Used Honda Civic Hatchback 2006 - 2012 review

When you consider that the Honda Civic is a rival to the Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra et al, credit should be given to its designers for making it look genuinely distinctive. That’s especially the case when you remember that until the launch of this eighth-generation car in 2006 the Civic had gained a reputation for being safe and steady rather than interesting or edgy.

No such danger with this particular car, which looks just as adventurous on the inside as it does on the outside. There’s a whiff of form above function in elements such as the layered instruments (some drivers will find their view of the speedo is blocked by the steering wheel) and mass of buttons on the steering wheel, but at least it could never be described as boring.

There’s a good amount of space in the front, including plenty of in-car storage, but those in the back seats will find headroom and legroom are tighter than in a VW Golf and the small rear windows also make it feels somewhat claustrophobic, as well as restricting visibility for the driver.

The rear seats are usefully practical though, not only having seatbacks that fold down but also bases that flip up like a cinema seat to create a deep load bay that’s ideal for carrying tall items.

Combined with a boot that is considerably larger than you’ll find in the majority of family cars it makes the Civic very practical, particularly in five-door form.

It’s a shame therefore that the ride is noticeably firm both at town speeds and on the motorway (models built post-2009 were a little softer, but not hugely so), and that there’s a fair bit of tyre noise to endure too. It’s not even as though the hard ride gives the Civic a particularly sporty feel either, although the steering is pleasingly direct.

The engine line-up for this British-built car starts with an 83bhp 1.4-litre i-DSI petrol, but most will find the 138bhp 1.8-litre petrol or 139bhp 2.2-litre diesel more agreeable companions on account of their additional power. From 2007 Honda also sold a sportier Civic Type S, and from 2008 there was the high-revving Type R with 197bhp, which was flawed but fun. At the more frugal end of the spectrum Honda offered a hybrid Civic in saloon form only, but it was never terribly popular.

All manual Civics come with six gears. If you’d prefer an automatic it’s best to look at a post-2009 facelift 1.8-litre model when the jerky i-Shift gearbox was swapped for a smoother torque converter. At the same time a perkier 100bhp 1.4-litre litre i-VTEC petrol engine took over as the entry-level model.

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At the bottom end of the market for Civics of this generation, high-mileage and repaired write-offs are firmly in bargain basement territory at comfortably under £1000. Ideally though you’ll want to at least double that figure for a car with less than 100,000 miles on the clock and a decent level of specification. Prices for the Hybrid start at £3000, or for the same amount you can pick up a 2006 petrol or diesel example with less than 70,000 miles showing, while Type Rs start from about £4000.

Unsurprisingly, it’s the Type R that also occupies the top end of the Civic market, with low-mileage examples of the limited-edition Mugen model still being advertised for as much as £16,000.

Regardless of which version of the 1.4-litre petrol engine you opt for, you can expect close to 45mpg in normal driving. The 1.8-litre engine is faster but also thirstier at about 40mpg, while the 2.2-litre diesel will average close to 50mpg.

Tax costs for the hybrid are negligible, but the conventional Civic is more expensive. The 1.4-litre petrol or 2.2-litre diesel cost from £135 per year, while the 1.8-litre petrol is between £190 and £220. The 2.0-litre Type R costs £305 per year in road tax.

Servicing is required every 12 months and costs from £160 for a petrol Civic or £180 for a diesel, while the Type R is £260. All engines use a chain driven camshaft, so there are no costly timing belt changes to factor in.

For power, smoothness, reliability and real-world fuel economy the 1.8-litre i-VTEC engine has a lot going for it. In terms of specification, we’d avoid the entry-level S model which made do without air-con, alloy wheels or a CD player, and instead look at an SE which has all of these features as standard, or an ES which also adds dual-zone climate control, a panoramic glass roof and cruise control (top-spec EX models also include leather seats and what is now a fairly dated sat-nav).

The Sport model comes with larger alloys and upgraded styling, but isn’t any sharper to drive. For that you’ll need either a Type S or the Type R, both of which are three-door only and have an even firmer ride than other Civics on account of their sports suspension.

From 2009, Honda also offered the Civic in Si spec with different alloys, half-leather seats and a USB port so you can connect your music player. Last but not least was a Ti model inspired by Honda’s British Touring Car Championship with extras such as 17-inch alloy wheels and a Pioneer sat-nav system.

Our favourite Honda Civic: 1.8 i-VTEC ES

It’s hard to talk about this class of car without mentioning the Volkswagen Golf. That’s particularly the case here as the most direct rival for the Civic is the brilliant Mk5, which offers a smoother ride than the Honda and more space for rear passengers.

The Ford Focus remains the driver’s choice thanks to its entertaining handling and responsive steering, or if you like the amount of space on offer in the Civic but would prefer a smoother ride don’t rule out the Skoda Octavia.

If the idea of the hybrid Civic appeals meanwhile make sure you test drive the more popular Toyota Auris Hybrid as well.

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