Honda is famous for its knack for reliability, and this trait is present in almost all of the cars they’ve made. Amongst the most reliable ones is the Honda Civic, specifically the sixth-generation.
Up to this day, owners who own a 1996-2000 Honda Civic are still surprised at how promising this vehicle can be. You can drive it through harsh road conditions, treat it like a workhorse, use it to carry loads, and it will still go like an absolute champ.
This kind of dependability is why many car enthusiasts made the sixth-generation Honda Civic their project car because these vehicles are astonishingly dependable and sure as hell is fun to drive and modify.
Even if it’s almost three decades old, the sixth-generation Civic, or more commonly known as the Honda Civic EK, has significant aftermarket support on its back. Many car enthusiasts have swapped old parts of it in place of aftermarket ones to improve their car’s performance, whether for power or for handling.
And also, many of them have done a lot of cosmetic mods to it, making it a simple yet classy-looking car that is still kicking it in the streets. Some of the mods that car enthusiasts opt for are wheels, tires, intakes, exhausts, and the likes.
Come check out the list of the best mods you can get for your Honda Civic EK down below.
#1 Lowered Suspension
Most car enthusiasts prefer to upgrade their Honda Civic EK’s suspensions first because it immediately improves how their car looks. Not to mention other improvements like the lowered center of gravity, better handling, and even better mileage.
Lowering your car’s suspension can be a significant modification because it directly affects your driving experience. Whether you’re planning to use your Honda Civic EK as a daily or as a track machine, a lowered suspension can do you a lot of good.
To effectively slam your car to the ground, you can either use lowering springs or coilovers. Lowering springs are ideal if you just want to ride around town fashionably without giving a lot of damn about how impressive the car’s handling would be.
But if you prefer a more modifiable device to dial in your suspension for specific purposes, say track racing, then you might want to get your hands on some decent coilover kit. Both of them offer many opportunities for your car in terms of ride height and handling improvements.
Recommendations:
- Eibach Springs PRO-KIT Performance Springs
- H&R Sport Spring Kit
- KW Coilover Kit V3
- Skunsk2 Pro-ST Coilovers
#2 Wheels and Tires
Since you’re interested in lowering your Honda Civic EK’s suspension, then why not grab a new set of wheels and tires too? Not only that these remarkable modifications pimp your ride, but they can also affect how well your car would react in various road conditions.
Oftentimes, new wheels will give an enhanced look to your vehicle along with a smoother ride. Throwing in some new tires will provide you with better road traction, improve your ride quality, and increase your level of safety.
When buying wheels and tires for your Honda Civic EK, it is recommended to play around with the following fitment ranges:
DIAMETER: 14” – 18”
WIDTH: 5” – 9”
OFFSET: +0mm – +45mm
Recommendations:
- Enkei RPF1 Black 15×7 +35mm
- MST MT27 15×7 +35
- Federal SS-595 – 195/45R16
- Toyo Tires EXTENSA HP II – 195/50R15
#3 Exhaust Systems
As car enthusiasts, most of us can agree that a loud-sounding exhaust is not only a luxury but is a much-needed improvement for a project car. Some may favor mild-sounding exhausts, and that’s okay.
Whatever exhaust tone you prefer is valid, and there are many options you can choose from in the inventory of aftermarket exhausts available for the sixth-gen Honda Civic. Aftermarket exhausts can be a great addition to your car, especially if you want to add a bit of spice in the auditory satisfaction department.
Exhaust systems may be popular in the tuner scene for their mild to aggressive exhaust grunt, but many enthusiasts don’t know that they can use these mods to improve their car’s performance too.
These mods can improve your gas mileage, enhance its performance, and significantly reduce your car’s backpressure. Not to mention how aesthetically pleasing it makes your car from the rear.
Recommendations:
- HKS Hi-Power Exhaust System
- SPOON Sports Stainless N1 Muffler
#4 Intake Systems
Another modification you can get for your Honda Civic is air intake systems. Aftermarket intake systems are notorious for giving vehicles a significant boost in performance gains. And although the numbers aren’t astronomically high, they’re enough to make your Honda Civic EK much faster and powerful to some degree.
Aftermarket intake systems replace the restrictive stock ones with a less stringent substitute, optimizing the amount and quality of air delivered to the engine.
And also, aftermarket intake systems frequently come with innovative air filters that are tremendously effective in cleaning up the air before getting to the engine. With an optimized airflow partnered with an efficient air filtration system, you can reap many benefits on a straightforward mod.
Recommendations:
#5 ECU Tune
Assuming that you’ve decided to fit in some performance mods like intake and exhaust systems on your Honda Civic EK, it’s about time to get your ECU tuned. A proper tune-up can significantly increase your horsepower and torque because it increases the car’s boost levels, translating into more airflow for your engine to enjoy.
There are so many valid reasons why you should drop your Honda Civic at a shop and get its ECU tuned (of course, you can do it yourself too!)
Some benefits of an ECU tune include improvement in horsepower and torque output, better fuel efficiency, better overall performance, and as well as personalized settings that’ll suit your needs.
#6 Rear Seat Delete
Now, if you’re looking for ways to drop some of your car’s weight without spending too much of your hard-earned money, then you should really consider removing your car’s rear seats.
By doing so, you can strip off some serious weight for your next race. All the tools you’re gonna be needing are a ratchet, a 12mm socket, and an extension bar.
Rear seat deletes are great for the hatchback EKs, but on the sedans and the coupes? Not so much. This modification is excellent for serious drivers who want to use their cars for racing, but not really necessary for those who use them daily.
However, the only downside to this mod is the flak you’re going to get from some car enthusiast who will call you a ricer.
#7 AC Delete
Another weight-reducing option you can consider is the removal of the AC. Some may call you an unholy ricer, but seriously, who cares? Removing your factory AC can definitely remove some of your car’s weight without subjecting it to a strict diet.G
utting down Honda Civic EK’s AC is good ONLY if you want to transform it into a race car.
However, driving a Honda Civic EK without the AC on a hot summer day is a horror you can’t possibly imagine, so you might want to think twice about getting your AC removed. Yes, it’s an effective weight reduction technique, but at what cost? A sweaty afternoon drive?
So if you use your Honda Civic EK to go to work or school every day, then you should definitely need to skip this one out.
#8 Power Steering Delete
If you’re serious about turning your Honda Civic EK into a race track menace, then you can remove its power steering to make it a bit lighter. Believe it or not, you can still drive your Honda Civic EK pretty well after you’ve removed your power steering.
Aside from the weight reduction, you’ll also experience more feedback through the wheels. However, if you plan to release your car’s power steering, expect tired arms and difficulty driving home.
Modifying Your Honda Civic EK: Is It Worth It?
There’s no doubt that the Honda Civic EK is a great platform, even for modifications. Many car enthusiasts flock to this car for how satisfying it is to modify, not to mention how easy it is to get your hands on its aftermarket parts.
The Honda Civic EK is such a banger of a car, and putting this car in a garage without even modifying it is such a massive waste of potential. You can do many possible things with this car because keeping it in stock doesn’t really sound too peachy.
So to answer the question, yes, modifying a Honda Civic EK, whether it’s a hatchback, a coupe, or a sedan, is highly worth it.
The Honda Civic EK proves itself to be an impressive platform for modification. Regular people look at it as a decent old car fit for daily driving, while car enthusiasts see it as a canvas ready to be painted.
The proper modification will improve the Honda Civic EK in some specific areas, so pick your mod of choice wisely to save precious time, effort, and money.