Honda Civic

SIX years in the making, the latest Honda Civic model is claimed, by Honda, to be the best car it has ever made.

The small hatchback has been recreated with more curves and less angles than the previous model. In fact the only real angles are those that belong to the many triangles Honda has designed into the car. It has a very Italian flavour, not unlike the Alfa Romeo 145, which will look quite dated now when put up against the new Civic.

The 1.8-litre petrol i-VTEC SE with six-speed gearbox is mid-range, yet has lots of standard equipment for its £14,927 price tag. On test driving this car I knew I was in for a real treat.

My sci-fi journey began as I approached the car - shaped like a bubble-cum-wedge - a five-door car designed to look like a three-door. The stubby bonnet swoops up from headlamps, which are set in one piece that wraps around the front of the car and incorporates the badge. This is not like any other car I can remember. Below the light strip are the grille and two triangular fog lights. Moving swiftly along the car, the windscreen begins with hardly a degree's difference and almost continues along the smoky glass roof towards the glass of the rear hatch.

Door handles are set into the doors keeping the panels flush. The only protrusions on the whole car are the wing mirrors and the rear spoiler, which is integrated into the rear screen splitting it in two. Again, the rear lights are of a wraparound design that mimics the front. And finally, the twin exhaust pipes are triangular chrome openings set into the underside of the rear bumper.

On opening the door, you can see that the sci-fi theme continues inside. The interior is an absolute revelation. Blue ambient lighting (optional) brightens up the almost-black cockpit and welcomes you into this ultra cool car. Once you are comfortable you are confronted by a steering wheel that could have come straight from a Star Wars movie, and behind it the dashboard is breathtaking.

Honda wants you to receive as much information while driving, as safely and as efficiently as possible. This dashboard is split horizontally into the main rev counter with central computer display, and above that, near the windscreen, is the digital speedo, all in your line of vision. Controls for air condition are on the dashboard just a finger's length away from the wheel, which has the controls for the cruise control and the audio system fixed within the spokes.

There's no centre console to speak of. The integrated stereo/CD tuner is an arm's length from the driver, and the gear stick is down nearer to the driver's seat. It is trimmed in brushed aluminium-effect plastic, which is warm to the touch and of a good quality. All the materials used are of a good quality, it has to be said, including the drilled-metal foot pedals.

You will notice that the dashboard is really deep to house the unique set-up. Therefore, the windscreen is not in your face and gives the illusion of being a huge cabin of MPV proportions.

There is plenty of room inside the cabin for the family to sit comfortably. Rear leg room is worthy of note and is an improvement on the outgoing Civic, as is spacious boot.

At night the car lights up like a Christmas tree before you've even pressed the red button. It does calm down before you begin your journey though.

Ah, yes, that red button. It lives on the right-hand side of the dashboard. More magic happens when you press the button, as it fires up the powerful 1.8-litre VTEC engine, which sounds great thanks to the twin exhausts - Honda has always known how to put the right noises in its cars.

Driving the car is good fun, it has to be said. The Civic has a lovely wheel-in-each-corner stance that gives it great stability and it does hug the road really well. The engine performs really well too, with lots of power right up the rev range.

Handling is typical of a hot hatch. It doesn't wallow and the steering is very precise. The gear shift has a relatively short throw and adds to the sportiness. I was impressed, too, at how quiet this car is at speed. No road rumbles or wind noise. I could have been pottering at 30 mph. So, a big thumbs up on the engineering and soundproofing scores.

Parking is really easy as this car will turn on a sixpence and the visibility is not at all hindered by the rear spoiler, and because of its compact external dimensions, the smallest spaces are fine. I did enjoy the comments of passers by, who exclaimed to one another that they did not know that Honda made a car like this and 'wow' they had never seen a car like it, oblivious to the fact that I was in the car and could hear them.

Smug? Who me?

Some standard equipment on the test car includes: 16'' alloys, cruise control, cat 1 perimeter alarm, dual front side and curtain airbags (front and rear), ABS, EBD, front and rear brake discs, panoramic glass roof, refrigerated glove box, rain sensing wipers, plus more.

HONDA CIVIC
1.8 I-VTEC SE

6-speed manual

Top speed: 127 mph

0-62 mph: 8.9 secs

Power: 140 PS

Torque: 128 lb ft

Urban economy: 34.4 mpg

Extra urban: 52.3 mpg

Combined: 44.1 mpg

CO2 emissions: 152 g/km

Price: £14,927