Love it or hate it - you won’t be indifferent

A sporty profile with lots of sharp creases and angles, writes Julie Marshall.

They have a job to do and they do it well without attracting too much attention.

The Honda Civic, however, has always been just that little bit different.

The profile is sporty with lots of sharp creases and angles and a sloping rear end that marks it out from the others in the class. It’s a look you’ll either love or hate, but you certainly won’t be indifferent.

The Sport Line we tested has lower skirts, diffuser and a striking low-level spoiler at the back - taking its inspiration from the mighty Type-R.

This, the 10th generation Civic was launched as long ago as 2017 but there have been some minor cosmetic touches and a few tweaks in the intervening years.

Externally, these include revised bumper vents and grilles and new LED headlights in 2019 and a refresh for the 2020 model.

There have also been a few changes to the infotainment system, which, in previous models, came in for a bit of flack for the fiddly controls and slow response time. Chief among these are buttons for the climate control and stereo which caused particular consternation.

Having said that you’ll probably find yourself using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto most of the time. This comes as standard in SR trim and above.

There are three petrol and one diesel engine. We tested the smallest petrol engine, a one-litre turbocharged powerplant packing 125bhp.

It’s remarkably good and pulls really well - especially in the lower revs. The 0-62mph dash is accomplished in 11.2 seconds going on to a top speed of 126mph.

The interior is well put together with quality materials used throughout: the textured panels adding a touch of class. The driving position is a bit lower than I like but the seats are comfortable and there is plenty of adjustment, so should suit most drivers.

Life in the back is not so rosy. The coupe-like styling impinges on headroom and the small sloping windows do make it a bit claustrophobic.

The styling also restricts rear visibility though there are no such problems in the front.

All trim levels come with front and rear parking sensors as standard and SR and above get a rear parking camera, which is a welcome bonus and will make parking easier and safer.

In fact, the Civic is very well kitted out indeed. Entry-level SE has climate control, 16in alloys, electronic parking brake, steering wheel controls, autolarly impressive though is the great range of safety aids fitted to all models - some of which you’d usually only get in much more prestigious motors.

Chief among them are collision mitigation braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, lanekeeping assist and traffic recognition.

Step up to SR and you add, among others, dual-zone climate control, automatic wipers, halogen front fog lights, ambient interior lighting and Honda Connect: Garmin navigation, two USB ports, DAB radio and internet browsing.

Top of the range EX (as tested) has heated front seats, smart entry and start, a smart leather interior. upgraded stereo, heated front and rear seats and extra safety kit, including cross-traffic monitor and blindspot warning.

The stiff chassis of the Civic makes for an engaging ride and the steering gives plenty of feedback when cornering.

Prices start at £19,870 with the EX Sport Line manual we tested coming in at £25,510.