Honda Civic Hatchback (12 on) - Review

The Honda Civic has been around for a very long time: the first generation was launched in 1972 and since then there have been all manner of iterations that Honda has pet names for. The 1983 model is known as the 'Wonder Civic', and one wonders why, and then there's the 1995 'Miracle Civic' that prompts more vigorous head scratching. Thankfully, by the time you get to the 'Revolution Civic' launched in 2006 there's some justification because it really did represent a major departure from the previous, rather dull versions. It had triangular exhaust pipes, out-there styling, a rather annoying rear spoiler that spoiled the view out of the back, but it was undoubtedly unconventional. Yes, it's hyperbole to compare it to a major social uprising, but the moniker makes some sort of sense when you consider its stand-out exterior lines and quirky dashboard layout. So now there's the ninth generation Civic that's not quite so radical. At first glance not that much has changed. Yes, it's still got a spoiler that serves to ruin the rear view, but Honda tells us that under the spoilered skin this is, in fact, a revolution that'll take the Civic into the big league. One of the Civic’s strong points is practicality. The boot is far bigger than its competitors’ and there’s loads of room inside thanks to what Honda calls ‘Magic Seats’. The Civic has been awarded a five-star EuroNCAP rating thanks to its plethora of safety equipment including adaptive cruise control and collision mitigation – which applies the brakes if it thinks you’re about to crash. There’s a choice of three engines; a 1.4-litre petrol, a 1.8-litre petrol - available with either a manual or automatic gearboxes - or a highly-refined 2.2-litre diesel engine that offers excellent efficiency figures for ultra-low running costs. There it has every chance, the Japanese car maker says, of taking on and beating rivals such as the Ford Focus, Volkswagen Golf and even the Vauxhall Astra. Has it got what it takes to beat the best? Read on for our full Honda Civic review to find out.