What does it cost?
Honda Civic Hatchback full 9 point review
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Performance
Three engines are available: 1.4- and 1.8-litre petrol engines, and a 2.2-litre diesel. The 1.4 needs to be worked hard, the 1.8 provides lively acceleration when you rev it, while the 2.2 is so flexible that a slight squeeze of the accelerator is usually all that’s needed for brisk progress. A 1.6-litre diesel will join the line-up in late 2012.
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Ride & Handling
The Civic is a stable motorway cruiser, plus it grips strongly in bends and resists body roll well. Unfortunately, it never inspires the confidence it should because the steering is vague and overly light. Comfort isn't great, either, because the ride is pattery and unsettled at all speeds. The diesel feels far more supple than the petrol models.
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Refinement
The 1.4 and 1.8-litre petrol engines drone a little bit at motorway speeds, but it's the diesel that sounds totally out of place in a modern family hatch. It's quiet enough when cruising but it's clattery at idle and you hear the turbo whistling under even gentle acceleration. The Civic also generates a fair bit of road noise over most surfaces and at all speeds.
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Buying & Owning
Some versions are competitively priced, but some, most notably the diesels, look very expensive indeed. Discounts won’t be big, either, but the Civic should hold its value pretty well. Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are reasonable for the class, but servicing costs are likely to be high.
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Quality & Reliability
The upper part of the dashboard is dense and soft to the touch, but while build quality generally seems solid enough, the lower plastics feel hard and a little flimsier than you might expect. Honda has an enviable reliability record.
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Safety & Security
Every Civic has stability control, six airbags and active anti-whiplash front head restraints to protect those onboard. Meanwhile, pedestrian protection features include energy absorbing front wing mounts and windscreen wiper pivots designed to break away on impact. The list of standard security kit includes deadlocks and an alarm.
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Behind The Wheel
Most of the dashboard controls are reasonably easy to use. However, there are still problems; cars with satellite-navigation get a fiddly touch-screen infotainment system, plus the top of the steering wheel can obscure the speedo, and there are several brightly coloured displays that reflect in the windscreen at night. The driver’s seat doesn’t go low enough, either, and rear visibility is awful.
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Space & Practicality
Headroom is poor, particularly in the front, where taller people have to recline the driver’s seat to stop their heads hitting the roof. It’s a shame, because in most other respects the Civic scores well in this category. There’s plenty of legroom front and rear, and an enormous boot. What’s more, the rear seats can either be folded flat or flipped up like cinema seats.
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Equipment
Entry-level SE-spec Civics come with alloy wheels, climate control and a USB socket, but we’d be tempted to upgrade to the ES model, which adds cruise control, Bluetooth, a reversing camera and automatic lights and wipers. EX models also come with heated leather seats and sat-nav, while range-topping EX GTs get a panoramic glass roof, front and rear parking sensors, keyless start and Bi Xenon headlights.
Civic used car reviews
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Our pick of the range
Honda Civic Hatchback 1.8 i-VTEC ES 5dr
This is our favourite Civic thanks to its willing engine, sensible price and good standard equipment. However, like the rest of the range, it’s too compromised to challenge the class leaders.
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