Honda Civic

FIRST DRIVE We find out how the refreshed version of Japanese brand's long-running family hatchback shapes up against rivals

- Alex Ingram [e-mail]

HONDA has revised its Civic hatchback for 2025. We rated the current model so highly on its launch that we named it our Affordable Hybrid of the Year in the 2023 Auto Express New Car Awards, and the 11th generation of the popular hatchback is still going strong. Even so, we often wonder if the Civic deserves more success in the UK than it is getting. This update, then, is the perfect time to remind ourselves of where it stands in the family-car pecking order, against the likes of the Skoda Octavia, Volkswagen Golf and Toyota Corolla.

The Civic’s understated exterior lines have been given a subtle tweak that’s most noticeable at the front. A key to the change is the car’s improved LED lighting tech; this has allowed the foglights to be moved from their former place in the bumper and into the main headlamp units. As a result, the redesigned nose gets clean character lines on either side of the redesigned, wider air intake, which curves up around the sides of the front end and blends into the wheelarches.

Above that, the grille is slightly smaller and less fussy than before, although the plastic trims that fill the space that the larger grille previously occupied look a little like an afterthought if your gaze lingers on them for too long. Overall, though, the design changes are subtle, but contribute to a tidier look.

Elsewhere, the exterior is largely unaltered, with the details making the difference. These include a new design of 18-inch alloy wheel - painted grey on top-spec Advance trim, and Black on Sport models - although we reckon the sharper rims on the pre-facelift model looked sportier and suited the Civic a little better.