The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

D4 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, May 16, 2001 B e s t W h e e l s O a k v i l l e New look Honda Civic sports more room and increasedpower By Malcolm Gunn WHEELBASE COMMUNICATIONS The 2001 Honda Civic: the Civic is one of most popular selling cars worldwide. OAKVILLE (0) H O N D A 191WYECROFTRD. OAKVILLE . umnv.oakviIIeboiula.com 905 844-9831 - In good times and bad, the Honda Civic has been a stand out performer and a popular choice ,for frugal new-car shop pers. In 1973, Honda broke new ground with the introduction of the Civic. The sophisticated little fuel-saver scored a bulls-eye with buyers who were facing rapidly-increasing pump prices. Not only was it downright stingy on gas, but the first Civic quick ly became the gold standard to the small-car class with its pow erful, smooth-running engine, sports car-crisp handling and comfortable passenger ameni ties. The sticker price may have been rock-bottom, but the Civic was far from cheap. Today the Civic is one of the most popular brands on the plan et with total worldwide sales (140 countries and counting) topping the 10-million mark. Fully one-third of that total have been purchased in North America. In an era of fickle, brand-dis loyal consumerism. Honda has successfully bucked the trend with its high-quality lineup. Sixty per cent of Civic buyers return to their dealers to buy another Honda product. One of the secrets to the Civic's success is that Honda always manages to come up with a `hook' when each successive model is introduced. Whether it's a ground-breaking design, sig nificantly increased power or breakthrough technology (or a combination of all three), each new version seems to evoke a powerful reason to attract show room traffic. For 2001, the hook is more space. That alone may not seem like a big deal, but both the seventh-generation Civic coupe and sedan models (currently, there's no hatchback offering) feature a bump-free rear passenger floor, just like you'd find in any mini van. A flat floor means vastly improved room and comfort, particularly in a small car like the Civic. In fact, total interior space has been increased to such a degree that the Civic has been given a `compact' rating, up from its pre vious `sub-compact' designation. On the outside, the Civic's sheetmetal appears similar to last year, but the overall look is defi nitely that of a larger, more sub stantial vehicle. In other words, it looks like more car for the money. Not only will the Civic's pas sengers be pleased with their assigned seats, but the driver's right foot is in for a treat. Thanks to an increase in displacement to 1.7 litres (versus the previous model's 1.6), horsepower in both the DX and LX models has climbed to 115 from 106. The top-of-the-line VTEC-equipped Si retains its 127-hp rating, but this model now benefits from increased torque. The design of the ultra-low emission 1.7-liter SOHC fourcylinder engine is not only more compact than before, but is now eight-per-cent lighter, resulting in better front/rear weight distri bution. Transmission choices for the Civic include a base fiva-speed manual, or optional four-speed automatic. The five-speed now delivers shorter and more precise shifts, while the automatic has been tweaked to provide improved fuel economy. As in recent times, Civics can be ordered from stripped-down price-leading basic, all the way up to the full-load variety, com plete with air conditioning, cruise control and a host of power-operated items. For a base MSRP of about $16,000, the Civic continues to make most best-buy lists, includ ing ours. Honda: The spirit of adventure Hone rp p > keredhag^ fm EVENT m W wW " i .' ( n r ? ; / p .1 u '3 " r r 'h ' «t. Ell H I . bv 1 L E A S E O N ALL NEW /O 2001 CR-Vs CR-V LX $26,300 MSRP* PERFORMANCE: Real TimeTM 4-Wheel Drive · 4-Wheel Double-Wishbone Suspension · Fuel Injection · 2.0 Litre, 146-hp, D0HC Engine · Power-Assisted Rack-and-Pinion Steering · 15 " Wheels · 5 -Speed Manual Transmission $328 / p er m o n th fo r 4 8 m o n th s , O R L E A S E I T FO R WITH ONLY S3,673 DOWN F R E IG H T & P.D .E. IN C L U D E D SAFETY: Dual Front Airbags · Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) · Child-Proof Rear Door Locks · Child Safety Seat Tether Anchors · 3 -Point Seat Belts · & More... COMFORT: CFC-Free Air Conditioning · Micron Air Filtration · AM/FM Stereo Cassette with 4 Speakers · Dual Manual Driver's Seat Height Adjustments · Cruise Control · Adjustable Steering Column · Front Stabilizer Bar · Front & Rear 12 Volt Accessory Sockets · & More... CONVENIENCE: Power Windows, Door Locks & Minors · 50/50 Split Rear Seat · Removable Folding Picnic Table · Rear W asher/Wiper · Remote Rear Hatch Release · Body Side Mouldings · Vanity Mirrors · Adjustable Rear Seat Headrests · & More... · All Season Radial Tires · & More... CANADA'S TOPSELLING COMPACT4X4 FOR THE LAST3 YEARS CR-V EX$28,300 MSRP* WITH ALL THE FEATURES OF THE CR-V LX PLUS: 4-Speed Automatic Transmission · AM /FM Stereo CD Player with Anti-Theft (no cassette) » Keyless Remote Entry with Hatch Release · Body-Coloured Door Handles & Power Door Mirrors · Alloy Wheels · Rear Seat Tilt-Up Feature · Floor Mats · & More... $348 _ _________ ( ^ I T m o n th fo j ~ 4 8 m o n t h s . O R L E A S E I T FO R WITH ONLY *3 ,4 2 8 DOWN FR EIG H T & P.D.E. IN CLUDED ODYSSEY LX$31,300 MSRP* All-Star Performance and 5-Star Safety! 3.5 Litre, V6 VTEC Engine · Automatic Transmission · CFC-Free Air Conditioning · Power Windows, Door Locks & Mirrors · AM/FM Stereo Cassette Player with 4 Speakers · Dual Front Airbags · Dual Sliding Doors · ABS Brakes · Traction Control · Micron Air Filtration · Cruise Control · Anti-Theft Immobilizer · Adjustable Steering Column · Front Stabilizer Bar · Child Safety-Seat Tether Anchors · Child-Proof Rear Door Locks · LATCH Child Safety-Seat Anchor System · 3 rd Row Seating-Retractable Magic Seat · Rear Spoiler · 2nd Row Captain Chairs · 16" Wheels with Full Wheel Covers · & More... N bur N eighbourhood $438 p e r m o n th fo r 4 8 m o n th s , O R L E A S E I T FO R WITH ONLY S3 ,8 4 8 DOWN F R E IG H T & P .D .E. IN C L U D E D ONTARIO Honda DEALERS HGFI T A K E A T E S T D R I V E A T Y O U R N E I G H B O U R H O O D H O N D A D E A L E R . . . Y O U C O U L D W I N A T R I P FOR 4 T O O R L A N D O ! OR V I S I T w w w . h o n d a t e s t d r i v e . c o m O R C A L L 1 - 8 6 6 - 8 9 - H O N D A H O N D A Lease offers are available, on approved credit, only through Honda Canada Finance Inc., until May 31, 2001. Lease payments shown are for 48 months and include $850 for freight and ED.E. with 96,000 km allowance (104/km exceeding 96,000 km applies). /B a se d on a new 2001 CR-V LX, 5-Speed/CR-V EX, Automatic/Odyssey LX, Automatic (model RD1741E/RD1851E/RL1851E) $328/$348/$438 per month for 48 months. HONDA CANADA FINANCE INC A.L.R. 5.8%/5.8%/8.64% (total lease obligation of $15,744/$16,704/$21,024). Down payment or equivalent trade of $3,673/$3,428/$3,848 required, (zero down paym ent plans available), plus first monthly payment and security deposit ($400/$425/$525). Option to purchase at lease end for $11,835/$13,584/$14,711 plus taxes. *M.S.R.P does not include freight and RD.E. ($850). /*Taxes, licence, insurance, administration and maintenance fees are additional. Dealer may lease/sell for less. See your neighbourhood O ntario Honda Dealer for details.