Video: 2009 Honda Civic

It's also an example of the premium compact car, in that it can be equipped with a number of higher end features you may not expect to find in this class. I want to show you some of those features today, but first let's take a look at some of the things that have changed for 2009 on this car. Even though the Civic was last redesigned for the 2006 model year, it still is one of the more futuristically-styled cars on the market today. And for 2009, it gets subtle exterior changes, including a restyled chrome grill and also new inlets in the front bumper. There's also some mild changes in the back too, like a new chrome bar above the license plate, but overall, the appearance of the car stays much the same. Besides the Civic Hybrid and SI high-performance trim levels, coupe and sedan versions of the car are powered by a 1.8 liter four cylinder engine. Now this engine in most trim levels, including the EXL model you see here, it makes 140 horsepower, and you can get either a five speed manual or a five speed automatic with this engine. And gas mileage is a strong suit, but the manual gets better mileage in the city, 26 miles per gallon, opposed to the automatic's 25, where the automatic does better on the highway, with a rating of 36 miles per gallon, as opposed to the manual's 34. Inside the Civic gains an available USB port for playing a portable music player through the car's audio system, and also Bluetooth cell phone connectivity that comes with the optional navigation system. Now the navigation system is one of the upscale features that I was mentioning earlier, but it extends beyond that to things like a power glass sunroof and the leather seats you see here that are heated, as well. I didn't find the leather seats particularly comfortable, mainly because it pushed out in my lower back and didn't really support my upper back that well, but you'll have to give this car a test drive to see what you think of them. Higher end features are nice and all, but you're probably not surprised to find out that they come at a price, as this EXL trim level Civic costs $24,225 as tested. That kind of money can get you into a nice Accord, but if you're looking at a decked out Civic, you're probably not interested in the overall size of the car, but more like features like its gas mileage and maneuverability. And in this regard, the Civic does rather well. <v Narrator>For additional information on this car, or any other, go to cars.com, and our blog "Kicking Tires."