First drive - Honda Civic 1.5 Sport

engaging chassis it makes for a really enjoyable car to throw around some twisty roads. It’ll even return 46.3mpg.

Both engines are available with either a six-speed manual or a CVT auto transmission that “simulates” seven gears. Unless you’re a masochist, go for the manual.

The different characteristics of the two engines are clearly defined in the different grades of the car. The 1.0-litre comes in familiar S, SE, SR and EX while the 1.5 wears Sport or Sport Plus. The larger engine can also be had in top of the range Prestige trim, which is a more luxury-leaning spec.

Equipment-wise the big news is that the Honda Sensing suite of safety features is standard across the range. The package offers a host of advanced technology including adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition with linked speed limiter, lane keep assist, forward collision warning and collision mitigation braking.

As with the previous model, the Civic’s cabin is spacious and drivers of all shapes and sizes should be able to get comfortable easily. Where it really steals a march on many rivals, however, is behind the front seats. The ninth generation’s already impressive rear legroom has been improved further and the Civic is among the roomiest cars in its class. Headroom too is decent, despite the sloping roof.

The boot, likewise, is unmatched in the segment, with 478 litres It lacks some of the fancy storage solutions found in other cars but is a good, wide space that’s easy to access thanks to a wide tailgate. There’s also a useful concealed space beneath the boot floor, although the Sport’s central-exit exhaust eats into this space.

While rivals can’t match the Civic’s cabin for space, it’s the other way round when it comes to quality. Many Far Eastern rivals have made big strides in the standard of materials and layout recently but the Civic hasn’t matched them. The layout is clear and the switchgear is sensibly arranged but the plastics from the dashboard down are a clear step behind most cars in the segment. It’s not the end of the world but when so much time has been spent on the mechanical side of things, it feels like the interior has been a last-minute job.

While we’re being unkind, we need to talk about the looks. Beauty is said to be in the eye of the beholder but I’m afraid I struggle with the new Civic’s appearance. It’s better in the metal than in pictures and certainly exudes the sporty image Honda is going for but the front end in particular with its strange jutting plastic strip across the centre of the grille is challenging. The rear lines of the hatch are also confused and the Civic is one of the rare cars where the four-door saloon (which the UK won’t get) is better looking than the hatchback.

Subjective styling and some below-par plastics aside, there is plenty to like about the latest Civic. It’s spacious and well-equipped and, while many rivals struggle to engage the driver, the Civic is really enjoyable to drive, especially in 1.5 manual guise.