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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 19, 1976)
daily ncbrcslcn mon&sy, cpril 19, 1D70 C pec- 12 i '9 I it ft c i "I V 8 :i i 'I 1 I 1 I I; I s By Jim . It's shootout time at the Econocar Corral, between the Voikswtscn Rabbit and Honda Civic CVCC. For car freaks with guilt pangs about their fun or those who enjoy asking for "a dollar's worth" at the pumps, these axe prise contenders. Along with the Datsun B210 and the Chevette (both somewhat underpowered), they hold top honors in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists. While the Rabbit and Civic are not interchar.able, they were designed with similar ideas. Doth are front-wheel-drive (FWD) square-tailed 4-pa5scnger sedans. Lately, much ink has gone toward convincing the public of the superiority of fwd, but it overworks the front tiers, causing "Erdersteer (the tendency cf the car to straighten out in a curve), l!any "safety experts think understeer is best for the unskilled driver, and most De troit cars are set up to provide it, but it's more pro nounced in the Rabbit and Civic. If you step hard on the gas in a curve they will run wide toward the outside. It's easy enough to get used to, but makes it harder to do drifts and other competition techniques. The real advantage of fwd is that the rurming gear does not intrude on the interior. The extra space is more noticeable in the Rabbit. It s about five inches longer than the Civic and 100 pounds heavier, and inside it's clever and cavernous. Open the rear hatch and a neat lid Cs tip to expose a trunk bjg enough for several suitcases and safe from pry- E3 eyes. It's fcpiesasss csori for a crrl car, but I don't ; ftattt ears. I 1 ! r j J -rr- V Fwrk Ycarg, secies history majr frcsa Ilat City, Iowa, checks est the rear end of a Honda Croc CVCC. your ccr cere hcscftscrfcrs - Stop DaiTn end $23 US! 1919 N St 432-G533 f -a ca ts C3 Ea CLI? AT.D SAVEi b ci a ca cri 0 Q 0 D o 0 CwSa cf c!3 0 s i'jto e::7c:3 ?o.a s 0 57.0 0 D 0 0 D I..J.LLJ uli I Q think I own enough property to CI the Rzibit'i maw with the rear seat folded away. It should make home-to-dorrn moving a snap. With the back seat unfolded, four carefully pleated 6-footcrs may be inserted, there to stay with adeqte room. Heads and knees rub on the fixtures, but it wcclJ take a long trip to make it really cresave-whka can happen ia a Thunderbird, too. The driver sits very straight, with knees tiht under the rather numb steering wheel. The brake and clutch are equally vague, but nothing compared to the 4-s?ced shifter, which manages to be both stiff and balky without feeling connected to anything. I hit third gear several times trying for first For many drivers, these minor fcperf actions are a small price for the Rabbit's astounding cargo space and solid feeling. The price is $44 23 for a 2-door, 4-epccd Rabbit with radial tires and the desirable interior options -but it doesn't seem unreasonable for a car of these bHities, which include EPA ratings of 39 and 25 miles a gallon for highway and city driving, respectively. - Slipping into the Honda, you immediately notice that it is a smaller car, with less rear seat room, headroom and storage space. A hatch back model provides for more cargo. But the CVCC Civic feels much more like the cars I enjoy than the Rabbit, with its liedown seats and neat three-spoke wheel. The shifter is incomparably better than the VWs, al though reverse is so far to the right you date may think you're reaching for more than a gear. The transmission is connected to Honda's brilliant stratifieoVcharge engine, which burns inexpensive unleaded gas and eliminates the Rabbit's catalytic converter. But forget all that. I certainly did when I got the Civic on the road. A Rabbit feels like a well-sorted sedan, but the Honda iswell, gobs of fun. Every control is crisp, alive, it's a ball to drive. . a smirking, ecstatic little Easter egg of a car that begs you to go out and play with it Taller people or those who regularly carry a lot of stuff probably should look at the Rabbit first-but try both; they're winners. QQ For your Front end alignment Susp2nsioxi work Tnne-np Brake work esieaisiesa CL1? A?D SAVE SS EZmS ImS &8 Lincoln Safety Service 20iOOSt. 432-4585 u got Toned ujoCCu cut 0"CC2?ris Air CcncJ csrulso ccsrulcs 1 f , a w rr m l ia wmt Y 11 il U C 1 mm I v 'TO n A C:3 4 ca. C&IJ b - CUT tf yea trJ.j C!s cJ In, yea C- cry r rr a u i n I n Liu LJulJ'O ZZ3 i I. i fir iju; nun STUDErrr ix. 2J r """ "I r 9k op n r n n f n r.cr n OU U Lvio zizV in! O f? pro- o