Overview & Reviews

The big news this year is the return of the Civic Si. Featuring an exclusive two-door hatchback body style, the new Si has a 160-horsepower engine. All 2002 Honda Civic sedans and coupes feature a revised steering box for improved driving feel, added sound insulation and slightly tweaked suspension tuning. There are also some smattering of interior storage and comfort upgrades this year.

• Fuel efficient and environmentally friendly engines, roomy interior, reputation for durability, impressive crash-test scores.

• Antilock brakes not available on DX or LX.

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 343.00

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  Such a good time - 2002 Honda Civic
  By Blakslee - October 7 - 11:08 pm

  Before I got this car I had a 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9 which I love(d). But once I started grad school and began driving close to 400 miles per week, I needed something more economical but because Im a car nut and feel that my car is a strong reflection of myself the list of cars I could afford, actually wanted and would save me enough money was veeeeery small. I was about to get a Mini cooper when the owners bailed and then I came across a gold 2002 Civic Si on craigslist. Owner was asking $5000 which I felt was a bit high but because it was so clean and very stock I really didnt want to pass it up so I shelled out the money. Being my first stick shift, it took me a few days to be able to drive the car proficiently and really enjoy what an awesome machine it is. Coming from my Jeep which was basically a 4wd muscle car (big engine, crude suspension and really only good in a straight line) to this car was like going from a hovercraft to a go-cart. This thing handles phenomenally well. (My car has lower, stiffer springs on it mind you). The seats hold you in tight and so far the car has only asked me to push it harder. Where my jeep was happiest at 1/3 to 3/4 throttle, the Civic Si is happiest when youre revving the nuts off of it. The car is a bit sluggish from a stop and 1st gear is really short but from then on it is just a blast. Surprisingly it does have some torque steer. I would highly recommend a cold air intake on this car if nothing else just for the induction noise. At about 3k rpm you get the start of a great engine growl what just gets bigger an louder especially once the vtec kicks in. But (on the stock exhaust) its quiet enough for me to finally enjoy some classical music on the highway (when you arent driving like Paul Walker of course). The clutch is nice and light but very squeeky and bites in the upper half/upper third of the travel. The shifter could be notchier and have less play but the car does have 92000 miles on it. It isnt the fastest thing in the world, in fact my old jeep is probably faster, but that is not at all why I bought the civic. Id already had a car that was fast but I found that I rarely ever got to use all the power and because it was an automatic, the only time I really ever enjoyed the car was when I was flooring it (which was almost never). The 2002 civic si is fast enough where giving it the full berries is just as much fun as it was in the jeep but Im not breaking the speed limit...as much. This is going to sound really odd but because the civic si is a bit slower, I can savor the sensation of acceleration and that wonderful induction noise for longer before I need to stamp on the brakes. Not to mention that every time you turn the wheel its like carving a hole in the laws of physics. The trade off of course is ride quality. I would not say it is uncomfortable but you are going to know exactly where the town didnt do such a good job paving the roads. If you value getting to 60 in under 6 seconds, going on road trips with 3 of your friends or being whisked to your destination surrounded by Egyptian cotton and duck down dont buy this car. But if you are someone who says "I GET to drive an hour each way to...", who wants a car that will reward you when you push it and encourage you to push it harder while doing 30 mpg highway and being as reliable as a sun dial on a clear summer day then you really need look no further. If you can find one that hasnt been modded up the yin yang and thrashed by...well me.

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  Fantastic Commuter!!!! - 2002 Honda Civic
  By honda_life - January 6 - 1:41 am

  My 02 Civic LX Sedan is the most reliable car I have had. Got it for free from my father with 145,XXX miles, since my other car broke down. It does FANTASTIC on gas mileage. I can go to eastern Washington and back on less than 1/2 a tank. I have had no needed repairs. I wish I would have gotten this as my first car.

