2008 Honda Civic

The 2008 Honda Civic gets accolades for its relatively roomy, comfortable interior, above-average fuel efficiency and strong safety ratings. The Honda Civic is available in sedan, coupe, hybrid, and clean-emission GX versions, as well as a high-performance trim called the Civic Si (*est. $21,110 to $29,500). The unique Civic GX (*est. $24,590 and up) runs on compressed natural gas and can be fueled at home via a special hookup. Although the Civic ranks as the best compact sedan overall, reviews say the similarly priced Toyota Corolla (*est. $15,250 to $19,950) has the advantage of superior reliability. The 2008 Mazda3 (*est. $13,995 to $20,295), including the high-performance Mazdaspeed3, is a well-liked sporty car at a lower price than the Honda Civic Si. The highly regarded subcompact Honda Fit (*est. $13,950 to $16,070) actually has a roomier interior than the Civic.

Good reviews of the Honda Civic are relatively easy to find. Consumer Reports magazine and ConsumerGuide.com use their extensive evaluations to rank the Civic against other vehicles in its class. Motor Trend also offers excellent comparative reviews of the Honda Civic: After an exhaustive performance analysis of the 2006 Civic lineup, the Honda received Motor Trend's coveted Car of the Year award that year; the Civic is also featured prominently in more recent head-to-head tests of popular commuter cars. Car and Driver includes the Civic in its bargain-oriented comparison of small cars. Edmunds.com and CanadianDriver.com provide helpful single-vehicle reviews of the 2008 Honda Civic, with the article at CanadianDriver.com specific to the sport-tuned Civic Si.