HONDA CIVIC

Buyers shopping for a hatchback are spoilt for choice, but the new Civic stands out from the crowd, thanks to its striking design, practical touches and well-built interior. It’s spacious, with comfortable seats, and the boot – with its wide opening – is larger than those of most of the competition. A parcel shelf retracts to the side when you don’t need it, while the infotainment system syncs to a smartphone.

The Civic scores highly when it comes to safety, too; all models are fitted with automatic braking, which senses if you’re about to have an impact, along with technology to help you stay in lane, a system that displays road-sign information on the dashboard and cruise control to help regulate your speed. The manual gearbox is light and smooth and the steering responds well, so it’s

a great car for nipping around in. Its 1.0-litre petrol engine offers a good balance between performance and economy.

Honda is one of the most reliable car makers out there and scores particularly well in owner surveys. You can’t put a price on peace of mind and that’s certainly what you will get with the Civic.

From £18,375