Introduction

I bought a Honda Civic sedan for 130,000 yuan. Some people might ask why I didn’t buy an Accord—because both cars drive pretty much the same, the only difference is the seats are slightly more comfortable. The extra 50,000 yuan difference can be used for gas. But honestly, I’m still a bit regretful about not gritting my teeth and buying the Accord.

Initially, I wanted to buy the Ford Focus ST-Line, but they discontinued it.

Later, I started looking at the Mazda 3 Axela. At that time, it still had a naturally aspirated engine, which seemed interesting. But the problem was the rear seat space was too small, and it’s really susceptible to traffic jams—not very practical.

After that, there weren’t many choices left. Finally, I decided between the Civic and the Civic sedan. Honestly, I didn’t like the look of the Civic, but the latest model looks better.

I bought the Star Moon White Luxury version. At that time, there was also an unlimited Mugen edition, which looked really cool with a full kit and very stylish. But the seats weren’t leather, and it cost 5,000 yuan more.

Handling

Honda cars’ handling is nothing to complain about—just solid and comfortable. The 182 horsepower is not shy on the highway, and for daily commuting, it’s no pressure at all. After driving it for this long, I’m quite satisfied with the powertrain.

Exterior

Star Moon White—lots of people buy this color. This color is like that, not eye-catching at first glance, but also won’t get boring. If I had to say one regret, it would be not going with that Mugen kit. The kit really looked impressive, but that’s all I can do—just look at it.

Why I Didn’t Buy an Electric Car

This might not be a very “progressive” view, but I just don’t want to:

• A car without an exhaust pipe doesn’t feel like a real car
• If the lithium battery catches fire someday, I don’t want to be burned to death
• I just love that gasoline smell
• The engine vibration is something an electric car can’t provide
• Electric cars don’t give me any sense of faith
• They depreciate especially fast; they start losing value the moment you drive off the lot
• Touchscreens are also not as reliable as physical buttons

But there is an upside: because electric cars became cheaper, I could afford to buy a gas car.

Feelings After Driving It This Long

The Good:

The fuel consumption is decent. Normally it’s about 7 liters per 100 km, and the most economical I’ve gotten it was 4.7 liters. The maintenance cycle is also acceptable. If you use green-cap oil, just check every 5,000 km or six months—not troublesome.

This car has L2 autonomous driving assistance, but honestly, it’s not useful to me.

The rear seat space is also decent, not uncomfortable.

The Annoying Parts:

There’s a strong sense of cheap plastic. When you poke the door panel with your finger, you can feel that cheapness.

Sound insulation—some people complain about it, but I don’t think you need to worry too much at this price point. After all, it’s not a luxury car. Some places like the center console even make strange noises.

The car’s infotainment system is basically useless. I later connected a CarPlay to be able to use it. I heard the new models now support native CarPlay, which is an improvement.

The paint is too thin. Even a slight bump will cause it to chip. I feel sad for half a day every time the car gets scratched in the parking lot.

The door panels are loose and wobbly—you can press them down with your hand. This design is a bit shoddy.

It has a spare tire. Though the new models have eliminated this.

Maintenance

The official recommendation is to use Honda purple-cap oil. If using green-cap oil, get it serviced every 5,000 km or six months. I’m now using purple-cap, and I feel it can be extended to 8,000-10,000 km or 8-12 months between services. Although green-cap oil is cheaper per unit, when you add labor costs, purple-cap actually has better long-term cost performance.

Remember to use oil-type air filters—replace them once a year. Same with the cabin air filter. For windshield wipers, it’s also recommended to change them once a year, depending on actual conditions. For windshield washer fluid, I’ve been using Tunap.

Normally check tire pressure regularly—ideally every three months. This car’s tire pressure monitoring only alerts with a light. Usually, just keep the tire pressure at 2.5 bar.

In the End

Buying a Honda Civic sedan for 130,000 yuan is a choice I still stand by. I’ve never regretted it. Although occasionally I think about that extra 50,000 yuan and wonder if I should have gritted my teeth and bought an Accord. But every time I drive it on the highway and enjoy the fuel efficiency and comfortable handling, I feel this decision was the right one.

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