2001HondaCivicHonda Civic2001 Honda Civic LX SedanSedanSedanFWDEast Liberty, OH/Alliston, OntHonda redesigns its cars and trucks every four to five years, whether they need it or not. For 2001, it's the Civic's turn. Larger inside and out, with more powerful engines but a less sophisticated suspension, coupes and sedans return in familiar DX, LX and EX trims, while HX models come with two doors only. The GX Sedan is powered by natural gas. Unfortunately, the hatchback dies just when Americans are once again figuring out how useful they can be, and the sporty Si goes on hiatus for a year or two.Fuel efficient and environmentally friendly engines, reputation for durability, neato CVT transmission, likely to retain a healthy chunk of original value, impressive crash-test scores.Si go bye-bye, gotta get the EX or GX for ABS, vanilla-flavored sedan styling.Who's your Daddy? That should be the 2001 Civic's advertising tagline. Just when the old model began to get a little moldy around the edges in comparison to the Ford Focus, Mazda Protege and Nissan Sentra, Honda drives an all-new Civic off the drawing board and into showrooms, making the job of choosing a competent compact that much more difficult. Engineers wanted to make the Civic more fun to drive while simultaneously increasing fuel economy with more efficient engines. Improved crashworthiness, a larger cabin, and a bigger trunk were also design goals. Added refinement and standard equipment would increase value in the eyes of the consumer, Honda thought. Finally, they wanted to improve quality 10 times over the old Civic, which sounds damn near impossible to us. Last year's car was already known to be one of the most reliable and tightly assembled vehicles on the planet. Unfortunately, the hatchback model got the axe and the zippy Si Coupe disappeared in the process, leaving two- and four-door models available in a wide variety of trim levels. Like last year, base models are known as DX, and include a tilt steering wheel and an AM/FM four-speaker stereo, among other items. Mid-level LX comes with air conditioning (includes a micron air filter), power windows and locks, cruise control and a cassette deck. Top-of-the-line EX receives antilock brakes, a moonroof, 15-inch wheels, a CD player and a more powerful VTEC engine. If fuel economy is a priority, get the HX Coupe, available with an optional continuously variable transmission (CVT) and lightweight alloy wheels. Got an Ed Begley Jr. complex? Try the CVT-equipped GX Sedan, which runs on natural gas and meets super low emission vehicle (SULEV) standards. GX can be equipped with lightweight alloy wheels and ABS. DX, GX and LX are powered by a 115-horsepower, 1.7-liter four-cylinder engine with more torque than last year's 1.6-liter motor. EX continues with a 127-horse VTEC 1.8-liter motor that boasts added twisting force for 2001. Either engine can be mated to a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission except in the GX, which comes with a standard CVT. HX gets a VTEC-E Lean Burn 1.7-liter motor good for 117 horsepower. A five-speed manual is standard on HX, with the aforementioned CVT tranny available optionally. All gasoline motors meet ultra low emission vehicle (ULEV) standards nationwide, while the CNG-fueled GX manages a SULEV rating and a 200-mile range. Oil changes occur every 10,000 miles or 12 months, whichever comes first. Expect a gasoline/electric hybrid Civic to debut for 2002, showcasing technology developed for the Honda Insight. Coupes and sedans get unique sheetmetal and styling for 2001 to help differentiate between the sporty Civic and the sensible Civic. Engineers targeted a five-star NHTSA crash-test score when designing the Civic's new structure, all while providing more room and greater comfort in a package equivalent in size to the 2000 model. They succeeded -- both the coupe and sedan receive the government's highest score in frontal crash tests. Dual seatbelt pre-tensioners, dual-stage airbag inflators, three-point seatbelts for all five occupants, and optional side airbags with a cutoff system that can detect a child or occupant out of position will help Civic provide the anticipated level of passenger protection. Yet, despite this dedication to making Civic safe, ABS is still available only on the most expensive model, the EX, or the GX natural gas model. A real head scratcher, that. Rounding out the highlights of the redesign, Civic has a larger cabin and trunk, due in part to a shorter nose made possible by the adoption of a relatively mundane MacPherson strut front suspension arrangement. Sophisticated double-wishbone underpinnings continue to support the rear of the car, but last year's trailing arms are gone to make room for a flat rear floor. Spring rates have been reduced all around to produce a softer, more comfortable ride. Finally, noise, vibration and harshness have been quelled in an effort to bring unparalleled refinement to the economy car class. If you're shopping for a small car and you skip the redesigned 