Honda Civic 1.6 I-DTEC Sport
Years: 2011 to 2017 Engine: 1.6-litre 4cyl, 118bhp Ins grp: 15 Official econ/co2: 76.3mpg/98g/km Why? The Honda Civic looks more interesting than its Skoda rival, and has a great reliability record.
Prices from: £5,989
THE Honda Civic is a household name. First shown to the world in 1973, the car has enjoyed huge success over the years, thanks to its stand-out styling, bulletproof reliability and uniquely practical interior. This is the ninth-generation model, with an all-new Civic due in showrooms very soon.
It’s nearly 30cm shorter than the Octavia, but there’s only 5cm difference in wheelbase between the two models. However, it’s clear that Honda has sacrificed the size of the back doors in pursuit of sporty styling, as they make access to the rear seats harder.
The Honda’s 477-litre boot has extra space under the false floor, which you can remove to load taller items under the parcel shelf.
Honda has a strong reputation for building reliable cars, and the Civic is unlikely to let you down. In our Driver Power 2016 satisfaction survey, it ranked 40th out of 150 cars. Owners rated the Honda’s practicality and running costs highly, and also praised its reliability.
Honda Civic ★★★★★
WHILE the Civic is decent value, there are too many compromises to be made for it to secure victory here. Back seat space isn’t great, and the driving experience is a bit of a letdown next to the Skoda’s.