2004 Honda Civic

The Honda Civic is Honda's long-running compact car, sold in the United States since 1973 and consistently among the best-selling passenger cars in the country. Across the 1997-2026 model years it has been offered as a sedan, coupe, or hatchback depending on generation, always with front-wheel drive and four-cylinder power. Over that span it has grown steadily, and recent generations offer interior room that approaches older midsize sedans while keeping compact-car pricing and running costs.

The Civic's reputation rests on reliability, fuel efficiency, and strong resale value, and it competes most directly with the Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, and Hyundai Elantra. Its audience is broad: first-time buyers and commuters gravitate to the mainstream trims, while the Si and, since 2017, the Type R draw enthusiasts. That mix, plus a large supply of well-kept used examples, keeps demand high across nearly every model year in this range.

The 2004 model: A slightly larger redesign with a flat rear floor for better back-seat space, a switch to MacPherson strut front suspension, and 1.7-liter engines in mainstream trims. The first Civic Hybrid arrived for 2003, and the Si became a UK-built hatchback (EP3) with a 160-hp 2.0-liter engine. The regular hatchback body style otherwise left the US lineup.