New Civic will change minds

Perhaps my experience with the Civic 5dr is best summed up by a brief exchange with a friend on the lookout for a new car.

I happened to have the Civic parked about 60 yards away when we met in town. I suggested he take a look.

Ho-hum, he said. Why should he be bothered? He'd had a Civic 5dr a few years back and wasn't interested.

No, he was looking for something larger and roomier than he perceived the new Honda 5dr Civic to be. Something tasty, neat and roomy for himself, wife and two children.

Have a look, I said for the last time.

Ten minutes later he was back.

He had no idea it was like that. He'd sat, twisted, and turned in it - did everything except drive it.

I suspect he has one bought as you read this.

I think a lot of people are going to be similarly surprised. It is a different sort of car altogether. Don't think of a neat hatchback in the traditional Civic mode. Think sleek, sort-of-tallish, long hatchback with an unusual design that blurs the lines between mid-size MPV and nifty estate.

A long way from our traditional Civic perceptions.

The interior emphasises this even more than the outside profile: a large, airy cabin, loads of space both laterally (elbow/shoulder room) and vertically (almost excessive headroom).
Seats are broad, strong and supportive with, the female passengers noted, one of the best mixtures of hard wearing and stylish upholstery texture they'd come across.

Helping create space and continue the MPV link is the gear handle positioning - to the left and at the bottom of the dash. It is the most natural gear-change position I've found in a long time. As well as that it leaves the entire front-floor area clutter free. The only thing I missed was a left-side armrest (getting old and lazy) but of course this would have robbed the entire exercise of the space it generated. Maybe they could devise a way.

The headroom is obvious. You open the door and you are aware of it immediately. It takes a little longer to absorb the extent of other dimensions. I took a minute or two to get the driver's seat to my normal setting and then sat in behind it to see what rear space was like. In a 5dr medium family car this is usually tight but passable. I had inches to spare with the Civic. All rear seat passengers on test commented.

The only area in which Honda applied space with a medium rather than large brush was the boot. It is moderately sized and filled up surprisingly quickly with what was not our typical weekly shop. At the same time, there is good flexibility; the rear seats fold 60/40 and, frankly, I'd far rather have the cabin space.

Before driving it I reckoned the 1.4-litre engine would be challenged shifting this unorthodox body (the car's not mine) around.

But it develops 90bhp, which is fine for 1396cc, and the torque (pulling power) figures are good. That suggested an ability to cope well under load and cruise easily. And that is very much how it tuned out. Only I had not figured on it being quite as smooth and pleasant a little powerplant. For a 1.4-litre (1396cc) it was refined, free-revving and quiet even under heavy load.

The only reservation I had was the slight but noticeable inability of the suspension system to better blot out the impact of fairly mundane (for Irish roads) ruts and crevices. The sudden contrast coming off motorway standard surfaces onto neglected byways first brought this to my attention.

Another thing I noticed was the electric power steering. This is light and easy to use, and saves an estimated 2-3% fuel compared with conventional hydraulic systems. But you need to get used to feeling the steering a tad heavy and flat for a moment when in near-stationary parking situations. One of the spin-off benefits of the space is clear visibility out back, something you cherish when parking.

I also liked the driving position. I found it suited me. My passengers, as I've said, liked the seating. This is an area often neglected in reviews where the emphasis can be on performance, looks etc. But if you have to sit in something for three hours non-stop it should be comfortable. I usually have an extensive jury to choose from on such matters and, in this case, they were unanimous in their favourable verdict.

They were not as easily pleased with what to me seemed a piffling criticism. Cupholders. Couldn't find one worthy of the name, they said, except for the one on the dash for the driver. Deep slots, which I took to be intended as cupholders, were dismissed as inadequate, awkward and in the three-tier door pockets not that easily accessed.

The remaining major element of this test is price. To be honest £15,379 ex-works for a mid-size family car looks a bit steep.

But then I started to compute. I had to take size (I reckon there's as much useable space as many a traditional family/fleet car) into account.

But, then I had to look at equipment. This has air conditioning as standard. It also has electric/heated mirrors, anti-lock brakes, electric front windows, a CD player as well as driver, front passenger and side airbags. These things add up and would come up the specification/cost scale on many cars.

Take all that into the reckoning and this car looks much better priced.
Ultimately, however, there is no point in driving a car you feel is good value but don't like.
I must say I was even more favourably disposed after doing the figures but I always liked it. I'll go so far as to say I think it is the best Honda in this class I've driven.