I spent quite a while comparing different cars — Suburban, Buick Verano, StarRay, Honda XRV, the new Nissan Sentra, and the Corolla. I was actually about to go with the Sentra since it's comfortable, fuel-efficient, and practical. But then I thought: I’m still young, why not go for something with a bit more excitement? So I changed my mind. I considered the Suburban with the 1.4 turbo — everyone says it’s great — but I didn’t like the 2022 design, and the new facelifted model was just too expensive.
In the end, it came down to the Honda Civic and the Buick Verano Pro. My family really wanted me to go with the XRV — they love it — and even on the day of delivery, they were still trying to convince me to change my mind. But I told them, since I’m the one driving it, I’ll get what makes me happy — so I went with the Civic.
I was busy with work, so my family handled the whole process. They went to the dealership, paid the deposit the same day, picked up the car the next morning, and by that evening, the car was registered, insured, and ready to drive! Everything moved fast. We didn’t get a huge discount, but we did get AED 7,000 off, plus extras like leather seats, seat heaters, window tint, floor mats, a can of engine oil, and a fire extinguisher.
Performance-wise, the car is quick — responsive acceleration, and it handles inclines with no problem. Way better than the Qashqai we had before.
Fuel consumption is excellent. At first, it was doing 6.2L/100km on the highway. Now after almost 2,000 km, the average is around 6.3 — I think that’s really efficient.
Space was a nice surprise. I expected the rear seats to be tight, but they’re actually spacious — I’m 177 cm tall, and with the front seat adjusted to my comfort, the back seat still feels roomy.
Downsides? The chassis is pretty low — I’ve scraped it twice already going over bumps or potholes. Even e-scooters honk at me from behind! The body feels a bit light too. Sound insulation isn’t great — after 80 km/h, tire noise becomes noticeable. But I actually like the engine sound — smooth and satisfying.
Driving experience is excellent — the steering is sharp and responsive, and body roll is minimal. At first, I found the driver-assist system a bit annoying since it felt like it was fighting me for the wheel, but I got used to it, and it’s actually helpful. The side mirror heaters don’t seem very effective, but the automatic headlights are a big plus — they make night driving much easier.
In short? The Civic is a great car. It looks sporty, drives well, and while it has a few small issues, as a first car for a young person, I say: just buy it and don’t overthink it.
