CREATURE COMFORTS

Sean O'Grady finds himself mysteriously drawn to this new iteration of a trustworthy, if old-fashioned, motoring legend

- Sean O'Grady

So here’s a car that you can really covet: the Honda Civic.

I know. Unlikely. It’s not a supercar. It’s not a “premium” brand. It’s not a still-fashionable SUV or a crossover, but a straightforward five-door, five-seater hatch. It’s pretty much no longer even got its high performance Type R variant as a “halo” model, driven off the market by the emissions regulations (understandable but regrettable - you may still be able to lay your hands on a future classic). And, well, it's a Honda Civic, which inevitably means it's associated with an older, more sedate sort of motoring clientele. People such as me, in fact.

The styling has been recently updated and the interior materials improved, and it's an obviously well-built machine - but tastefully stylish rather than modish and hi-tech like, say, the latest kit coming in from China and the likes of BYD.

So why covet a Civic? Because it's a joy to drive. It's simply one of the nicest, smoothest and most beautifully handling models I've had the pleasure of piloting in some time, and it's another huge tribute to the expertise of the Honda engineering team. As with most of the other models in the Honda range, they've created a distinctive approach to their standard hybrid powertrain, blending the optimal mix of petrol engine, battery pack and self-charging regeneration to give an equally ideal mix of economy and performance.