Car of the Year Awards 2026: Family Car of the Year
There are several types of family car, but here we’re looking at traditional hatchbacks: large enough to be practical, yet compact enough to be easy and enjoyable to drive...
Honda Civic 2.0 e:HEV Elegance
Most of us could probably afford to be more public-spirited, putting the well-being of our community or society before our own. But there are also times when it’s in your own interests to be Civic-minded – such as when buying a new family car.
Yes, we’re talking about Honda’s rival for the likes of the Toyota Corolla and Volkswagen Golf. You might remember that this hybrid-powered hatchback was our favourite family car back in 2023, before price hikes made it less recommendable than the Corolla. However, the price disparity has since been reduced, and the Honda Civic is now competitive if you opt to take out a PCP finance agreement, as most buyers will.
With that obstacle removed, it’s easy to remember how terrific the Civic is in other ways. Its unusual hybrid set-up – with two electric motors driving the wheels except at high speeds and the petrol engine acting as a generator – delivers gutsy performance and smooth, quiet running, especially around town. At the same time, it’s capable of returning outstanding real-world fuel economy in the mid 50s, helping to keep ownership costs down.
The fact that it’s doing its bit for the environment (and your wallet) doesn’t mean the Civic is dull to drive, though. In fact, you’ll find it sharper and more enjoyable than most rivals along a twisty road, thanks to taut body control and precise, meaty steering that gives you confidence in corners.
This poise doesn’t come at the expense of comfort, either; in fact, on the sensibly sized 17in wheels that you get with entry-level Elegance trim, the Civic soaks up bumps and potholes as well as the Corolla and better than the Golf. What it doesn’t do as well as those rivals is shut out road noise at high speeds, but it’s far from tiresome.
Civic duty extends to being a practical family car. There’s plenty of rear leg room for tall adults (although they might want to use this to slouch a bit, because head room is nothing special), and it has a bigger boot than the Corolla and Golf.
A generous layer of soft-touch materials and impeccable build quality help to make the interior one of the most appealing in this class. What’s more, with large physical knobs and buttons on the dashboard, it’s far more user-friendly than rivals that rely on touchscreens for functions such as the climate control. Opting for the bottom-rung trim doesn’t mean you have to go short on equipment, either; it still gets heated seats, a rear-view camera and adaptive cruise control.
Although Honda can’t match Toyota’s warranty of up to 10 years, rest assured that the Civic is one of the most reliable cars in its class. A third-place ranking (out of 30 contenders) in the most recent What Car? Reliability Survey, with an impressive 97.3% rating, was several places higher than the Corolla. What’s more, Honda topped the brand league table. So, in return for being Civic-minded, you’ll be well looked after too.
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