As Honda's entry level, subcompact vehicle, what's not to like about the Civic?

As an ideal example of getting what you pay for, the 2004 Civic includes almost 40 style options - 2-door to 4-door to hatchback, gas to hybrid and 5-speed manual to automatic.

For my weekly drive, I tested the 4-door EX sedan with a 127- horsepower, 1.7-liter, 16-valve, 4-cylinder engine. The appealing magnesium gray metallic exterior was complemented nicely with a mixed dark and lighter gray interior. The color combination, combined with Honda's straightforward, unassuming exterior styling resulted in anything but an entry level visual presentation.

Among all of the variously configured Civics, the base prices vary nearly $8,000. My vehicle was priced at slightly more than $18,000 - which catapults it into a well-deserved perennial best-buy category when matched against the Ford Focus, Toyota Corolla and Volkswagen Jetta or Golf.

Consider some of the standard exterior features: power moon and sunroof, 15-inch alloy wheels and power exterior mirrors.

Standard interior features include cruise control, power window and door locks, driver and front passenger vanity mirrors, map light, 12-volt accessory socket and AM/FM/CD with four speakers.

A simple, well-designed dashboard, with well-lit numbers and dials, further add to the vehicle's attractiveness.

Of course, a car's looks don't mean much if it performs poorly. For Civic owners -- and all subcompact owners -- one potential concern is a vehicle's positioning and safety in inclement weather conditions and among larger vehicles, particularly on freeways.

The Civic is only 174.6 inches long and 67.5 inches wide, but it fare wells in all types of conditions. It maneuvers through traffic confidentially and without hesitation, despite its limited horsepower and four-cylinder engine.

There is, however, an increase in engine noise at high speeds, and the automatic shifting could be smoother in around-town situations.

Perhaps the most impressive Civic feature is its fuel efficiency. With estimates of 31 mph in city driving and 38 mph in freeway conditions, economy is bliss, particularly in recent times when gas has surpassed $2 per gallon in many parts of the country. I drove the car for a week and still had more than a half-full tank remaining.

Considering its price range, the Civic is also good choice in many other areas. As a six-foot, 180-pound driver, I didn't feel squeezed in, but two similarly sized rear-seat passengers could use more head and leg room.

The Civic also has a large trunk for its class, further adding to its status as one best vehicles in its price range on the market. Like most Hondas, the Civic also has a tremendously reliable repair record, which adds to its high resale value.

2004 Honda Civic EX

Safety features -- Driver's and passenger's front and side airbags, ABS brakes, emergency trunk opener, front and rear crumple zones.

Fuel Mileage (estimates) -- 31 mpg (city), 38 mpg (highway).

Warranty -- Bumper to bumper, 3 years/36,000 miles; corrosion, 5 years, unlimited mileage.

Base price range-- $12,810-$20,650.

James Raia is a syndicated journalist in Sacramento, Calif., who writes about sports, fitness and business topics as well as the free electronic newsletters Endurance Sports News and Tour de France Times and The Weekly Driver, a car review column.

Samples of Raia's writing can be viewed on his web site: ByJamesRaia.com.

His car reviews and newsletters can be viewed at The Weekly Driver and Endurance Sports News and Tour de France Times