It’s been another fantastic 12 months for the Civic, which holds on to its compact family car title. The passage of time has done little to dull the Honda’s visual appeal – it still looks like nothing else on the road – and the recent arrival of a three-door version has given the range an even sportier edge.

However, the Civic is more than just a sharp suit – there’s serious substance beneath those futuristic lines. Take the cabin, for example. Look around and you get the feeling that the designers started from a completely clean sheet of paper, rather than working out a way of improving the old car.