When a car as popular and successful as the Honda Civic has been since its introduction 30 years ago comes out with a brand new model, it causes a bit of an understandable stir in the motoring world.
And when that car has as many refinements and improvements as does the civic 2012 then it really is worth a look.
The new model looks the business. It’s clearly a thoroughbred successor to the marque as the designers haven’t messed too much with the shape. But there are loads of refinements you can’t see.
Nevertheless, it’s a little bit lower, one centimetre wider, and three centimetres longer than the preceding eight generation Civic, but it still has a slightly shorter wheelbase – and therefore slightly longer overhang forward and aft. You can tell it apart to lo at fro its predecessor by the high tail light cluster, daylight-running LEDs and an active front-end grille shutter on all diesel models.
No doubt this does a little bit to help the impressive mileage figures; the 2.2-litre diesel model gives 60 miles per gallon, a bit better than the cheaper to buy option in the shape of the 1.4-litre and 1.8-litre petrol engines.
There’s also a rear wiper on all the new models, and its trademark light-strip spoiler is two centimetres lower.
Inside the car, the Civic’s flexible seats allow you to fold the rear bench down flat or to fix them upright to make the most of the boot space – and to slide surprisingly large objects in he back; great fro all those trips for flat-pack wardrobes from IKEA!
There are soft-touch materials throughout the interior – except for the top of the instrument panel.
The new Civic is certainly a car to be reckoned with – and it really looks like a top of the range sports car.