The 1998 Honda Civic

More than two decades ago, Honda introduced the Civic. It was a small, anonymous, unassuming car, competing in a market saturated by mammoth sedans sporting ornate chrome, garish styling treatments, and acres of sheetmetal. The producers of these defunct dinosaurs didn't bat an eye at Honda's fuel sipping entry, despite the fuel crisis of 1973. Big mistake.

Since then, Americans have seen four generations of the Civic come and go, each much improved over the previous model, and each becoming immensely popular with consumers. 1996 brought us a new generation; certainly improved but not so much so that we'd consider it revolutionary. The 1998 Civic isn't much smaller than an Accord. Available in hatchback, sedan and coupe body styles, Honda has heeded customers who claimed the 1992-1995 Civic was too sporty looking. A grille was tacked on up front, sheetmetal contours provide a squarish profile, and larger rear taillamps give the Civic a more conservative look. Sedans, coupes, and hatchbacks have been given more individualistic styling themes, with the hatchback retaining honors as most odd among the trio.

The 1998 Honda Civic earned an overall super-high rating from reviewers, and more than 90% of owners said they would recommend the '98 Civic to others. Fans praise its easy handling, fuel economy, low maintenance, and more than adequate cargo space.

The negatives were its size (but it is a compact, after all) and lack of power, especially when driving uphill. However, if you would like a car for daily use, you may want to try this one and could likely get one at a reasonable price.