Honda Civic - Pictures

The Honda is extremely quiet, but not quite as relaxing to drive as the Peugeot. Although the Civic has a vastly superior drivetrain and is more agile and better balanced, the ride can’t quite take the edge off coarse roads.

You have to watch your left leg on the right corner of the curvy dash when getting in and out, but once you’re at the wheel, there’s a coupé-like feel. The ergonomics take some getting used to, but the cabin is very

The large tailgate opens to reveal a huge 485-litre load bay. But it’s not just big – it’s clever, too. The floor level can be lowered, and the rear seats drop completely flat or can be lifted up to leave a tall secon

It doesn’t have the same low-down thrust as the Fiat, but the Civic 1.8 has arguably the best engine and drivetrain combination in the class. It’s clean, efficient, remarkably quiet and performs very well.

There aren’t many drawbacks to living with the Civic, but the biggest one has to be the limited view out the back. Thick C-pillars and the bar across the tailgate make it hard to see what’s behind you.