Some people believe beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Personally, I think whoever came up with this phrase was quite the ugly duckling and couldn't get a date if their life depended on it.
Please don't call in to let me know who said it first, 'cause I don't really care.
Anyway, if you change the saying a little to read "excitement is in the smile of the beholder," then the new Honda Civic can be what you want it to be depending on whether you like whipping aro,und all over the place in a tight-handling little coupe, or if squeezing every last mile that you can from your gas tank is your thing.
There is a big green ECON button to the left of the dash, which when pushed, Honda says will give you a quick and easy way to drive in the most frugal manner possible.
When you push the ECON button, the Civic engine and other power-using systems will go into super-efficient mode to maximize your fuel efficiency.
I guess with rising gas prices and longer unemployment lines, getting the most out of your car's gas mileage can be a good thing, and if that's what turns your crank that is great.
There will undoubtedly be some eco-purist out there with dirty ripped jeans, messy hair (probably in some weird form of Rasta dreadlock), and a slight funk because they don't want to use soap or detergent as it might pollute our environment, who would be grinning from ear to ear behind the wheel of the Civic in ECON mode getting giddier by the minute with every mile that went by without having to fill the gas tank.
And that is all wonderful, but most of us, including me, as you probably know by now, will never use or pay attention to the ECON mode.
However if you are into silly games, while you and your friends are driving in the Civic in ECON mode, Honda suggests you keep an eye on the blue and green bars on either side of the speedometer. Keep it in the green, and you'll go farther. The person with the least green bars at the end of the day gets a wedgy by each of his buddies.
Either way, whether in the green or not, the civic is a small, four-cylinder hatchback and on that alone it will provide adequate gas mileage for any regular Joe.
I turned the ECON button on and because I couldn't see it do anything other than flash a sign on the dash to say I was in ECON mode, I forgot about it and drove with a lead foot as usual.
And that is how I like to drive my little pocket-rocket four bangers. Especially since the latest generation Civic looks more like a bullet than the previous wedge shape and it is a very nice look. It looks sporty, fast and boy-racer-ish.
Even when in the ECON mode the great look never changes. It is a nice vehicle, and even though it is a two-plus-two hatch, the driver and front seat passengers get a ton of room.
The doors are North American large to allow easier access to the back seats and unlike other two-plus-twos you can actually fit people in the back seats. Each of these people gets an adjustable headrest and the rear seats fold 60/40 for extra storage capability.
The light colours of the interior help make the Civic look more spacious, and if you want more room, push a button and the power moonroof opens with ease.
The Civic had a bunch of options including Bluetooth hands-free phone, satellite radio with navigation system, power heated mirrors, heated seats and really cool two-tier dash. The bottom part, where the regular dash would be houses a rev counter, and only a rev counter.
Farther up the dash, almost at the front window is a narrower and wider dash with digital speedo, gas tank, fuel consumption, and to the right is the clock, radio and vehicle info display.
The best part is without doubt the digital speedo. It allows you to drive at whatever speed you require and see the speed you are doing without having to take your eyes off the road. It works almost like a heads up display. This I could use a lot.
Whether you have a bit of a cement-welly complex as I do when driving, or whether you like to pinch the pennies whenever the opportunity arises, the Civic coupe can put a smile on your face even if it is a face only a mother could love.
