The last few generations haven’t been memorable, but with the 2016 Honda Civic, the Japanese brand have struck a winner.
That’s the case visually, at least – the Civic is the most striking car among the crop of small cars.
Most people shopping for a small car end up buying a Mazda 3, Toyota Corolla, or Hyundai i30. Should they buying a Civic instead?
That question depends on how much you’ve got to spend, because there is a marked difference in the technology between the low and high ends of the range.
For our first, early look at the Civic we borrowed the $22,390 VTi base model, which keeps the 1.8-litre petrol from the old generation.
While the value is unquestionably very sharp – and there are many good things to mention, including the excellent interior and low ownership costs – that engine is getting on.
But if you can step up to the $27,790 VTi-L model – or anything higher than that – you’ll get Honda’s new 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine, which is significantly better.
That’s only really relevant if you like driving, though, and as a runabout, there’s little to fault about the package offered by the base model.
It’s comfortable inside, offers technology like Apple CarPlay, and is quiet and easy to drive – exactly what most people want.
And there’s the fact that, at long last, it looks great. The Honda Civic is interesting and different, which is what the small car segment really needed.
Thanks to our friends at Collins Honda in Sydney’s Rockdale for lending us the Civic.