Honda Civic long-term test: report 1

The Car Honda Civic Advance 2.0 iMMd Automatic Hybrid Run by Tom Goodban, videographer

Why it’s here To prove that a modern family hatchback can be both stylish and practical

Needs to Cover the miles efficiently and offer plenty of room for a videographer and all of his kit, while also looking stylish in the corporate car park

Mileage 760 List price £38,695 Price as tested £38,695 Official economy 56.5mpg Test economy 51.6mpg  Options fitted None

2 November 2025 – Hey Honda

After six months with a small van, I was ready to get back into a car.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed my enlightening time with the Fiat Doblo – a fine workhorse which nailed its brief. But there was no escaping its commercial vehicle roots, and after months of sampling a whole variety of cars on video shoots I felt pretty well informed when it came to picking a new company car.

I was looking for something with five seats, good looks and a sporty feel, but still with enough practicality for all my needs and good fuel efficiency for the many miles I cover each week in my role as What Car?'s videographer.

Enter the new Honda Civic. A stylish hatchback with a hybrid engine which, on paper at least, seems well suited to my needs.

Few car names go back as far as the 11 generations of the Civic. This latest model was launched a few years ago but was recently facelifted, introducing some subtle cosmetic tweaks inside and out. But in effect, not much changed on this five-star family car, and not much needed to change.

Despite facing stiff competition from family car rivals including the Toyota Corolla and the VW Golf, it was boot space which eventually caused me to choose the Civic. The boot offers 415 litres of space, which is more than the Corolla and the Golf can offer. Not only is this enough for six carry-on suitcases, but if I'm in need of more, I can drop the rear seats and turn my Civic into a small van.

That means I should have plenty of room to carry all my gear on filming trips around the country. In fact, my Civic has already tackled a filming trip to Cornwall and back to London with a boot full of camera gear and road-trip essentials. Due to its hatchback shape, the boot has a helpfully wide opening making accessibility very easy; extremely useful for when I need to quickly grab something or lift in large flight cases. 

My chosen Advance trim level comes with some helpful luxuries including an upgraded sound system to keep me entertained on those longer drives, plus a panoramic sunroof which lets plenty of light in, making the inside feel really spacious.

My car's standard kit list also includes wireless Apple CarPlay, keyless start and entry – very useful when I have my hands full of camera gear – and wireless phone charging to keep me topped up on the go.

It also includes genuine leather seats which have so far proven to be very comfortable. They are heated as standard which is great news as the winter months approach and have electronically controlled seat adjustment with lumbar support making it easy to find the perfect driving position. And talking of style, Advance trim also includes 18in two-tone diamond cut alloys making it, to my eyes, great to look at from the exterior too.

I settled for the Sonic Grey Pearl paint option which comes as standard with other options available at an extra cost. That may sound dull and boring but  I think the colour is really nice in the metal and offers a hint of light blue in the right light.

There were some optional packs that offered cosmetic additions, for example the Sports Pack adds a ducktail spoiler, side lower decorations and dark chrome badging whilst the Patina Bronze Pack adds bronze finishings to the exterior, but I didn’t feel the need to upgrade to those, because I felt the Civic looks elegant enough without spending the extra cash.

It was an easy choice in the engine department, because the Civic comes with just the one option – a 2.0-litre petrol which Honda calls “e:HEV”. It’s a hybrid engine with an official fuel economy of 56.5mpg.

It’s quick enough, too, offering 181bhp and a 0-62mph time of 7.8sec. That's plenty quick enough for my motorway trips and town commutes, if not quite up to the standards of the legendary Honda Civic Type R hot hatchback.

My first few weeks with the Civic have been pretty good so far. It’s been enjoyable to drive, offered plenty of boot space for my needs and it’s so far been pretty economical – this is something I’ll be diving into in detail in a future report. 

Van life in the Doblo was a fun ride but based on first impressions, I’m very excited for the many miles ahead in my new Honda Civic.

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here

Read our full Honda Civic review >>

Read about more long-term test cars >>

Buy a new car with What Car?

Like the sound of the Honda Civic?

If so, check out our New Car Deals pages to see how much you could save on a new Honda Civic.

We’ve got the biggest selection of discounted new cars available in the UK.