2009 Honda Civic Type-R

Let's be honest, the new Honda Civic is just as controversial as the BMW 5-series. Previous Honda Civics used to be spacious little cars for the teenager. Well, it still is a ride for teenagers, but is it all show and no go?

Well, yes it is. Look at it, mad face, mad rear, the whole things oozes with weirdness; or better put, madness! But it isn't really a performance vehicle, which the Type-R should be. It's slower, heavier, and it has a live rear axle, which means it will not be as fun to drive around corners in as the previous one. They probably spent so much money designing it, that they couldn't afford to put independent suspension on it.

However, I have a hunch that I might like the styling. I usually like the controversial styling, like the new BMW 5-series. Well, not the newest one, which is basically going to look like a big van or something, but the one made when Chris Bangle was BMW's designer. And while the Z4 was just as controversial, I hated the way it looked. The new Civic is very edgy, very aggressive, that that's the perfect car for today's teenager. But, unfortunately, it ends there.

Or does it? You see, Honda also worked up a clever interior for the new Civic. It now comes with a starter button, and when you sit in it, you'll think "yes, I am in an aircraft!" It just looks fantastic! Unfortunately, that's where it all ends, because when you start driving it, you'll be slightly disappointed.

You see, usually a model is updated, it should be better than the previous. And this one just isn't. It might have the edge on looks, but that's it. The previous Civic had more space, bigger boot, better suspension, and it was faster in a straight, and in the corner. The new Civic is a disappointment!

The way I see it is, Honda, being a Japanese make, has done some advancements in electronics and technology, but they took the fun out of the Civic, and that just kills it! Honda's are made to have fun in. They're made to be able to be taken on a track, beat all the other hatchbacks up, and then drive home. They're made for the modern teenager! Yes, for an old grandma, who retired to Florida to live out her final days. The new Civic would be perfect for her. She doesn't need to go everywhere sideways, which the new Civic can't. But I'm a modern teenager, and a car that's fast, and fun to drive is important to me. I feel like the Civic is uncool, as it was in its early days, when it was just a bunch of boxy shapes. The new one is a bunch of boxy shapes, and while it looks advanced, it doesn't actually have the substance of a Civic.