Honda Civic

Been tooling around in my Dodge Ram 2500 for a couple of years.  It was a great truck, 13 MPG for the most part.  Also needing serious work done (of which I did all current work, but more was in the future).  I traded her in for a new Sedan.

I have gone from truck to sedan in the past, and back again but... honestly, I did not use the truck for anything it was meant for this time around.  I made a tough decision which has a monetary penalty, but I think in the long run the right decision.

I purchased a new (2017) Honda Civic Hatchback, sport model with a six speed manual transmission (very hard to come by).

I did some research before my purchase based on size (roominess), looks and utility as well as the "fun factor."  This car met my expectations and I test drove one a week prior to purchasing this one.  I test drove a black exterior/black interior vehicle at Bell Honda but had a hard time connecting with the salesperson and as a result, the car was sold before I could make any move on it.

I then touched base with two other dealers and the dealer who was very responsive, encouraging and helpful was Earnhardt Honda in Avondale.  They said and did all the right things and I was able to find and purchase the car I wanted easily and relatively quickly.  I would recommend this dealer to anyone looking to purchase a Honda, or any of their sister dealers that sell other vehicle brands.  They were polite, knowledgeable and despite being very busy, never left me feeling like I was just waiting... they always gave me something to do or provided me with more information about the car or the process itself.

The car is very nice to drive.  Smooth power band, smooth ride, just the right amount of engine noise, and comfortable.  The interior materials feel quite rich, far nicer than prior vehicles (chevy, dodge and subaru) and on par with my wife's Mini Cooper Countryman.  The steering is sharp, no lean in hard turns...  handles very nicely.

There ARE downsides, I won't lie.  The way the various models are laid out are very inflexible in regards to options.  I am not complaining, I chose the model I chose because it had what I wanted... nothing more, nothing less.  But if I HAD wanted an option like lane changing sensors, I could not have added them.  Another less than stellar part of the vehicle is the base sound system.  I might look into replacing the speakers in the future as the sound is not very good (at least not to systems I have had in the past).  Now, I don't NEED a great sound system since I mostly listen to talk radio anymore, but still...  when I do play my iTunes playlist, I would like to feel a little substance in the music.  Other than those two things, everything else about the Civic is wonderful!

I would definitely recommend this car to anyone looking for a compact sedan.   Hondas are rated as very reliable and safe vehicles, and this Honda in particular is fun to drive.  The "modern" looks are very attractive to me, but I have heard some people find them unattractive, so if you look at the car and LIKE how it looks, then you won't be disappointed with the rest of it.