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Wednesday. May 23, 2001 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER D3 Honda Civic grows up A ny time a new Honda Civic is launched it's big news and this time the big news is just that, the Civic has grown up. No longer the three-door runabout that won everyone over when it was introduced in 1973, the Civic for 2001 is now considered a compact car, not sub-compact. The Sedan now boasts a passenger volume of 2,953 litres (1,043 cu. ft.) and the Coupe has a passenger vol ume of 2,432 litres (85.9 cu. ft.). Another example is trunk space. At 365.3 litres (12.9 cu. ft.) the Sedan trunk can take four aver age size suitcases and the Coupe, despite its sw oopier roofline, offers the same cargo volume - no mean feat. For 2001, the C ivic is offered in DX and LX forms while the Coupe comes in three versions, DX, LX and the feisty Si. Canada's best-selling car in 1998 and 1999, Honda was expecting to hold the top spot for 2000 as this review was being written. Never one to stand on past laurels, the 2001 Civic is basi cally a new car in its seventh generation version. C ustom er expectations played heavily in the design of the 2001. The attributes Honda buyers expect are: safety, funto-drive feel, family comfort, sporty styling, econom ical operation, and good value (i.e. resale worth). Top of the list, however, was the requirement for more room and that meant moving up to the compact class. That also meant more power and for 2001, the four-valve, four-cylinder engine is increased from 1.6- to 1.7-litres, bumping up power from 106 hp to 115 hp. Torque is also up from 103 ft/lb to 110 ft/lb. The Si Coupe is the excep tion with 127 hp and 114 ft/lb of torque, but for this review I'll stick with the Sedan as it is the only 2001 Civic I've had a chance to drive so far. The double wishbone sus pension o f the Civic that made it such a treat to drive has been changed. W hile the double wishbones remain at the rear, Honda has gone to MacPherson JIM ROBINSON RoadWorthy struts with coil springs at the front. This was done to shorten the front end and keep overhang to a minimum. At the same time the steering box has been moved higher to improve toe-in control which means better tracking through comers. Braking is discs at the front, drums at the rear with ABS only offered on the LX. Honda was a pioneer o f the m odem front engine/front drive system and it remains one of the best integrat ed and packaged. The engine has four rubber mounts to lessen noise and vibration. Two mounts are fixed, the other two are liquid-filled to soak up engine shake. Honda concen trated on the noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) area going to "melt sheets" on the body floor, rubber-backed floormat insulators, a dashboard noise wall, urethane filling in the engine pillars and the doors now all have two-lipped rubber seals. Interestingly, special bags filled with a cotton/polyester fibre "stuffing" material have been inserted in the rear wheel well area. The delightfully light fivespeed manual remains standard in the Sedans, a four-speed elec tronic automatic with lock-up torque converter continues as an option across the Sedan range. From the beginning, Honda realized that just because a car wasn't costly, didn't mean it had to feel and look cheap. A high level of interior trim quality is a Honda hallmark, especially the instrumentation. One of the easiest to see and comprehend at a glance, the gauges for 2001 are actually bigger in diameter. Another example o f attention to detail are the cup holders that are increased in diameter to handle the 12-ounce water bottles now so popular. Also noticeably increased in size (at least to me) was the dri ver footwell area with a longer and wider footrest for the left shoe. Lastly the hip point of the front seat has been raised one inch and the back seat cushion up .8-inch to make it easier to those of us in the aging popula tion bracket to get in and out w alking up to the new Civic leaves little doubt this is a big ger car than those Civics that have gone before, even though the wheelbase is actually a tad shorter. Close the door and the reduction in extraneous noise is remarkable. I actually ran the window up and down to com pare outside noise versus quiet interior. Everything is exactly where it has always been, making the Honda Civic highly user-friend ly to anyone who has owned/driven one before. For those new to Honda, the controls and gauges are easy to find, read and assimilate. The only bugbear is the way the autom atic transm ission engages. A fter starting the car in "park" pulling back the shift liver sees the selector bypass "4" and slot into "3". Honda says third is the best gear for around town and starting off and fourth is really overdrive for highway motoring. I'm not a great one for rem em bering this and more than once have found myself on the highway doing 110 kmh with the engine screaming away at 4,600 rpm in third. The cacophony jolts me into remembering to slot up into fourth. It's a fiddly thing and a Honda quirk that comes with the territory. Obviously a vast number o f buyers don't feel the same, otherwise Honda would have changed things as they are very sensitive to negative buyer feedback. The fuel tank now holds 50 litres because it is a blowmold plastic design that can maxi mize the space it is allotted. The bigger tank means you can get an extra day o f com m uting around the GTA out of it. Transport Canada lists the 2001 Civic five-speed manual getting 7.4L/100 km city, 5.7L/100 km highway. The four-speed autom atic gets 8.0L/100 km city, 5.8L/100 km high way. There is a hint of torque steer to the left on hard acceleration with damp or slick pavement. This is probably more due to the high-mileage compound tires than the overall design. While the autom atic presents no surprises, I probably would have my 2001 Civic with the five-speed that takes every last Honda horse and lets the driver exercise the car to its limits, which are actually well past the capabilities of most econobox Sedans. Lastly, and I've also said this before, Hondas seem to run for years with what appears to be minimal main tenance. At least that is the perception o f former owners who keep coming back for more and preach Honda relia bility like a mantra. Regardless of whether you want a family flyer, a long-term commuter car or a budget-priced sporting Sedan, the Honda Civic for 2001 delivers. Spring Tune Up Sperial O il C h an g e Included . · Parts Extra Keepin' it real. V O L K S W A G E N P A R TS & S E R V IC E Plus ta x w here applicable. Please present coupon a t time o f w rite-up. N o t to be com bined w ith other offers. N o t redeemable fo r advertised specials, previous purchases, o r cash. Expires June 3 0, 2 0 0 1 . SERVICE H O U R S : 5 ® M o n .