Honda Civic 2.0 i-MMD e-CVT Advance

With the promise of long-haul economy, this hybrid family car seems a good fit for a lengthy commute

- Chris Haining

YEARS AGO, WHEN Hadrian's Wall was still under warranty, I passed my driving test in a 1994 Honda Civic. I remember it fondly, aside from one thing: it didn't have a rev counter, so when practising three-point turns as a learner driver - I had to train my ears to detect when a stall was imminent. Today's Civic, though, is a hell of a lot more sophisticated.

Not for nothing did we declare it our Family Car of the Year at the 2023 What Car? Awards. We called it well equipped, economical and great to drive, and that's pretty much a full house on my 'what I want from a car' bingo card. And better still, now that it's been around for a year, there are savings to be made if you buy a nearly new example via the What Car? Used Car Buying service.

In fact, buying this way makes particular sense with a Civic; with only one engine offered and no long options list to pick from, your choice is limited to colour and trim level (entry-level Sport or high-spec Advance), so you're almost as likely to get the exact spec you're after in ex-demo form as if it were built to order. And I'd probably order one just like the one-year-old example that graces my drive right now. It's in Advance trim with Sonic Grey Pearl paint - an understated colour that adds nothing to the £34,650 purchase price. It hides road dirt quite well, too.