Not many family hatchbacks have a lineage dating all the way back to 1972 – but the Honda Civic has. Over those five decades the Civic has built up an enviable reputation for reliability, efficiency and engineering prowess. It may not always have been the most stylish or desirable hatchback around, but it has arguably been the most dependable.Now coming exclusively with Honda’s full-hybrid powertrain called e:HEV, it's positioned as a high quality alternative to the Vauxhall Astra and Volkswagen Golf, while also rubbing shoulders in the efficiency stakes with the excellent Toyota Corolla.
The Honda Civic has always been the solid and dependable choice in the family hatchback class. The latest model combines a refined driving experience with a very fuel-efficient hybrid system.
Jack is an experienced motoring journalist who has been covering the latest new-car releases for the last 10 years.
Read bioHonda has never sought to offer the cheapest product in the market, and that's especially the case with the Civic. While the premium-feeling Volkswagen Golf starts at under £29,000, the most affordable brand new Honda Civic is nearer £34,000. Mid-spec cars are £1,600 more, while top-spec Advance models are priced at the not-inconsiderable sum of £37,300.
The Civic holds onto its value pretty well compared to rivals, but there's still some great value to be had when searching on platforms such as AA Cars. The earliest of the current generation cars start at around £16,000 – these tend to be the entry-level Elegance trim with a high mileage of around 65,000 miles on the clock. For a two-year old car with commensurate mileage to age (around 20,000), prices hover around the £23,000 mark. One-year-old facelifted Civics still command strong money, with prices only dropping slightly compared to brand new prices – sometimes as little as £500.
Unlike with previous generations of the Civic, the current car comes with just one powertrain – a 2.0-litre petrol full-hybrid system.
Called 'e:HEV', the system combines a 2.0-litre petrol engine with two electric motors, giving a combined output of 181bhp. While the engine can drive the front wheels if needed, it usually acts as a generator, charging up the 1.05kWh battery, which in turn powers the motor that sends its drive to the wheels. Around town and at low speeds, the Civic will nearly always drive on electric power, while faster roads like motorways will see the petrol kick in and act as the primary power source.
Mated to this powertrain isn't a conventional gearbox or an e-CVT (continuously variable transmission) that you find in the Toyota Corolla. Instead, it's a single-speed transmission that seamlessly switches between electric power, hybrid mode (petrol and electric) and petrol power.
Performance is best described as brisk enough rather than sporty. The Civic gets from 0-62mph in 7.8 seconds, which doesn't sound that impressive, but the car feels quicker than that. This is thanks to the initial shove from the twin electric motors, which provide near-instant power from a standstill.
This initial 'electric' performance is particularly useful around town where zippy performance is needed, and it helps out with overtaking on quicker roads. On motorways, the electric power tends to be replaced solely by electric power, but the switch between EV and petrol is seamless – the only clue is the quiet hum of the engine.
The gearbox is pretty clever, too. Honda has engineered some artificial 'steps' to mimic gear changes, making the driving experience seem more normal. It also makes the gearbox seem like a traditional automatic and avoids the ‘droaning’ noise you tend to get from a CVT, which is fitted to the Civic's chief rival, the Toyota Corolla.
The Civic's high-quality and well-engineered feel is evident the moment you drive away. All the controls and mechanicals have a solid, polished feel to them, and while the Civic isn't aiming to be a sporty car, it's enjoyable to drive.
The steering has a good weight to it and it gives great communication to the driver, and the brakes have a good feel, too. But it's the ride that's the most impressive, as it easily deals with large bumps and potholes, but feels stiff and controlled when cornering. In many ways, the Civic's suspension delivers the best of both worlds.
It’s just a shame, then, that there’s a lot of tyre and wind noise on the move. It spoils what is a very refined and relaxing car to drive.
In many ways, the Civic strikes the perfect balance between ease-of-use and modernity. Naturally, there's a touchscreen and a digital driver's display, as these are the norm for the family hatchback class, but there are also tactile knobs to control features like the climate control.
The design is neat and uncluttered, and the quality of the fittings and fixtures is high. The interior isn't glitzy, but it's well-designed and feels solid. It's like an old Volkswagen's cabin in this respect.
The infotainment sits neatly on top of the dashboard, but while it has all the functionality and phone connectivity that you'd expect, the menus and graphics all look a little dated. It works intuitively, though.
The Civic scores well in the practicality department. The boot comes to 415 litres and this is comfortably ahead of most rivals like the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf, but the Civic can't match the Skoda Octavia's 600-litre capacity. The opening is wide, but the wheel-arches invade the space more than you'd expect, which could make it slightly hard to load wide items.
Legroom in the back seats is excellent, and the seats themselves are comfortable and supportive. The only downside is the limited headroom – taller passengers will find their heads brushing against the roof.
Considering the fact the Civic only comes with one powertrain, it won't be a surprise to learn that the trim options are quite limited, too. That said, there are three, well-equipped levels that offer all that the family hatchback buyer needs.
Browsing used car listings on platforms like AA Cars reveals there's an even spread of trim levels available, showing that new customers don't favour one version over another. It's easy to see why as even the basic Elegance gets a nine-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone connectivity, 17-inch alloys, privacy glass, heated front seats and a whole host of safety systems as standard. Higher-ranking Sport and Advance models add some extra styling and interior features, such as leather upholstery for the top model.
There are just three versions of the Civic available – Elegance, Sport and Advance.
The entry-level Elegance has all that most buyers need, with standard equipment comprising a nine-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone connectivity, a seven-inch digital driver's display, keyless entry and start, front and rear parking sensors, 17-inch alloys, privacy glass, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, and access to the nifty My Honda+ smartphone app.
Sport adds a few visual upgrades, such as black wheels and mirror caps, along with half-leather interior trim, wireless phone charging and a heated leather steering wheel. Range-topping Advance brings full-leather upholstery, a Bose sound system, electric front seats, ambient lighting, and a panoramic glass roof.
The Civic is available with a wide array of options, including some visual styling packs. The Sports Accessory pack adds black exterior trim, along with side skirts and spoiler, and black Honda badging, while the Patina Bronze pack gives the aforementioned styling additions of the Sports pack but in a bronze hue.
As for colours, there's a small palette to choose from – metallic red, and pearl white, black, grey, and blue.
Independent crash testers Euro NCAP awarded the Civic its full five-star safety rating when it tested the car in 2022. The car received scores of 89 per cent and 87 per cent for adult and child occupant protection, respectively, and the Civic comes with a decent haul of safety kit as standard.
Reliability has always been Honda's strong suit, and the Civic is no exception. Industry surveys reveal the Civic is more reliable than its key rivals, while owners praise the level of service they get from Honda's dealer network.
This is where the Civic's hybrid powertrain really comes into its own.
While some rivals offer plug-in hybrid power that can deliver better on-paper fuel consumption, in the real world and for most drivers, the Civic's full-hybrid system will be far more economical. Honda claims up to 60mpg fuel consumption, and with mid-50s mpg being entirely possible.
Insurance costs will be a little higher than rivals like the Toyota Corolla, though, while VED (road tax) comes in at £195 a year.
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