-T h u r. 8 p m -8 p m Friday, 8 a m -6 p m S atu rday, 8 a m -4 p m £L Oakville Volkswagen 557 Kerr Street, Oakville (905) 844-3285 200 1 Ford Focus S2 It can pay to test drive the 2001 Taurus. W e 'r e s o c o n fid e n t y o u 'r e g o in g to lo v e th e 2 0 0 1 T a u ru s th a t a f t e r y o u t e s t d riv e it a n d b u y o r le a s e it w e 'll g iv e y o u $ 1 0 0 . If y o u t e s t d riv e A N Y n e w T a u ru s b u t th e n d e c id e to b u y o r le a s e th e c o m p e titio n , w e 'll still g iv e y o u $ 1 0 0 ; Ford adds sport S2 to Focus lineup The 2001 Focus S2 is the newest in a series of Focus models, aimed at attracting the X and rising Millennial generations. The Focus S2 was brought to life by the outstanding consum er feedback received after the previous statement car --Street Edition --was shown at the 2000 Miami International Auto Show. Ford saw an opportunity to fill a gap in the youth market, a gap created when Honda dropped the Civic hatchback from their lineup. "Focus S2 reflects the growing desire for a more expressive small car," said Jim O 'Connor Ford Division President. "We had such an over whelming response from customers to Street Edition, particularly the European-tuned suspension, we decid ed to utilize it also on the three-door ZX3 model. We were able to deliver the new S2 in only six months." The sportier S2 features a Europeantuned suspension, unique interior and exterior styling cues and an upgraded audio system. On the exterior, the S2 Graphite Grey body kit features unique front spoiler and rocker panels for a more muscular appearance. Color-keyed bodyside moldings and S2 badging create a distinct look. The rear spoiler, six-spoke 16-inch aluminum wheels and chrome exhaust tip complete the exterior package. Inside, S2 features a six-disc in-dash CD changer and sport bucket seats with diamond-patterned inserts. Focus S2 uses the same springs, dampers, and anti-roll bars found on the European Focus ZX3, offering more aggressive handling, feel, stabili ty and grip. These modifications improve upon a front suspension that incorporates zero-offset geometry to improve stability, and MacPherson stmts for better steering feel. ZX3's fully independent Control Blade multi-link rear suspension - rare in this segment and price range - has already won over many driving enthusiasts who find it stable in comers and on rough, twisty roads. Focus S2 also offers outstanding performance. Its 2.0L DOHC Zetec 1-4 engine delivers 130 horsepower and 135 lb.-ft. of torque. S2 is available in CD silver, Sangria Red and a Focus S2-exclusive Liquid Grey. The 2001 Focus S2 is the fourth in a series of Focus statement edition cars built since Focus was launched in the U.S. last year. The Sony Limited Edition Focus, the Kona Mountain Bike Edition and Street Edition were the first three statement cars. A modified, higher horsepower version o f Focus the SVT Focus will also be available in limited supply later this year. There will be a limited production of Focus S2 built. This latest statement edition car will probably be sold in Canada by this summer. se sedan 2001 fo rd ta u ru s The Taurus has earned five stars - the highest possible U.S. Governm ent crash test rating for front impact for both driver and front passenger - three years in a row.TM per m onth/36 month lease with $3 ,995 down $ 3 2 5 security, $ 8 9 5 freight T h e o n ly c a r in its c la s s w ith P o w e r A d ju s ta b le P e d a ls , plus: · 3.0L OHV V6 Engine · Autom atic · Air Conditioning · Power Driver's Seat w ith Lum bar Support · AM/FM w ith CD Player · ABS · Personal S afety System , including: · D ual-S tage Air Bags · C rash Severity Sensors, and M ore... e xp e ctm o re summer H u rry . O ffe r e n d s Ju n e 30^ www.ford.ca/offers YOUR ONTARIO FORD DEALERS. 'Lease a new 2001 taurus SE Sedan for $279 per month based on an annual tease rate of 0.9% and a 36 month tease from Ford Credit to qualified retail lessees, on approved credit. Total lease obligation is $14,039. Some conditions and a mileage restriction of 60,000 km over 36 months apply. A charge of 8 cents per km over mileage restriction applies, plus applicable taxes. $3,995 down payment or equivalent trade required. First month's payment and $325 security deposit required. Offer excludes freight ($895), licence, insurance, administration fees and all applicable taxes. Dealer may lease for less. Limited time offer. Offer may be cancelled at any time without notice. See Dealer for details. 'Valid Driver's Licence required. Test drive any new 2001 Taurus and receive a $100 cheque with the purchase/lease of any new 2001 Taurus or any of the following 2001 Upper Middle category vehicles: GENERAL MOTORS - CENTURY, GRAND PR1X, IMPALA, INTRIGUE, MONTE CARLO, REGAL AND SATURN LS/UV. CHRYSLER INTREPID. HONDA ACCORD. TOYOTA CAMRY. NISSAN - INFINITI G20 AND MAXIMA. VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. These are the ONLY vehicles accepted with the Taurus Test Drive Challenge offer. One cash redemption per purchase/lease of a 2001 Taunjs or Upper Middle category vehicle as listed above. Proof of test drive and purchase/lease required. Test drive must occur before purchase/lease. In order to be eligible, test drive must be completed before June 30,2001 and purchase/lease and delivery must be completed by July 15,2001. You have only until July 31,2001 to mail in for the rebate. "The highest front impact rating for both the driver and front passenger in U.S. Government National Highway Traffic Safety Administration testing (www.NHTSA.com). Ontario FDA, P.O. Box 2000, Oakville, Ontario L6J 5E4