I have some bad news for you folks with Corollas. I test drove a '06 Civic 2 door coupe, and the ONLY things the Corolla does better is the following:
1) Larger truck
2) lower sticker price
3) 2mpg better mileage
4) more headroom
5) better visibility
6) 100lbs lighter
7) More ground clearance for off road use
That's about it.
Toyota needs to get their act together quickly to catch up. I don;t think there has ever been this big of a gap in the compact car class.
Here's what the new Civic does better:
1) Instruments are very slick without being over the top. The digital speedo above the sttering wheel is easy ot read and no too distracting, but looks really cool. IT would take a little getting used to. I still like traditional gauges, but this was pretty neat.
2) Materials of construction rival or exceed my '04 Accord.
3) Feel. the steering wheel is small and has lots of feel. You instantly are thinking forumual 1 race car.
4) Handling - incredibly stable, very smooth, excellent feel, jsut the right amount of paower assist. Feels like a good European car.
5) Refinement - ride quality, and sounds deadening, is as good or better than my Accord. Thsi doesn;t feel like a compact car. Even at 3500RPM on the freeway, there is no engine buzz.
6) Endless legroom. I had at least 2-3 inches ot spare on the adjustment. The 4 door might have a little less. The tilt and telescoping steering wheel and 6 way seat adjustments allowed me to find a perfect postion.
7) Navigation is an option. It's XM sattelite ready. The coupe offered a 350 Watt 7 speaker stereo system including a subwoofer.
8) Performance was on par with the Corolla. The new engine makes 140HP, but has a little less meat in the midrange, but a little more top end hit. There is less valve clatter and a sportier exhaust note.
I'm expect this car to hands down win the magazine comparison test next year. First impression is that this thng is a winner and has set the new standard for compact cars. I personally still like the larger size and better freeway ride of my Accord, so I'm not trading it in. But if you can spend an extra $1000 on a compact car, right now this Civic is the way to go.