DESPITE its attractive styling inside and out, high build quality and obvious engineering excellence, Honda dropped the ball a bit with the fifth-generation EF Civic. The GL sedan's 74kW carburettor-fed 1.6-litre single-cam 16-valve engine labours under the load, adding to a high degree of refinement-marring noise. High parts and servicing prices, low equipment levels, a firm ride and overly-light steering are also factors. But resale values are always strong, as is the general upmarket appeal of the model. And the EF hasn't really dated either, possessing a youthful freshness that no small Honda since has been able to capture until the arrival of the brilliant Jazz in 2002.