Not to talk down the civics, they are great machines in general... but:
Have you driven an 05? The 2001-2005 generation is just not exciting and doesn't have very nice road manners. The previous generation (2000) has a much sportier suspension and is better balanced. Heck, it even rides better with less sound intrusion over bumps. I was really disappointed with the 2003 my family had. It also had substantial problems over the years, not all of which were covered by the factory extended warranty (suspension bushings, transmission issues, cat converter issues, O2 sensor, fit/finish, AC compressor died, etc). We put about 127k on it before trading it in. The 2006 is a lot more refined machine in every way if you can afford it; massive improvement that set a new standard at the pricepoint. Also, the 2006 is a little more crash worthy as well. IMO, you would get the most years of satisfaction over the 2006+ generation. Best of luck on the car search.
