An almost perfect condition and unmodified 1996 Honda Civic CX?! That’s practically unheard of, yet here it is. No, this one wasn’t found in a barn and it has probably never even been near a barn, but it’s an amazingly-original car with 45,490 miles on it. The seller has it listed here on eBay in Olivehurst, California and the current bid is – are you sitting down? – $9,200, with almost two full days left on the auction!
For those of you who like the phrase, “Hey, it didn’t cost that much new!”, this Civic would have been around $10,750 brand new in 1996, so it’s getting close. Let us know if you can find a 1971 Hemi Cuda convertible in 2022 for the price that it was brand new in 1971. Admittedly, this isn’t the most exciting car on the planet for most of us, but it’s 26 years old and it’s rare to see an unmodified one today.
The sixth-generation Civic was made for the 1996 through 2000 model years and Honda sold lots of them. How this one survived this long without being subjected to the usual tuner treatment is beyond me. The CX was the Civic’s base model and it only came in a hatchback body style. There were a ton of other models available, including the DX, LX, HX, EX, GX, and VP. Wow.
The interior is equally nondescript in light gray to go along with the nondescript silver exterior. There are no wheel covers or fancy wheels, no power windows, no air-conditioning, no nothin’. It looks as nice inside as it does outside, though, and a five-speed manual is always welcome in a small car like this. Or, in a big car, now that I think about it. The back seat may actually have legroom and headroom for adults, but it doesn’t look like anyone has ever sat back there.
The clean engine is Honda’s 1.6-liter inline-four, which would have had 106 horsepower and 103 lb-ft of torque. The seller is the second owner and they say that there are no leaks and they have replaced the A and B exhaust pipes with stainless steel. For anyone wanting to relive the Nintendo 64 era or anything else from 1996 – please, not the fashions, though – this is your car!
Amazing! A 5 speed and no tach?! he CX must have been the entry level for this model. Still, it’s really nice! GLWTA!! :-)
I just picked up an 08 Corolla with 93k for my daughter. While it’s better equipped than this 96 Honda and 12 years newer, the two are very similar in fundamentals. If you go 12 years in the opposite direction to 2020 these cars seem like dinosaurs compared to even the most basic transportation.
Technology has come a long way in a short time, but I’m enjoying wrenching the little Corolla like I did years ago on my more basic cars. I’d say this Honda will need a going through but is probably worth the 10k or so that someone is going to pay for it.
With the manual transmission, the CX trim on these hatchbacks didn’t even include power steering! To get that, you had to step up to the DX, which also added a rear wiper, a four speaker stereo, and a few other basic amenities. To get power windows, you had to buy the coup or the sedan. These were really bare bones.
I had a 90 base Civic without power steering. It was great. Awesome road feel. In my old age arthritic ridden self, maybe now I would think differently, but 3 decades ago I truly loved that car.
Wow tires look so small, do they even make 13 inch tires or you need to special order?
Easy solution. Just buy two 26 inch tires and split em in half.
I like the fact that cars like this are still around,but aren’t
much fun to drive every day.Basic Transportation.
The most trouble-free car I ever owned was a `90 Civic hatchback–standard. I had an AM/FM stereo installed and that’s it! No AC because it really wasn’t needed. Nimble, cheap maint., turned on a dime, and GREAT mileage. Out the door, it cost me a flat $6000.!!! Wish every day I had that car back.
It would be great if you could still buy a car like this for that $6000 adjusted for inflation. They would sell a bundle. My little 1.5 4sp got in the mid 40s for MPG on road trips, and once actually hit 50MPG on one tank on a trip to Florida. What a great car. Didn’t need fancy computer chips or a hybrid to get that either. What happened to cars? I blame the companies telling us we all need 40 ton trucks that made them goofy high profits, and most were dumb enough to believe it.
I still have my 96 Honda Hatchback (green) with the 5 speed manual shift. I basically used the car to haul my Great Danes for their rides (they all loved this car). I just put my last Dane down about 3 weeks ago, but I’m still keeping my 96 Honda… yeah, it’s a basic car, but I got it new and now have about 150K miles and it still runs like a top. No need for power steering (for crying out loud) and I still have people stopping at the gas station while I’m filling her up (10.5 gallon) tank and want to buy her… no dice… this will be with me until the day I die (I’m 80) so I expect to have it another 20 years or so. Best little car I’ve ever owned !!!
You sound healthy, wealthy, and wise. Go for 115.
Love the Great Danes. 👍 🐕
Midori green is the most desirable Civic hatchback color of them all, it was only for the 96 model year. Hold onto it!!
$10,750 is about $19,000 today when adjusted for inflation. So it’s a bargain at that price!
Our ’97 Civic CX was the first new car my girlfriend (now wife) and I bought. I think Canadian spec CXs were a little different because I’m pretty sure ours had power steering and a tach, though I can’t be certain. Regardless, it was still the bottom of the food chain.
For the 96’s, the first MY of this generation of Civics, the unicorn to find is one in Cypress Green Pearl Metallic paint (it’s the lighter of the two available greens that year) because that was a one-year only color.
Seeing this and going through the pics certainly brings back memories!
A/C compressors didn’t last long in Arizona on these.
I bought my 96 in Texas, and didn’t move from Tx until 2007.
I’ now living in central Arkansas (heat and humidity) and my AC still works fine. Over all that time, I had to have some freon added once.
I was an Automotive Tech from 1975 until 2021. The 90’s Hondas are THE BEST cars EVER MADE for reliability. If I had to make a living fixing those cars I would have starved. Still many on the road. Honda solved the emissions/drivability/reliablilty equation and hooked an entire generation in doing so. These cars will be the Tri-Fives of the 2040’s
i had a 1997 Civic CX automatic until 2004, 17 years of great service in TX. A/C was as cold the last day as the first 14″ wheels, the steering and handling were a joy, what a fun ride. Excellent suspension, no repair on that for 207,000 miles. Only 2300lbs and 106hp, had some surprising quicks when it got past 30 mph. Fold down the rear seats and man the cargo volume was amazing. Big side mirrors made for excellent vision Loved that car.