The dilemma

Elaine’s 2006 Honda Civic sedan is creeping towards the 180,000km mark and she’s ready to move onto a fresh replacement. She wants a hatch this time around and is keen to tap into some of the safety and luxury advances of the last decade, too. Another Civic is her easy option, or should she be looking at something else?

The budget

About $30,000

The shortlist

The new Civic is the best, most competitive effort from the franchise in many a moon, so Elaine could do worse than just stay on the Honda horse.

2017, however, is turning out to be a vintage year for the small-car buyer. It’s not just a new hatch version of the current-gen Civic on offer but a totally fresh Subaru Impreza, Holden Astra and Hyundai i30, plus a revised Volkswagen Golf. All have shown themselves to be exceptionally proficient examples of the small-car breed.

So while the new Civic is a worthy choice, it might be wise to at least try some other options on for size. Here are the two we’d be checking out.

Honda Civic VTi-L hatch, from $27,790

The new Civic, like any car, isn’t flawless but a $30k budget helps you avoid one prominent negative, its mediocre entry-level 1.8-litre petrol engine.

Instead, this third-tier model gets a 1.5-litre turbo with strong performance, easygoing driveability and great economy (6.1L/100km).

The VTi-L delivers plenty of the spec/tech advances Elaine is looking for, from its reversing camera to its Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration and digital radio. It’s roomy, has a big boot (414 litres) and has no significant on-road nasties. A five-year factory warranty is another plus.

But the Civic’s CVT gearbox knocks the edge off its off-the-line performance, so it doesn’t always feel as strong as it should. Some other cars are sharper, more enthralling to drive.

If you want sat-nav or safety tech such as autonomous emergency braking, you’ll need to shell out on the topline $33,590 VTi-LX.

Read Drive’s Honda Civic reviews:

Honda Civic hatch 
Road test comparison: Small hatches

Hyundai i30 SR, from $25,950

This Hyundai, not unexpectedly for the brand, has some big value and ownership tempters.

It has the same five-year warranty as the Honda but a longer fixed-priced servicing deal (lifetime versus five years/100,000km) and more convenient intervals (yearly/15,000km versus yearly/10,000km).

It matches the Civic’s headline features noted above but also gets sat-nav, autonomous emergency braking and other safety aids, balancing the fact it costs a little more when equipped with the auto gearbox the Honda gets standard ($28,950).

Less expectedly, the SR – with its 1.6-litre turbo engine and Australian-tuned suspension setup – is a gutsy performer with some of the most agile, poised road manners in the small-car class.

Its roomy cabin and 395-litre boot mean it’s practical, too, even if it can’t quite match the Honda’a benchmark space.

But the SR’s performance advantage is balanced by this group’s biggest thirst (7.5L/100km). While its cabin looks and feels great, its touchy-feely qualities don’t run quite as deep as its Japanese rival's.

Read Drive’s Hyundai i30 reviews:

Road test: Hyundai i30 Active 
She says, he says: Hyundai i30 Premium 
Road test comparison: Small hatches 

Subaru Impreza 2.0i-S hatch, from $29,190

This Subaru’s non-turbo 2.0-litre petrol engine serves up this group’s least snappy performance and isn’t remarkably economical (7.2L/100km).

It has this group’s shortest warranty (three years) and fixed-price servicing deals (three years/37,500km), and smallest boot (345 litres).

But the Impreza fights back with some of the most fluent, supple and refined road manners of any small car on the road.

Its cabin is roomy, user-friendly and looks and feels like a high-quality piece. In 2.0i-S form it packs heaps of kit, including sat-nav, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and this group’s only heated seats.

Auto emergency braking and other driver aids are part of its comprehensive safety artillery, and it splits its rivals for servicing convenience (it asks for yearly/12,500km attention).

Read Drive’s Subaru Impreza reviews:

Road test: Subaru Impreza 2.0i-S
Road test comparison: Small hatches  
Road test comparison: Small hatches 

Drive recommends

All of our contenders here are clearly worth buying but the Civic and Impreza do come with some prominent question marks.

In the case of the former it’s a safety artillery that doesn’t quite hit the spot. In the case of the latter it’s a mildly disappointing drivetrain and sub-benchmark warranty/servicing deals.

The i30’s average fuel economy means it doesn’t get through this process unscathed, either. But in getting pretty much everything else right, from its value, ownership and safety to its thoroughly competitive performance, driving and practicality, it’s hard to say it isn’t the best, most rounded contender here and the most deserved of Elaine’s dollars.