2003 Honda Civic Consumer Reviews Page 6

No maintenance!

Written by: plasticized.cohort on 05/18/2007

Vehicle

2003 Honda Civic LX 2dr Coupe (1.7L 4cyl 5M)

Review

I bought this car in '03 after my '01 civic was totalled. I've loved it dearly and I'll be passing it down to my baby sister even with 60K miles on it. I have NEVER had any work done to it. It's cute and sporty with the optional spoiler.

Favorite Features

Gas mileage, reliability, sportiness for a cheap car.

Suggested Improvements

The pattern on the cloth seats is a little too funky... even though i'm sure a solid color would show stains and then I'd have something else to whine about.

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Tony's HCH 5speed

Written by: Tony Higgins on 05/14/2007

Vehicle

2003 Honda Civic Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.3L 4cyl 5M)

Review

Bought this car to save money in anticipation of rising gas prices. It was purchased for commuting but we drive it on trips too. I have logged every fill-up and calculate a lifetime average of 46 MPG. Mileage is cyclic with weather here in western NY. In winter get as low as 38 MPG. Summer as high as 53 MPG. At 68000 miles I estimate a savings of $1700 over a car with average of 30 MPG. Trade-in value is $2800 greater than 2003 Civic LX. Have had no maintenance issues. On second set of tires and still original brakes. I enjoy owning this car and will keep it until it rusts in half. I will buy another alternate energy vehicle at the next opportunity.

Favorite Features

Two weeks between fill-ups. Great performance for a 1.3 litre 4 cyl. Instrumentation. Manual transmission (no longer available). Smooth ride for a little car. Great AC that doesn't hurt mileage.

Suggested Improvements

Boring color selection. Dated '03 body style. Few options (would have loved a sunroof). No fold-down rear seat.

8 out 8 people found this review helpful

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Civil Civic

Written by: Hybrid happy on 04/24/2007

Vehicle

2003 Honda Civic Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.3L 4cyl 5M)

Review

Great car. Practical, yet fun to drive, for both technical husband and non-car person spouse (daily driver). MPG is 39.2 with every tankful documented over life of car/hard urban and rural driving/not babied - can maintain 80 mph climbing long Allegheny mntn grades, even after losing electric boost - CVT compensates effortlessly by adjusting engine rpms without kickdown! 45-50 mpg maintained only if cruising level at 45-55 mph. Honda (our first) quality evident but took long time to resolve severe dash rattle. OE tires designed to max mpg a bit unsure on curves and traction. Replaced at 50K with Yokohama Avid 4s - very good, only about one mpg drop-off. Great car.

Favorite Features

Automatic temp control,only on hybrid,excellent feature, even adjusts fan speed. CVT transmission very smooth and adjusts power bands in mountains hard driving with no slippage or kickdowns. Instrument display allows good view of powertrain logic unfolding.Electric boost/drop-off from gas seamless.

Suggested Improvements

Allow AC to run during economy cycle engine shutdown (like later models). Fold-down rear seat. Better original equipment tires and shock/spring damping. Inform customer of extra service costs e.g. 0-20 oil and removal of underbody panel for change, CVT fluid change every 30K.

5 out 5 people found this review helpful

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Would Do it again and again

Written by: James on 03/13/2007

Vehicle

2003 Honda Civic EX 4dr Sedan (1.7L 4cyl 5M)

Review

This car has filled most all we expected it too. the only complaint we have is we average about 35 Hwy and the sticker said 38 when we bought it. We bought it new and have 90,000 miles on it and have only changed the oil when we were supposed to. Great little car.

Favorite Features

Nice styling, dependable, tough exterior that looks clean and has taken a beating.

Suggested Improvements

None, except for honesty on mileage stickers throughout industry.

2 out 2 people found this review helpful

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Lease turn in

Written by: Gregg on 03/01/2007

Vehicle

2003 Honda Civic LX 4dr Sedan (1.7L 4cyl 5M)

Review

Almost immediately upon delivery, I noticed I would get shocked when I would put the key in the door or touch the car. It was serviced under warranty twice; the shocks continued for the duration of my four year lease. I experienced no mechanical problems. But I did have to replace the original tires at 17,200 miles for wear. This was unexpected and costly! I drive less than 10,000 miles annually. My Civic was a comfortable drive even on long trips. It was roomy and had plenty of cargo space. It could have done better on gas in city driving. My only criticism, other than the tires, was that body was easily dented by shopping carts and I cracked the rear bumper on an snow bank.

