Honda Civic long-term test: report 2

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 4156 List price £38,695 Price as tested £38,695 Official economy 56.5mpg Test economy 51.6mpg 

23 November 2025 – Miles and miles 

Fuel efficiency is very important to me in a vehicle. I need to travel long distances for video shoots and good economy not only help my wallet but also means I don’t have to keep stopping to fill up, which saves me time.

This is why the hybrid setup in my Honda Civic appealed. Offering an official fuel economy of 56.5mpg in my chosen Advance trim level, it also includes the benefit of being able to drive solely on electric power at low speeds and for short distances – ideal for crawling along in city traffic. 

However, as most of us are aware, official figures measured via the WLTP testing regime are often a far cry removed from those you acheive in the real world. So I wanted to find out what my Civic would really do to the gallon on a range of different journeys, and how many miles I could get out of a tank. So, I brimmed the 40-litre fuel tank, reset the trip computer and did some driving.

The first test was my 25-mile commute to the office, which offers a mix of slow motorway traffic and slower town driving, with a fair bit of stop-start congestion along the way. At the end of the journey the trip computer was showing me a very impressive 61.2mpg.

The journey home, though, was a little different. This was perhaps impacted by a boot full of heavy camera gear I collected from the office weighing me down, and the trip computer dropped to 52.1mpg for the return leg.

With my commuting numbers in the bag, I wanted to do another test on some countryside B-roads which also included a fair bit of slower stop-start traffic, where I would have expected the Civic to be able to make more use of its electric power. However, after a 14-mile journey the trip computer was showing me 47.3mpg.

My final task was to run the tank down to as close to empty as I dared to see how many miles I could cover between fillups.  With the car telling me I had just 19 miles until it was empty, I pulled into a petrol station and put in 32.38 litres of unleaded.

In total, I had travelled 353 miles, which meant my real-world fuel economy was 49.56mpg (the trip computer was showing 52.5mpg).

So while I might not have matched the official figures, it’s safe to say I’m pretty pleased with the real-world efficiency of my Civic so far. And bear in mind that I could likely do even better if I was actively trying to save fuel – in this case, I was driving as I would normally. My car, then, is giving me the best of both worlds, carrying all of my kit while also helping me to save on fuel. Who can ask for more?

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