In a big blow to Honda, Consumer Reports magazine not only says the Honda Civic LX is no longer on its recommended list, but it put out a statement to blast that message to the world.

"The highly anticipated redesigned Honda Civic LX, whose predecessors have often been Consumer Reports' highest-rated small sedans as well as Top Picks in five of the last 10 years, now scores too low to be recommended by the leading automotive-testing organization," the closely watched non-profit consumer publication writes. Honda put out a statement saying it disagrees and that the new Civic is a "step forward in every way." The whole statement is at the end of this post.

But hold on. There's a "positive side." The Civic has "decent" rear-seat room, and it achieved 30 miles per gallon overall, which gives it the second-best fuel economy in its class — behind only the Toyota Corolla's 32 mpg, according to the magazine. "While other models like the Hyundai Elantra have gotten better after being redesigned, the Civic has dropped so much that now it ranks near the bottom of its category," said David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports' Auto Test Center.