The Honda Civic 2.0 i-MMD Advance is a mid-size family hatchback. Its nearest competitor might be a Mazda 3, or similar. I take it for a road test to Guernsey, where it tackles the challenges of getting on to the Condor Ferries Voyager catamaran, as well as pootling along narrow country lanes. Taking it on the M27 motorway from Hampshire down into Dorset allows us to travel at up to 70mph if we’re lucky, the automatic box making light work of the journey. There are also paddleshifts for more entertaining driving. I discover that there are different driving modes too: economy, normal, individual and sport, and that in individual, it is possible to adjust things like the steering and powertrain if you wish, tailoring the car more to the driver’s requirements, which is a nice touch and enhances that all -important driving experience.
When in sports mode, there is a hearty roar from the exhaust when the accelerator is fully pressed down. It raises a smile. “Go on, do it again Dad,” urges Henry (9). Some tailgaters get short shrift and give up, only to undertake in a traffic jam. There’s some pretty awful driving out there.
Arriving in Guernsey, motorists seem to be more amenable and of a better temperament. It is necessary to drive with extra care due to strict speed limits rarely exceeding 35mph, and there are some very challenging roads. The sat nav insists on directing us down the most awkward of these; single lane roads where there are stone walls on either side, and sometimes large stones protrude from the edge of the road, making it even more difficult to manoeuvre. It’s no surprise that there are quite a few damaged cars about, and yet we see a good number of large luxury vehicles. How on earth do the chauffeurs manage? We find ourselves down one road that is so narrow that, when we realise we’ve gone wrong, we can’t actually get out of the situation and so just have to continue with extreme caution. Eventually, a local helps us to find our destination. Unfortunately, not all the roads are listed on the sat nav, and we find that following a traditional map is more reliable.
The Civic is a comfortable car with supportive leather seats and a good driving position. The suspension is pretty hard, and this sports car is quite low to the ground, which I do enjoy. There are no complaints from my temperamental rear passengers either, and there’s a good-sized boot for our luggage.
We like the honeycomb pattern on the dashboard and the front grille, which reminds us of the importance of bees – how nature inspires design. There’s rear privacy glass. The good-sized electric glass sunroof makes the black cabin a lot lighter, and when the weather allows, I drive with the sunroof open. Externally, the metallic red Honda, with its smattering of chrome around the windows, striking black grille and black alloy wheels, really does look the part.
We like it a lot!
Facts at a glance:
Price: £39,720
0 to 60mph: 8.1secs
Top speed: 112mph
Economy: 67mpg
CO2 emissions: 114 g/km
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