2001 Honda Civic, you're doing yourself a tremendous disservice. Chevrolet CavalierFord FocusMitsubishi MirageNissan Sentra336,000336,0005UnlimitedNANANA41.7 litersInline115 hp @ 6100 rpm110 ft-lbs. @ 4500 rpm175.1 in.67.1 in.54.7 in.2465 lbs.103.2 in.39.8 in.37.2 in.52.6 in.52 in.51.2 in.49.8 in.42.2 in.36 in.12.9 cu.ft.Not AvailableStandardNot AvailableOptionalNot AvailableNot AvailableNot AvailableRating = Very GoodRating = Very GoodNot TestedNot TestedNot TestedNot Tested13.2 gal.32 mpg / 39 mpg30 mpg / 38 mpg422 mi. / 515 mi.396 mi. / 502 mi.Insurance costs can vary greatly for this vehicle, depending on such factors as driver age, driver gender, teenage drivers in the household, driving records, theft loss data for your particular geographic region, miles driven per year, and other widely variable factors. Additionally, some companies charge a premium for certain makes and models, while others do not.$13,572$15,0107.35%$440N/A2% of the Base MSRPDX COUPE (5M): 1.7L I4 SOHC SMPI 16-valve engine; 5-speed OD manual transmission; 70 amp alternator; front-wheel drive, 4.11 axle ratio; stainless steel exhaust; front independent strut suspension with anti-roll bar, front coil springs, rear independent double-wishbone suspension with rear coil springs; rack-and-pinion power steering; front disc/rear drum brakes; 13.2 gal. capacity fuel tank; side impact bars; front and rear body-colored bumpers; clearcoat monotone paint; aero-composite halogen headlamps; driver's and passenger's manual remote black outside mirrors; 14" x 5" steel wheels; P185/70SR14 BSW A/S tires; compact steel spare wheel; AM/FM stereo radio, clock, seek-scan feature, CD changer pre-wiring, 4 speakers, window grid antenna; remote hatch release, remote fuel door release; 1 power accessory outlet, driver's foot rest; instrumentation display includes water temperature gauge, trip odometer; warning indicators include oil pressure, battery, lights on, key in ignition,low fuel, trunk ajar, service interval; driver's and passenger's front airbags; ignition disable; tinted windows; fixed interval front windshield wipers, rear window defroster; seating capacity of 5, front bucket seats with adjustable headrests, driver's and passenger's seats include 4-way adjustment; 60/40 folding rear bench seat with fixed headrests; cloth seats, cloth door trim insert, full cloth headliner, full carpet floor covering; interior lights include dome light; steering wheel with tilt adjustment; vanity mirrors; day/night rearview mirror; partial floor console, glove box, front cupholder, instrument panel covered bin, driver's and passenger's door bins; carpeted cargo floor, cargo light; body-colored grille, black side window moldings, black front windshield molding, black rear window molding and black door handles.
HX COUPE (5M) (in addition to or instead of DX COUPE (5M) equipment): 1.7L I4 SOHC SMPI 16-valve engine with variable valve timing, (requires natural gas fuel); 3.84 axle ratio; driver's and passenger's power remote black outside mirrors; 14" x 5.5" silver alloy wheels; cruise control with steering wheel controls; instrumentation display includes tachometer; tinted windows with driver's 1-touch down function; easy entry; full floor console and 1 seatback storage pocket.
LX COUPE (5M) (in addition to or instead of HX COUPE (5M) equipment): 4.11 axle ratio; air conditioning, air filter; panic alarm; additional interior lights include front reading lights and illuminated entry.
EX COUPE (5M) (in addition to or instead of LX COUPE (5M) equipment): 4.41 axle ratio; power sliding and tilting glass sunroof with sunshade; P185/65SR15 BSW A/S tires; 15" x 5" steel wheels; AM/FM stereo radio, clock, seek-scan feature, single-disc CD player, 6 speakers, theft deterrent; power door locks, remote keyless entry, center armrest, driver's seat includes 8-way adjustment, passenger's seat includes 4-way adjustment and body-colored door handles.
DX SEDAN (5M) (in addition to or instead of DX COUPE (5M) equipment): Black bodyside molding; rear heat ducts; child-safety rear door locks and tinted windows.
LX SEDAN (5M) (in addition to or instead of DX SEDAN (5M) equipment): Body-colored bodyside molding; driver's and passenger's power remote black outside mirrors; air conditioning, air filter; cruise control with steering wheel controls; power front and rear windows with driver's 1-touch down function; additional interior lights include front reading lights; full floor console and 1 seatback storage pocket
EX SEDAN (5M) (in addition to or instead of LX SEDAN (5M) equipment): Front disc/rear drum brakes with 4-wheel antilock brakes; power sliding and tilting glass sunroof with sunshade; 15" x 5" steel wheels; AM/FM stereo radio, clock, seek-scan feature, single-disc CD player, 4 speakers, theft deterrent; power door locks, remote keyless entry; panic alarm; driver's seat includes 8-way adjustment, passenger's seat includes 4-way adjustment; additional interior lights include front reading lights, illuminated entry and body-colored door handles.