You would be hard-pressed to try to find any vehicle on the market that has retained its resale value as well as the 2007 Honda Civic EX trim. Why does this car cost almost the same today as it did when it was new in 2007? That’s quite a mystery.
What really stands out about the 2007 Honda Civic EX trim?
Absolutely nothing, other than its incredibly high price for a pre-owned car. Most of the differences between the EX and all the other 2007 Honda Civic trims are purely cosmetic.
In this article, we’ll go hunting for the proverbial needle in a haystack to try to figure out why the EX trim costs so much more than its nearly identical model year companions.
The 2007 Honda Civic
The 2007 Honda Civic was the No. 1 small car during that model year in terms of gas mileage.
(Truthfully, it was tied with the much smaller 2007 Toyota Yaris.) Other than that, the Civic was completely unchanged in almost every way when compared to the 2006 model year.
The car achieved 30 miles per gallon in city driving and 40 MPG on the highway. Other than extremely minor differences between trim versions, that was the main reason why people were buying Honda Civics in 2007.
The various trims included the base version DX Coupe, DX Sedan, DX, LX Coupe, LX Sedan, LX, EX Coupe, EX Sedan and EX. All of these trim versions are nearly the exact same size, have the exact same engine and get the exact same gas mileage. The higher-level Base, GX and GX Sedan trims feature slightly bigger engines and slightly lower gas mileage.
The 2007 Honda Civic received the highest possible safety ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), although it did go through quite a few airbag-related recalls over the years.
2007 Honda Civic EX Price
A pre-owned 2007 Honda Civic EX in 2020 can range in price from roughly $18,000 to $21,000. By way of comparison, the EX Coupe and EX Sedan trims, which are virtually identical to the EX, retail for roughly $4,800 to $5,500 in 2020.
In other words, if you had bought a Honda Civic EX new in 2007, you could make a profit by selling it used today. Especially when considering inflation and the stock market meltdown that happened the year after this car debuted.
U.S. News & World Report ranked this as one of the best cars for the money when it was new — and apparently the reviewers weren’t kidding.
Side-by-Side Comparison with Other Trims
All of the 2007 Honda Civic trims from the DX Coupe up to the EX feature the exact same 1.8L gasoline engine. The engine is a five-speed automatic that gets 140 horsepower and as mentioned, great gas mileage.
Even when doing a side-by-side comparison between the 2007 EX and the base DX Coupe trim, you really have to look hard to find any major differences. What follows are some of the features that you will find in the EX trim, which are different from the DX Coupe trim for this model year.
The tires on the EX are 16 inches, compared to 15 inches on the DX Coupe. The EX features body-colored side mirrors, door handles and bumpers. The only significant major difference between the EX and the DX Coupe is that the EX has a power moonroof.
In an interior comparison of these two trims, there are only a handful of differences. The EX comes standard with rear seat heater ducts and floormats. It has a two-tiered instrument panel that “boasts” a digital odometer. The EX also has power windows and door locks, cruise control, as well as satin-finished door handle pulls.
The safety features between the various 2007 Honda Civic trims are all identical.
Run a Vehicle History Check on a 2007 Honda Civic EX
It may continue to remain a mystery why the EX has retained its resale value so well, when compared to the other 2007 Honda Civic trims. Logic dictates that the resale value on this car could suddenly fall off a cliff within the next few years, so be aware of that risk before buying a used EX purely as an investment.
Don’t forget that you can run side-by-side feature comparisons between trim versions any time you’d like here at Vehicle History, to avoid paying too much for any car or truck.
