Honda Civic long-term test: report 4

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 6412 List price £38,695 Price as tested £38,695 Official economy 56.5mpg Test economy 51.6mpg 

8 January 2026 – Honda road again

I am almost 7000 miles into my time with my Honda Civic and it’s lived a varied, life covering everything from trips round the corner to the shops to being a support vehicle on multiple filming locations in France. Thankfully, no matter the journey the Civic has always been a comfortable companion.

But what’s it really been like behind the wheel?

Well, those two examples are actually useful to illustrate the strengths of the hybrid setup. Short journeys are conducted quietly, smoothly and efficiently with plenty of electrical assistance, yet on longer motorway journeys there’s still plenty of oomph to make progress easy.

At those higher speeds, though, the road noise inside the Civic is quite loud – and this is, I reckon, the weakest area of the car on the road. I often find myself having to crank the volume on my favourite podcasts to be able to hear them clearly, but thankfully the Bose sound system can cut crisply through the road roar.

The driving position itself is spot on, with the low-down sitting position giving it a sporty feel – it also delivers a reminder as to how popular SUVs are on our roads, because my low vantage point often leaves me dazzled when checking behind me in my mirrors at night.

As a taller person (6ft1in) setting my driving position can be a challenge because I have to position myself quite far back to accommodate my long legs. In many cars I'm left wishing I could pull the steering wheel closer by a few more centimetres, but I have no such problem in the Civic, which offers plenty of adjustments in both the seat and wheel. Adjustable lumbar support has been a great comfort on my longer trips, too.

When needed, there is a raft of driving aids available such as lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring and adaptive cruise. On a recent filming trip on the continent these came in very useful as I adapted to driving on the wrong side of the road and thanks to the physical steering wheel controls, very easy to set up and adjust whilst on the move.

The Civic really is quite the joy to drive and no matter what the journey, I always find myself pleased to be behind the wheel.

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