Honda Civic : HONDA'S HIDDEN PERSONALITY

The latest Honda Civic is a car that should stand out for discerning buyers in the family hatchback sector. June Neary discovers the personality beneath the bonnet...

Can this really be a Honda Civic? I had to look twice at my test car. It's certainly a change from the conservative Civic shapes of the past - but a welcome one for all of that. Honda aim to reduce the average ownership age of Civic buyers with this model and I certainly think they'll do that. The more I looked at this car, the more the sweeping lines grew on me.

It's adventurously styled inside as well as out. The dashboard is designed on two levels, the main instruments housed on the nearer one with a surrounding `tier' that includes auxiliary functions like stereo, heating, ventilation and trip meter. This sophisticated, three-dimensional feel to the fascia is backed up with quality materials and interesting textures. One of the things I liked about the previous generation Civic was how big the cabin was. When I heard that the exterior dimensions of the new design had shrunk, I opened the door expecting the interior to be more cramped. Not so. In fact, Honda claims that room inside is just as generous as before. How so? Well, like the Jazz, the Civic features a fuel tank that's centrally mounted along the cross member below the front seats. This means that the seats in the rear can fold flat and there's no intrusion into the cargo bay floor. Borrowing technology from the innovative FR-V, the Civic also features seats that fold and flip with one smooth action. Clever. Safety's pretty important to me - as to many Family Hatchback buyers. The old Civic built much of its reputation on being one of the safest cars in its class and this car looks to continue the theme. With new body structure and subframes, recessed pedals, double pretensioners on the front seatbelts and side curtain airbags, this Civic has achieved a Euro NCAP five star result for front and side impact safety, three stars for pedestrian safety and four stars for child protection safety.

The interior is spacious and comfortable - but perhaps not quite roomy enough to steal sales from the larger Mondeos and Vectras. It would certainly win my vote over other hatchbacks. The driving position is exemplary, the sweet-shifting gearbox and careful dashboard design distinctly favourable. The boot is a family dream, large and easily accessible, even with your hands full. And the car is comfortable, even if it were fully loaded with three adults, two children and half the toyshop. The entry level powerplant is a 100bhp 1.4-litre i-VTEC petrol unit, with a 139bhp 1.8-litre petrol engine offering a bit more punch. The flagship engine of the range is the 139bhp 2.2-litre diesel unit I tried. All are mated with a six-speed manual gearbox, making the Civic the first car in the family hatch sector to be equipped with six-speed gearboxes across all of its range.

Fuel costs apart, where Honda has really set out to make the latest Civic differ noticeably from the competition is in specification. To charm out the chequebooks, included as standard on every model are luxury features you won't expect to find at prices that start at just under £15,000. Standard across the range is climate control air-conditioning, Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), trip computer, front, side and curtain airbags, rake and reach adjustable steering column and rear `Magic' seats. High grade models feature innovations such as automatic lights and wiper functions, high intensity discharge headlamps, Dual Zone Climate Control and retractable door mirrors, in addition to options such as alloy wheels, DVD satellite navigation and leather trim. As far as running costs are concerned, significant reductions are being claimed - and there's the usual three year comprehensive warranty to consider. Not that you're likely to need it. Build quality - a traditionally strong Honda trait - is as usual exemplary.

The latest Honda Civic is a great car for taking on a picnic, dashing round town or powering down the motorway for a business appointment. Yes, I would happily make room in my drive for one. 12th December 2008