I drove a 2004 civic and leased it for two years. The new 2006 Civic is a HUGE improvement over the previous generation. The handling is very responsive and the ride is good. The new 1.8 litre, four cylinder engine is refined, works well with the smooth five-speed automatic and gets great fuel economy. The instruments are uniquely arranged into two tiers, with high-mounted digital spedometer and analog tachometer. The interior has generous storage space. I also like all the standard equipped safety features, including ABS and curtain airbags. I had a friend who recently rolled his 2006 civic and walked away from the crash. It's safety is very impressive. If you go with the Civic, you can hardly go wrong.