In all fairness, if you were driving anything less than a 4 door Civic, you really can't compare the two, but since you feel that they were comparable, here are the differences...

95-2000 Contour | 2000 CIVIC LX 4DR
Wheelbase 106.5 | 103.2
Length 183.9 | 175.1
Width 69.1 | 67.1
Height 54.5 | 54.7
Headroom 39.0 | 39.8
Max Frt Leg Rm 42.4 | 42.7
Rear Headroom 36.7 | 37.6
Min Rr Leg Rm 34.3 | 34.1
HP @ RPM ? | 106@6200
TORQUE @ RPM ? | 103@4600
0-60 ? | 10.3
1/4 mile time ? | 17.8
All numbers came from www.edmunds.com and www.consumerguide.com

I of course guessed at the LX part of the CIVIC (considering that is the most common of the CIVIC) and found those performance specs for a 2000 (which the EX would be slightly higher), but I was unable to find HP and Torque and 0-60 and 1/4 for the GL. Now granted, the CIVIC is probably slower than the Contour, but as you can tell from the numbers, it is definitely not CRAMPED as compared to the Contour.

Just FYI...

1999 CONTOUR SE SPORT
2001 HONDA CIVIC LX SEDAN
- 1.7L 5 Spd
- '02 SI RIMS
- Reverse Indiglo Gauges
"Biblical principles work, there are no exceptions."
www.geocities.com/jesusfr7282000
http://www.7thgencivic.com/members_rides/member.cfm?id=5895