If you’re not aware, Honda have an underground Civic fanbase of loyalists and enthusiasts that love Civics more than anything. From modding out their 1996 EJ9 to polishing their stock first gen Civic, or swooning over the latest R-type, the Civic fan club is full of incredibly passionate people. But even so, we just don’t get it. Here’s why we think Civics just aren’t worth it.
They don’t look special enough
Old Skylines still look fierce, old Subarus still look fantastic but old Civics seem to just look…old. Cars like the Nissan Silvia S12, Ford Sierra, BMW E30 etc. were at least designed to look a bit special but Civics on the other hand, well they’re just ordinary looking cars, which is exactly what they were designed to be. Don’t get us wrong, they are fun and functional daily drivers and the ever-changing design of each new generation continues to revitalise and bring a fresh feel to the name, however, they’re just reasonably priced family cars at the end of the day.
People won’t turn their heads if an EK Civic drives past like they would if a Supra or an NSX passed them. But as we always say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and afterall, when you buy a car you don’t buy it for other people to look at.
You can buy cooler cars for the same money
Even though one of the main reasons people love these cult classics is that they’re cheap to buy and cheap to buy parts for, you’re still going to end up spending a considerable amount on them. So the question is, if you’re going to be spending that money anyway, why not just buy something better? With enthusiasts spending £5,000-£10,000 (probably more if you want real speed) you could just buy an old bimmer, like the 330 and tinker with that, or even something like a Fiesta ST. It doesn’t stop there either, other cars like the Subaru Impreza and the RX-7 are also roughly available within the price range, with an RX-7 being on the high end of the budget. You can even get a cheap Skyline! So why buy a Civic?
They’re uncool.
Imagine in 15 years time, first gen Nissan Notes become really popular for modding and motoring enthusiasts alike. You’ll see them from time to time with lowered suspension and extreme wheel camber. You’ll hear the sound of the subwoofers and the exhaust system as they trumpet past you. How strange would that be? Well, that’s not too dissimilar to what’s happened with these Hondas.
These cars were never intended to be RICE’d out with racing steering wheels and carbon fibre wrapped bonnets, but rather to be used to take the family out on Sundays or to economically commute to work in. Sure, you could say that if you follow that logic the original Mini shouldn’t be cool, nor should the Golf GTI Mk I and II. However, the key difference here is that Civic models like the EG, EK and especially the 7th gen models just blended in with the rest of the cars on the road during that period. They did nothing daring, took no crazy leaps in terms of tech or aesthetic design, they just excelled at being good, reliable cars.
The reputation has been ruined by bad modders
It’s very unfortunate that the low cost of buying and modifying some older civics has attracted some people with poor taste. Oversized spoilers, strange coloured wheels and poorly done DIY paint jobs are commonplace for this cult classic which has somewhat distorted the image of classic Hondas. Seeming as one of the reasons people love to mod these cars is that parts are relatively cheap and it doesn’t take too much money to make the car fast, people often buy them to experiment on. But we all have to start somewhere I guess.
So there we have it, that’s why we think Honda Civics should just be left for the elderly that still own them and are not worth buying to mod the hell out of. With other alternatives available and the Civics just looking quite uncool, we would say that it’s just not worth it.
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I love mine its functional and dark green its the liftback 1.4 and im driving a classic that is reliable .ive had a sports box added and because its so good im thinking about getting it resprayed original colour in future. I enjoy driving it too, it corners well and like older cars isnt too chunky and overblown like an overstuffed sausage as lots of new cars are..it is svelte…im growing to love it because i hasnt got that worry that alot of classic cars have..” will it get me there”..
You sound like a poser. Not a driver.