Facelifted Honda Civic is a ‘driver’s hybrid’

The facelifted Honda Civic is one of the most impressive family cars I’ve driven this year. It is only available as a self-charging petrol hybrid and with a single trim called Advance. Elegance and Sport grades will arrive in Q4.

Although attractive with sleek, elegant lines and a sloping roof, this five-door hatchback’s exterior doesn’t quite hint at the power under the bonnet. Yet, I liked the look a lot, especially in the mid-grey colour of my review car, highlighted by privacy glass, chrome window trims, smart wheels, and body-coloured door handles. You sit quite low, which gives a sporty feel in keeping with the Japanese carmaker’s sporty DNA, but my usual tall passenger had no trouble getting in and out.

The high-quality interior rivals many more luxurious vehicles. Fit and finish are excellent; the cabin feels bright and airy thanks to the panoramic sunroof. Front and side visibility are aided by the large, wide windscreen, while the big, sloping rear window gives the driver excellent rear visibility. It’s equipped with a large rear wiper.

My leather driver’s seat featured eight-way power adjustments and lumbar support, while the co-driver’s seat had four-way adjustments (without height adjustment), but neither seat has memory settings. Front seats can be heated, as can the steering wheel. The dashboard includes a 10.2-inch multi-information display, which is a manageable size with vibrant graphics. It offers navigation, phone, radio, Bluetooth, smartphone connection, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The car came with a Bose stereo as standard.

Controls include large knobs for the dual-zone climate control and a volume knob on the right side of the screen, with audio controls also on the steering wheel. You also get a wireless phone charger with two USB-C ports and a 12V power socket. The transmission selector buttons are on the flat central console alongside the drive mode selector, offering Econ, Sport, Normal, and Individual modes.

The sizeable, straightforward instrument cluster has two dials, with your current speed displayed at the top centre within easy reach. There’s no Head-Up Display.

The leather steering wheel feels good and has regenerative braking paddles, along with remote audio controls.

The rear bench splits 60/40. The middle seat back folds down as an armrest with two cupholders but no through hatch to the boot. Taller passengers might find rear headroom a bit tight due to the roof slope, but legroom is sufficient. The transmission tunnel isn’t too high, and there’s good foot-space under the front seats for those sitting in the outer rear seats. Storage includes slightly smaller door bins, pockets on the back of the front seats, and two USB sockets.

The tailgate is manually operated, and the boot capacity ranges from 409 to 1,187 litres. It doesn’t have a spare, only a tyre repair kit.

I appreciated the very good blind-spot monitors and cross-traffic alert displayed on the screen when reversing out of a parking spot in a busy shopping centre car park. Front and rear parking sensors also assist when manoeuvring in tight spaces. The high-definition reversing camera is excellent; the steering feels nicely weighted with good feedback.

I loved its exhilarating, electrified power, which accelerates the car from 0-100 km/h in 8.1 seconds. While that doesn’t sound particularly quick, make no mistake, this hybrid, with 143 hp and 315 Nm of torque, is among the most satisfying cars I’ve driven this year in terms of performance.

The setup that makes it so special includes the 2.0-litre direct-injected Atkinson cycle DOHC engine and two electric motors. Honda states this configuration aims to provide ‘a more exhilarating and higher-quality driving experience without compromising on environmental performance’. They claim that this 2.0 engine, with complete fuel burning, has improved in every aspect, including driving performance, fuel economy, exhaust emissions, and quietness, compared to the previous engine.

Honda refers to this Civic as ‘the driver’s hybrid,’ and they aren’t wrong. This was clear as soon as I sat in, noticing its excellent build quality, user-friendly dashboard layout, my snug black leather contour seats, and then on the road, the surge of power on tap. Penalty points could be easily incurred on motorways, especially in Sport mode, so it's best to use cruise control and stay within the legal speed limit.

I was able to find a very comfortable driving position and felt engaged with the car, thanks to good steering feedback. Honda has always had a stellar reputation for drivability, and this Civic lives up to it. The ride was quiet, and it had good grip when cornering. Features include Adaptive Driving Beam headlights.

My real-world fuel consumption was 5.6 L/100 km, very close to the claimed figure, even though I was pushing hard. Road tax is €190.

PRICE: From €48,995.