Should you buy a Honda Civic?

Yes, it’s definitely worth serious consideration. With its adroitly executed combination of practicality, sharp looks and driving thrills, the Civic may now be in its 11th generation but it hasn’t lost a step. A true embodiment of Honda’s approach to family car design, with a single powertrain option that somehow manages to be the best of both worlds.

In fact, this family hatchback is so good, we crowned it our Best Medium Family Car in the Parkers New Car Awards 2024. Our testers love how simple the trim levels are, what good value it offers and its talented hybrid engine. It dispenses with a transmission altogether, instead, for much of the time the engine acts solely as a generator, charging the batteries to power the electric motor. And don’t think it’s all tech. The interior rivals anything from its European contemporaries, with particular care bestowed upon the main touch points such as the heating controls and steering wheel.

As hybrid rivals go, the Toyota Corolla is a tough act to follow, and plug-in hybrid versions of the VW Golf or Peugeot 308 provide an extra layer of electrification too. If you want a fire breathing 329hp model, there’s also the Honda Civic Type R.

What is it?

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The Honda Civic name goes back over 50 years and in that time this family hatchback has grown considerably in size and desirability. Now, almost resembling a saloon in profile it majors on excellent ride and handling credentials, as well as a high-quality and smartly designed interior. 

It’s also a great car to look at if you want a straightforward range of engine choices. There’s only one on offer, but it’s a good one. A 2.0-litre hybrid petrol with 184hp and 315Nm of torque, it’s got plenty of performance and the convenience of a standard-fit e-CVT automatic transmission.

Note that, despite having hybrid in the name, the Civic does not need plugging in – all the efficiency benefits are down to a small onboard battery that takes charge from the engine.

Whichever trim level you opt for, the Honda Civic gets an excellent interior, but depending on how much standard equipment you’re after it’s worth picking the spec carefully. 

Entry-level Elegance still gets goodies like heated front seats and wireless Apple CarPlay, while upgrading to Sport nabs privacy glass and a heated leather steering wheel (plus much more). Finally, top-spec Advance sees a Premium 12-speaker Bose sound system, adaptive high-beam and a panoramic glass roof as standard.

Keep reading to find out what we think of the new Honda Civic’s interior, practicality and engines. We’ll tell you what it’s like to drive and how much it’ll cost, what it’s like to run over an extended period, and, of course, whether you should go out and buy one. If you’d like to find out exactly how we tested the Honda Civic, head over to our how we test cars page.