Honda Civic review

If you are one of those people – generally of a certain age, it must be said – that often catches themselves muttering "cars all look the same these days", then you clearly haven't studied the Honda Civic very closely. We would argue it looks like no other car that's ever existed, let alone any other current family car. 

Whether you approve of its looks or not is another question entirely, and not one for us to comment on; we're in the business of dealing with the objective facts, and beauty is always in the eye of the beholder. And sticking with the facts, the Honda Civic has been a fixture on Britain’s roads for as long as the Volkswagen Golf, which means it has a greater heritage than many of its rivals ­– the Ford Focus, Mazda 3, Seat Leon and Skoda Octavia are mere 'youngsters' by comparison.

In this review, we’re focusing on the hatchback version, but don’t forget there’s also the Civic saloon, so hit the link if you want to read about that. There’s also the stunningly quick 316bhp 2.0-litre Civic Type R that crowns the range, and again, you can read all about that by hitting the link for our separate review.

Regular versions of the Civic let you choose between two petrol engines and one diesel, and there are seven trim levels. That might sound like it's going to be a bit confusing, but the sheer variety of grades means there’s something to suit most buyers' needs and budgets.

Read on to find out if the latest Honda Civic should be at the top of your family car shortlist. We’ll tell you how it drives, how much space there is inside and which engine and trim level makes the most sense. And, whether it’s a new Civic that ticks all the right boxes for you or something else, head over to our New Car Buying service to see how much we could save you off the list price of your next new car.