UK Drive: The Honda Civic is a sporty, practical and superb all-round family hatch

What is it?

Family hatchbacks still hold a strong share in the new car market thanks to their compact dimensions and practical cabins.

The Civic is one of Honda’s longest-serving models and has been kicking around since 1972.

It’s now into its eleventh incarnation and is regarded as one of the best small hatchbacks that money can buy, due to its sporty driving experience, practical load area and bulletproof reliability.

So, for its midlife makeover, Honda has tweaked the exterior and made a few changes to its interior to make it even better than before.

What’s new?

It’s at the front where most of the changes have been made with the Civic receiving redesigned upper and lower grilles, a body-coloured lower bumper spoiler, a sculptured front bumper and fresh alloy wheel designs.

Inside, the A-pillar garnishes and headliner are now finished in black, while higher-spec cars receive a new steering wheel, a 10.2-inch digital driver’s display and a wireless phone charger.

Apart from that, everything else on the car remains the same as before, which means there is a frugal hybrid powertrain, three trim levels and an impressive amount of interior space.

What’s under the bonnet?

The Civic is only available as a hybrid, which is a 2.0-litre petrol engine mated to an electric motor.

It produces a total of 181bhp and 186Nm of torque, while 60mph takes 7.7 seconds and the car runs out of steam at 112mph.

Honda claims the car can travel up to 56.5mpg on the combined cycle and emissions are a low 113g/km of CO2.

All Civics come as standard with an e-CVT automatic transmission, with no manual option available.

What’s it like to drive?

Previous Civic models have always had a sporty and driver-focused feel to them, and this new one is no exception.

Chuck the car into a bend and you’ll notice how flat it corners, with lots of grip and virtually no body lean.

The driving position is perfect. You sit low and feel part of the experience, while the hybrid powertrain is smooth, quiet and extremely efficient. In a mixture of town and motorway driving, we were averaging 50mpg on the combined cycle.

The steering itself feels precise and direct, and power from the 2.0-litre petrol engine is more than enough for everyday driving.

The only issues we found were the lack of refinement at higher speeds with a fair bit of wind and road noise entering the cabin.

How does it look?

This latest model has always looked more like a svelte fastback, rather than a boxy five-door hatchback.

Although the looks won’t be to everyone’s liking, the Civic’s low stance and curved proportions make it look more purposeful on the road and add to its sporty nature.

Our test car is in Sport trim, which adds a few extras such as larger alloy wheels and gloss black door mirrors.

It’s at the back where the Civic’s design becomes a little bit Marmite, as the sloping tailgate and curved rear make it look more like a four-door saloon. Some may like the unusual looks, yet others will find the car’s styling controversial.

What’s it like inside?

The Civic’s interior design is a simple and stylish combination, which makes it a nice place to be.

There are lots of soft-feeling plastics on the dashboard and door cards, while the full-width air vents that run across the dashboard are a nod to the old third-generation Civic from the 1980s.

Storage is great too, with two large cupholders in the centre console, a deep centre armrest storage bin, wide front door bins, a spacious glove box and our test car also benefits from a wireless phone charger.

Space in the back is good, though the car’s sloping roofline means anyone over six feet tall will brush their heads on the ceiling. At least legroom is impressive, and there is extra storage with a fold-down centre armrest with two more cupholders and rear door bins.

It’s in the boot area where the Civic starts to overtake the competition, because at 410 litres, that’s 29 litres more than on a Volkswagen Golf, while the rear seats fold down completely flat to give a total luggage capacity of 1,220 litres. What’s more, the Civic’s handy in-built slide-out parcel shelf means that you don’t have to worry about storing it somewhere when you need to push the back seats down.

What’s the spec like?

There are three different versions of the Civic, all of which come with lots of standard kit.

The range starts with the entry-level Elegance at £33,795, with all models boasting keyless entry and start, heated front seats, LED headlights, rear privacy glass and front and rear parking sensors.

Our test car is the mid-level Sport and can be yours for £35,395. It adds a wireless phone charger, a heated steering wheel, front fog lights and 18-inch alloy wheels. Top-of-the-range Advance cars start at £38,695 and are equipped with a panoramic glass sunroof, a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system and genuine leather upholstery.

Although the Civic might be well-equipped, it’s still a lot more money than a Toyota Corolla, which starts at £29,295 and comes with the option of two hybrid powertrains and is just as well-kitted out for the money.

Verdict

This minor facelift hasn’t dented the Civic’s appeal in any consumable measure.

It’s still one of the best cars to drive in the small family hatch class, while the impressive interior space, decent equipment levels and smooth powertrain make the Civic a class-leader in many key areas.

The looks might not be to everyone’s taste, and the limited rear headroom might be an inconvenience if you carry lots of tall passengers regularly, but as an all-rounder, the Civic really is the jewel in Honda’s crown.