2017 Honda Civic hatch first drive review

Honda makes bold claims about the 10th generation Civic hatch.

According to the brand, this is "truly the sportiest Civic ever" and a "benchmark for the small car segment" in key areas such as safety, efficiency and driving performance.

The Civic is a pillar of Honda's global line-up, taking on cars such as Toyota's Corolla, the Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus, Mazda3 and Hyundai i30.

Honda's latest model arrived in sedan form in June 2016, almost 12 months before the brand's five-door liftback hit local shores.

It's a big deal for the Japanese car maker, a clean-sheet design offering more space than any of its predecessors, along with distinctly edgy styling proving reasonably popular among Australian motorists.

Like the sedan, the Civic hatch range unfolds across five different models ranging from the $22,390 VTi to the top-end, $33,590 VTi-LX.

All models feature a reversing camera, automatic transmission and touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay as standard.

Buyers keen to spice up the Civic's looks can opt for optional "Black Pack" or "Orange Edition" packages that include alloy wheels, a lower body kit and coloured vinyl elements that make the car look genuinely sporty.

The major omission here surrounds active driver aids such as autonomous emergency braking, which are part of a "Honda Sensing" suite only available on the top VTi-LX model.

Honda's marketing material promotes "safety above all" for the new Civic, but that feels blatantly incorrect as key rivals offer active driver aids either as standard, or an option across the majority of models.

Somehow, the orange stickers got approval as an option pack while lifesaving technology was left on the shelf, a product planning decision we would hardly describe as a "benchmark for the small car segment".

Honda made a couple of tweaks to the hatch's interior compared to the sedan, building on its purposeful styling with black roof lining and charcoal cabin trim that contribute to the sporty mood.

The Civic has an excellent driving position with a wide envelope for adjustment to the seat and steering wheel that allow drivers in a variety of sizes to get comfortable.

We like the digital driver's display and 7-inch infotainment screen, even if the USB connection point is hidden behind the main dashboard somewhere near your knee. There is plenty of room in the cabin, which isn't surprising as it was not long ago a Honda this size would wear an Accord badge.

The Civic is home to a cavernous boot as well as ample legroom in both front and back, and plenty of storage spots throughout the cabin.

Interestingly, the manufacturer has dropped a clever if unintuitive steering wheel-mounted swipe control for stereo volume in favour of more conventional buttons.

Expect a physical volume knob to arrive as part of a planned update, as plenty of customers have expressed frustration with non-tactile controls printed on the touchscreen's glossy surrounds.

Australia's Civic offers a choice of two engines, starting with a naturally aspirated 1.8-litre unit that uses 6.4L/100km to make 104kW and 174Nm in the entry-level VTi and VTi-S.

It's an honest if unremarkable engine that offers adequate performance around town and sub-par thrust on country roads, where the motor must rev well beyond 4000rpm before peak twist arrives.

The turbocharged 1.5-litre engine in higher-grade models is a much better bet, using just 6.1L/100km of petrol to produce healthier 127kW and 220Nm outputs.

Those numbers don't relay the effortless nature of a turbo motor which serves up peak torque from just 1700rpm, much sooner than its sibling.

It's also a better bet on the road, feeling stronger if a little numb at highway speeds, hampered somewhat by Honda's decision to equip the Civic with a CVT transmission that lets the side down.

Honda's assertion that the Civic represents a fuel efficiency benchmark are refuted by the entry-level Toyota Corolla, which matches its 6.1L/100km claim, as well as the Volkswagen Golf (5.4L/100km), Holden Astra, Ford Focus and Mazda3 (5.8L/100km) which better its efforts.

While we're at it, it's time to call out Honda's position that this is the "sportiest Civic ever".

To name just one, it's nowhere near as engaging as the sixth-generation Civic VTi-R hatch of the late 1990s with its shrieking naturally aspirated engine, outstanding manual gear shift and lightweight, agile dynamics.

This new Civic is good but not great to drive, with an excellent ride and satisfactory body control blunted by a chassis that lacks the precision found in key rivals such as the Ford Focus.

It's the grown-up Civic, one that trades driver engagement for everyday usability and practicality.

We spent the majority of time at launch behind the wheel of the Civic RS, a cosmetically sporting model that offers Civic Type R-inspired bodywork, megaphone exhausts and a red badge with zero additional performance over regular Civic models. It feels as though Honda is cynically trading on the heritage of performance models such as Ford's Focus RS without delivering on the its visual promise.

The Civic is a polished machine that deserves to do well in Australia. Worthy of a place on the small car buyer's shopping list, it is not the standard by which other small cars are measured.

2017 Honda Civic Hatch pricing and specifications:

Civic VTi          $22,390

Civic VTi-S      $24,490

Civic VTi-L      $27,790

Civic RS          $32,390

Civic VTi-LX    $33,590

Engines: 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol or 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol

Power: 104kW at 6500rpm or 127kW at 5500rpm

Torque: 174Nm at 4300rpm or 220Nm at 1700-5500rpm

Transmission: CVT automatic, front-wheel-drive

Fuel use: 6.4L/100km or 6.1L/100km

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