish sedan. The si coupe wears an i-vtec label just forward of the rear wheel well, the si sedan the same on the lower rear side door. likewise, the rear view of each body style differs markedly. The coupe's sloping trunk lid settles into a deep cut in the rear bumper, with the license plate sheltered in an equally deep recess. The sedan's trunk lid drops in an almost vertical, unrelieved sheer from a relatively high crest across the top. A blue, cng diamond identifies the gx model. interiorthe civic lx sedan remains the most comfortable civic we've driven. The dx edges more toward spartan inside, while the ex heads toward lush. Fit and finish meet honda standards. Plastic trim elements look high grade, although the multi-piece dash invites concern about high-mileage squeaks and buzzes. seats are comfortable, not plush. The fabric upholstery feels durable and its robust nap assists the modest side and seat bottom bolsters in restraining occupants during spirited motoring. The si models get sport front seats with more aggressive bolsters both bottom and side for improved support. Seat bottoms provide better than average thigh support. The manual height adjustment on the driver's seat pivots on front hinges, forcing drivers to choose between seat height and legroom. the view out the front, with the expansive windshield, low cowl and sloping hood, is unparalleled in the class. A commensurately low beltline would enhance side vision, but there's little about which to complain. Tiny front quarter windows on the sedan, necessary to allow the front door windows to roll all the way down, push the side view mirrors a bit too far rearward for. AM/FM✔ Power Windows✔ Power Mirrors✔ Climate Control✔ Cruise Control✔ Navigation System✔ Sunroof/Moonroof✔ Air Conditioning✔ Alloy Wheels
Lakeland, FLLakeland, FL at autoshopper.com