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  Still fun and practical - 2002 Honda Civic
  By lrxst - December 12 - 6:06 pm

  Ive had this car longer than any other by far (over 8 years now). It handles predictably, and has held up pretty well over the years. Its not a common model, so people look at it and kind of scratch their heads. The clutch lasted 90,000 miles, and was a little over a $1,000 to replace at an independent shop. Other than that, its been mostly routine maintenance. Unlike earlier models, this engine has a timing chain instead of a timing belt, which is a great benefit on upkeep and the little 2.0 seems pretty much bulletproof. The shifter is different than most cars, but Im not sure why other cars dont have it there in the center. Typical Honda, carefully laid out, and it all still works.

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  absolute best car - 2002 Honda Civic
  By medic587 - March 9 - 8:52 am

  This is the best car I have ever owned, and I have owned several. I bought it due to the gas mileage and reliability and it has held up its end of the deal. I continually get low 40s MPG. I now have 315,000 miles on it and I have only had to replace an alternator (@ 250k). It still has its original clutch! The only thing I have had to do for this car, besides the alternator, is routine maintenance and put gas in it. I still trust it to get me anywhere.... long or short distance. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this car!

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  Paid $4800 5 years ago - 2002 Honda Civic
  By bstern92 - September 11 - 1:58 pm

  I bought this car with 130k on it and it now has 144k(second car). Now that I gave my sister my car, this will be driven a lot more. I really like the exterior and interior design of the coupe. Its sleek and has a crazy amount of room for a coupe. The only complaint is that it doesnt have an armrest, with the storage compartment. I have replaced the A/C compressor, oxygen sensor, front rotors and brakes, ball joints, control arms, swaybar links, and battery. All parts were cheap because its a Honda. I dont hold the repairs against the car because these are all parts expected to go after 11 years. It drives very nice and is comfortable. My cousin has the same one, with over 230k.

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  Great! ,,but.... - 2002 Honda Civic
  By ethelip - July 27 - 1:55 am

  Had this car for 2 years now - I drive it tough, on tough roads (NYC, dirt roads..) I can accelarate as fast as I need - even though I must use low gears & push it, she goes! Now 86K and still sounds great.

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  Great gas mileage, everything else meh. - 2002 Honda Civic
  By paule4 - January 25 - 8:03 pm

  I get great gas mileage in this car... I average 30 city, 34-37 highway. I once got 40 mpg and thats going through mountain roads. The only problem is the build quality, my engine went at 85xxx then my tranny at 146xxx. I could understand the engine because at the time I was doing deliveries with the car plus it was an unbearably hot summer. The tranny it just all of a sudden gave out without any warning. Ive read from other sources that many people have this problem with the early 2000 civics (bad trannies).

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  Dependable Friend in the Garage - 2002 Honda Civic
  By herman_wiegman - January 9 - 9:18 pm

  The Honda Civic is one of the best expressions of the economy sedan. The basic concept of offering as much room as possible to the passengers, while also providing fuel economy and nimbleness is well served by the Honda Civic.

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  Great car - 2002 Honda Civic
  By mnk716 - July 30 - 6:34 pm

  I bought this car new 1/2002. It has been the best i have ever owned. Great performance even though only 115hp. Good in all weather and rarely gave me any issues. Recently traded it in at 175k miles as the A/C went and i didnt want to pay to fix it though it would have went for another 100k miles. Great MPG and reliability. Traded it in for a BMW 328i which is what i always wanted but i felt so bad trading it in.

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  10 years and 200,000 miles of faithful service - 2002 Honda Civic
  By demetrios999 - July 30 - 2:55 pm

  We bought our 2002 Honda EX Coupe (manual trans) new in December 2002, and 10 years later and almost 200,000 miles later, it is still a great car. We have had to make no repairs other than "wear-out" items (timing belts, tires, brakes, clutch, etc., maybe a distributor), and it runs as strong as the day we bought it with no end in sight. It has more pickup at normal speeds/revs than my S2000, handles great, and gets mpg figures well into the 30s.