Immediately, the 2006 Honda Civic Coupe’s added refinement is noticeable, both in terms of cabin comfort and engineering. Quiet and responsive, the silky powertrain provides good punch off the line, managed by a fluid gearbox and a light clutch. The steering is linear and quick, and the brake pedal feels great underfoot. However, mid-range passing power is only adequate, and the engine seems to make more noise than velocity under hard acceleration – but that’s been a common trait of Honda four-cylinder motors for a long time. Tighter suspension tuning quells the sedan’s tendency toward body roll in corners and body bob on the highway, giving the 2006 Civic Coupe a more controlled, if slightly less cushy, ride quality.

Though our drive in the 2006 Honda Civic EX Coupe was short, we did get an extended 90-minute stint behind the wheel of the Civic Hybrid, which shares the Coupe’s dashboard, door panels, and center console designs. In this car, I discovered that the parking brake handle, which is located on the left side of the gear selector right where my leg rested against the center console, dug uncomfortably into the bone just below my knee joint. That doesn’t bode well for extended travel, and I can only assume that with a similar amount of seat time I’d suffer the same discomfort in any 2006 Honda Civic. Making up for this to some degree are the Civic’s upper door panels, which are slightly padded and feature a perfectly located concavity disguised as a character line, creating an excellent place to rest your left elbow during extended trips.