2005 Honda Civic Reverb Road Test

Dressing Up a Plain Jane Civic Coupe

As the current Honda Civic comes to the end of its life cycle, the latest version of it is the Reverb. I know the Reverb

The Reverb is the latest version of Honda's long running Civic, which is nearing the end of its life cycle. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)

best as the Civic being driven on TV by bobble-head people. The clever advertising campaign and the car itself literally have people bobbing their heads up and down in accordance; it's pretty neat.

Setting the Reverb apart from the DX, SE and LX trim levels are such standard amenities as a rear trunk lid spoiler, a snazzy stereo system, a Ground Effects skirt kit and P185/65-15 all-season radials on 15-inch wheels.

The Reverb, however, shares its mechanical components with the others, including the standard five-speed manual transmission, and hardly motivating 1.7-litre, 16-valve SOHC four-cylinder engine producing 115 horsepower at 6,100 rpm and 110

The Civic is just a well-made car, with the reliability and sales to confirm that. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)

lb-ft of torque at 4,500 rpm. It does, mind you, sport a great four-wheel independent suspension system comprised of a front toe control link strut with stabilizer, and a double-wishbone design with coil springs and stabilizer in the rear.

What I really like about the Civic is its drivability; it's so easy. The suspension is finely tuned to give the agility of a sports car with the easy handling of a city car, the clutch has a nice soft feel, the gear throws are comfortably short, and it stops very efficiently with its front disc and rear drum brakes. The Civic is just a well-made car, with the reliability and sales to confirm that. Right from the get-go, the Civic just has that reassuring feeling of quality.