The Honda Civic HF is one of the cars that I featured as part of the article: Belonging is important: The 40 mpg club.
So what does the 2012 Honda Civic HF have to offer to a highway near you?
The 2012 model (ninth generation) is a compact five-passenger front-wheel drive four-door sedan.
The engine is a 1.8-liter four-cylinder providing 140 hp and 128 ft. lb. of torque. The transmission is a five-speed automatic. This Honda's 0-60 mph time is in 8.4 seconds.
The Civic has a wheelbase measuring 105.1 inches and the trunk offers 12.5 cubic feet of cargo space. The car's fuel tank holds 13.2 gallons and its highway cruising range is an impressive 541 miles.
On the exterior the Civic HF has a progressive look.
At the front the windshield is well raked and curved back. The hood is very compact in length and quite flat with little detail. The headlights are thin slit units. The grille fills the area in between the headlights. Below the bumper is a participated air intake. Overall, this Honda's front end look is quite bland.
The Civic's side profile includes flattened down side glass that stretches well to the back. There is a slight character line at the door handles and on the lower part of the doors. Some of the front headlights and rear taillights can be seen in the fenders.
At the rear this four-door sedan has a short and flat trunk lid with a lip at its edge. The taillights are large square-like units that are fitted in the fenders but end at the trunk edge. The rest of the back end is mostly flat except for the slightly recessed license plate area. The exhaust is tucked away out of sight.
The interior of the Civic HF is modern. The attention to detail is excellent. On the driver's side, the dash is a two level piece that includes a semi-circle tachometer on the bottom and a digital speedometer at the top. The dash also includes what Honda calls its i-MID (Intelligent Multi-Information Display). It includes a five-inch color LCD display that allows the driver to toggle through music, navigation, trip mileage and hands-free telephone display with buttons located on the steering wheel. The center console is compact but well integrated between the seats. The front bucket seats are very comfortable and include good side bolstering. At the back the rear legroom is adequate. The one piece rear seat folds down to increase the cargo area.
The brakes are discs at the front measuring 10.3 inches and drums at the rear measuring 7.9 inches. The Civic HF's 60-0 mph stopping distance is in 129 feet. The tires measure 195 65 15 inch.
The suspension at the front includes MacPherson struts, coil springs, gas shock absorbers and a stabilizer bar. At the rear the setup includes multi-links, coil springs, gas shock absorbers and a stabilizer bar.
Standard features on this Honda include air conditioning, power door locks, windows and mirrors, cruise control, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, electronic speed-proportional power steering, audio and cruise control on the steering wheel, front reading lights, intermittent wipers, interior air filtration, rear window defogger, external temperature display, front cup holders, remote trunk release, 12 volt power outlet, retained accessory power, 4-speaker 160-watt AM/FM in dash single CD player with CD MP3 playback stereo, speed sensitive volume control, auxiliary audio input and iPod integration, radio data system, USB connection and more.
Standard safety features include four-wheel ABS brakes, front and rear head air bags, dual front side-mounted air bags, passenger air bag sensing deactivation, child seat anchors, rear door child safety locks, daytime running lights, remote anti-theft alarm system, engine immobilizer, emergency brake assist, electronic brakeforce distribution, stability and traction control, tire pressure monitoring and more.
The EPA fuel rating for the Honda Civic HF is 29 city and 41 mpg highway.
On the road this Honda offers good acceleration, a spacious interior, a comfortable and composed ride and very good fuel economy. Additionally, the Civic provides a very quiet ride in most driving environments.
The 2012 Honda Civic HF's MSRP starts at $19,605.
If you want a compact sedan that has good handling, a smooth ride and excellent fuel efficiency, the 2012 Honda Civic HF is a solid and well engineered vehicle to consider!
Kyle Busch is the author of "Drive the Best for the Price: How to Buy a Used Automobile, Sport-Utility Vehicle, or Minivan and Save Money." His automotive site: www.DriveTheBestBook.com includes an exclusive article just for you, additional car articles, information about Kyle Busch and his 510,000 mile car, and you can even submit your automotive questions and get expert answers. Follow Kyle on Facebook and Twitter.