Favorite Features

roominess, dash board display colors, Galapagos green color.

Suggested Improvements

Reinforcement of bumper and body to prevent dents and minimal impact cracks on bumper. Better tires for longer wear- -see text comment. More efficient I-4 engine--gas mileage and zip to merge with highway traffic.

1 out 1 people found this review helpful

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I love it!!!

Written by: goldberg on 02/23/2007

Vehicle

2003 Honda Civic Hybrid 4dr Sedan (1.3L 4cyl 5M)

Review

I really love this car! I'm having a blast about its fuel economy! Those who are saying bad things about its battery? THOSE ARE NOT TRUE!!!

Favorite Features

Suggested Improvements

0 out 1 people found this review helpful

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so far so good

Written by: lynne on 02/13/2007

Vehicle

2003 Honda Civic LX 4dr Sedan (1.7L 4cyl 5M)

Review

bought brand new, have had only minor issues. check engine light came on for no reason and would not go off, fuel filler door cable broke (2 days in the shop, covered by warranty), most recently (around 30-35K) it started making loud clunking noises when switching gears (auto transmission). had transmission fluid changed, seemed to help a little, but not by a lot. still takes a bit to get into gear and makes a noise, which makes me want to get rid of it before something happens. dealership says there is "nothing wrong"...? also, have had 4 flats in as many years. overall, recommended, but be ready for trans probs. also, body seems very easily dented and scratched, this has cost $$$$$$$

Favorite Features

blue lights on dash, fuel economy, safety

Suggested Improvements

ease of body damage (snow on hood for 1 day caused deep dents and massive scratches), cloth seats and carpets seem easily stained, transmission concerns

2 out 3 people found this review helpful

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Buy it

Written by: mrmas on 02/09/2007

Vehicle

2003 Honda Civic Si 2dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl 5M)

Review

Outstanding car. Plenty of power, great stiff ride, German feel, good fuel econ. about 27mpg avg. I have had this car since it was brand new, and I will drive it until the wheels fall off. Of the cars in this class, this is the best one. Hatch is handy. Deceptively roomy. Great seats and steering wheel. Brakes are better than average for Honda.

Favorite Features

Handles well. Smoooooooooth engine. Low end grunt is much better than average. Shifting is smooth, unless the transmission has been abused. Neat shifter. Seats are great.

Suggested Improvements

Everyone always wants more power, Needs a bit more rubber on the road, aggressive camber eats tires, my drivers side door seal leaks a bit, floor mats are cheap and wear through, armrest would be nice

3 out 3 people found this review helpful

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Disappointed

Written by: cardriver on 01/30/2007

Vehicle

2003 Honda Civic EX 4dr Sedan (1.7L 4cyl 5M)

Review

I bought this car while commuting to college and work daily. MPG and cost were the determining factors in purchase. The engine, apart from VERY loud revs, is just fine. It has no problem getting to 80-90 MPH and going steady. My major and only real issue with the car is the interior. For short trips (i.e. test drive) the interior is just fine. Get past 20 minutes in the car and you're ready to kill yourself. The seats are rock hard and HURT the back over time. The cup holder is awkwardly positioned behind the shifter, the radio is too far to reach while sitting back and the car lacks an armrest all together. Claims of high MPG are lies; rarely over 25 MPG on street w/ highway

Favorite Features

Spunky tight turns, nimble engine. Haven't had any mechanical issues. Change the oil, rotate the tires and the car is fine for years.

Suggested Improvements

The interior needs to be redesigned. Wider and SOFTER seats are a must. Wider tires also need to be added. In wet conditions, the tires lose all credibility and slip. Wider tires would improve that greatly.

4 out 6 people found this review helpful

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I still miss my Accura

Written by: Ralph on 12/28/2006

Vehicle

2003 Honda Civic EX 2dr Coupe (1.7L 4cyl 5M)

Review

This car has taken me 66,000 miles without the slightest problem. I drove my last Accura RSX to 180,000 miles on the original clutch. You cannot say too much about the reliability of Honda products. In good old flat Florida the 1500 cc engine is just fine. I found the engine to be very busy in the mountains when I drove out to LA. The handling of the Civic is OK but once you get used to an Accura you are ruined for anything else. My next car will be another RSX.

Favorite Features

In a tropical climate a sunroof is an absolute joy. Sunshine and 38mpg is a great combination.

Suggested Improvements

The lock on the fold down rear seats is a big nuisance. The original tires were not worthy of such an excellent car. They failed in just over 30,000 miles.

1 out 1 people found this review helpful

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