Honda HR-V CVT automatic

Having already tested the diesel HR-V, we were a bit underwhelmed by this 1.5-litre petrol model. The hindrance of the CVT gearbox and thrashy engine make it a rather unrefined and sluggish way of getting around. However, if you avoid this drivetrain combination, the HR-V is a solid all-rounder – yet it still lacks any real flair. The car handles and rides admirably, plus the sheer size of the boot and flexibility of the rear seating will appeal to growing families.

Honda has history when it comes to compact SUVs. It was back in 1999 when the boxy original Honda HR-V first arrived on the scene, and following almost a 10-year absence from the market, the Mk2 crossover has finally touched down in the UK.

Like its predecessor, the new HR-V is also based on a supermini – the Jazz – but Honda’s clever packaging means that while this is one of the smaller crossovers, it’s also one of the most spacious. It challenges the Nissan Juke on size yet is priced like the larger Qashqai, which it’s closer to in terms of practicality. The 470-litre boot actually trumps the Qashqai’s capacity by 40 litres.

Prices kick off at just under £18,000 and rise to £24,945. There are four trim levels to choose from and two engines available – one petrol and one diesel – while front-wheel drive is the only option for now. The 128bhp 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol tested here is an all-new engine. It’s paired with a six-speed manual box as standard, yet our test car is fitted with the £1,100 optional CVT auto.

As is the way with most CVT transmissions, you have to keep your foot pinned to the floor to make good progress, which brings a raucous and intrusive drone from the engine. The sprint from 0-62mph takes a sluggish 11.4 seconds, but once up to speed, the engine settles to a muted hum.

From there, the HR-V neither excels nor disappoints. The ride has a supple edge to it and takes imperfections in its stride, while the steering is light yet accurate and responsive overall. As the crossover isn’t as tall as some rivals, it has a lower centre of gravity and doesn’t lean excessively in corners. Instead, the good body control means that it always remains poised. Add in the lower driving position, and it can often feel like you’re driving a hatchback.

Honda’s intentions of crafting a touch-sensitive, minimalist cabin are obvious, but the execution isn’t quite up to class calibre. The seven-inch touchscreen – standard on top-spec EX models – is largely intuitive to use, but the Garmin sat-nav’s graphics look a little dated.

Rear legroom is good, with the Jazz’s clever folding Magic Seats fitted, yet headroom is tight due to the plunging roofline, so seating three adults is tough – especially with the elevated middle seat. You’d undoubtedly get fewer complaints from those in the back of a Qashqai.

Key specs

• Price: £24,295
• Engine: 1.5-litre 4cyl petrol
• Power: 128bhp
• Transmission: CVT automatic, front-wheel drive
• 0-62mph: 11.4 seconds
• Top speed: 116mph
• Economy/CO2: 52.3mpg/125g/km
• On sale: Now

Honda Accord

 

The Honda Accord is a premium alternative to mainstream saloons. It's not the largest car in its class, but it's luxurious and well equipped.

Way back when, the Honda Accord was a serious alternative to compact executive saloons like the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class, thanks to its superb build, high-end interior and sleek styling. However, as its rivals have moved on, the Honda Accord has stood still somewhat and it's suffered in terms of efficiency and driver appeal.

As it's star has waned, the Honda Accord now sits somewhere between more mainstream saloons such as the Ford Mondeo, Vauxhall Insignia and Volkswagen Passat. The Honda Accord is available as either a Tourer saloon or estate, but there's no hatchback alternative unfortunately. Practicality isn't a strong point for the Honda Accord, either, with boot size and rear legroom failing to match that of its competitors.

The Honda Accord is available in four different trim levels - entry-level ES, ES GT, EX and top-of-the-range Type S. The Honda Accord isn't necessarily a high-achiever but it's definitely a decent all-rounder with tonnes of safety features and equipment. It offers lots of accessories and a strong driving experience too.

Our choice: Accord 2.2 i-DTEC ES 4dr.

The Honda Accord is starting to feel a bit long in the tooth when compared to some of its rivals. The design even comes off second best in comparison to other cars in the Honda range such as the latest Civic. Inside, though, the Honda Accord boasts superb build quality with lots of soft-touch plastics and solid-feeling switchgear.

The Honda Accord's interior is definitely more upmarket than that found in the Ford Mondeo or Vauxhall Insignia, so it's a shame the Accord lacks the badge appeal of a BMW, Audi or Mercedes.

The Honda Accord comes well specced irrespective of trim level, and it gets alloy wheels and cruise control as standard. However, if you want larger wheels and features such as Active Cornering Lights and a leather interior, you'll have to opt for top-spec Type S models, which are considerably more expensive than the entry level Honda Accord ES. On the plus side, though, the Honda Accord ES does get smart touches such as a leather steering wheel and gear knob, plus USB connectivity and cruise control.

The Honda Accord gets two petrol engines and one diesel unit in its range, and they all have pretty decent performance. The entry-level 2.0-litre i-VTEC petrol comes with 154bhp and is generally quite smooth, while 198bhp 2.4-litre i-VTEC is the quickest in the line-up thanks to a 0-62mph of 8.1 seconds.
The sole diesel unit, a 2.2-litre diesel, has 148bhp and it manages to reach 62mph in 9.4 seconds.

Overall, despite its 'cockpit' inspired cabin and snug driving position, the Honda Accord isn't as exciting to drive as the Ford Mondeo, but it does offer precise steering and minimal body roll.

In terms of safety, the Honda Accord is one of the safest cars in its class thanks to a top score of five-stars in the Euro NCAP crash safety tests. All models in the Honda Accord range get lots of safety equipment, including electronic stability control (ESP), six airbags and anti-whiplash front headrests all as standard. Meanwhile, optional extras include lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control.

The Honda Accord finished 31st in our 2014 Driver Power survey, which is impressive for a car that's definitely starting to feel a little outdated. Overall, owners praised the Honda Accord for its in-car tech, build quality and reliability.

The Honda Accord may look big, but step inside, and its size is deceptive. The saloon model gets a narrow boot and only has 497-litres of total boot space. Once again, this leaves the Honda Accord trailing most of its rivals. Those seeking more practicality might do well to consider the Honda Accord Tourer estate, which offers a maximum boot space of 1,183 litres.

All Honda Accord models come with 60:40 split/fold rear seats as standard, but passengers won't find as much rear legroom as you would in a Skoda Superb. One thing also lacking in the Honda Accord range is a hatchback alternative.

The Honda Accord seems off the pace in terms of economy and emissions when compared to the Ford Mondeo and Volkswagen Passat, which get ECOnetic and BlueMotion technology respectively as a way of reducing running costs.

Across the Honda Accord range, stop/start technology isn't available on any model, and both petrol versions offer poor fuel consumption at 40.9 mpg and 38.7mpg on their respective combined cycles. Their emissions are also high with 159/km for the 2.0-litre engine (this increases to 168g/km when it comes with the five-speed automatic gearbox), and 199g/km for the 2.4-litre. In automatic guise, the 2.4-litre model’s emissions drop slightly to 195g/km.

The 148bhp 2.2-litre i-DTEC diesel engine is our pick of the Honda Accord range. It's impressively refined, smooth and manages 53.3mpg (46.3mpg for the automatic) on its combined cycle, plus 138g/km of CO2 (159g/km for the auto).

In short, Honda definitely has a lot of catching up to do in this department, with most rivals offering stop-start or turbo petrol engine technology to boost their efficiency numbers.

New Honda HR-V 2015

 

The new HR-V is Honda's play for a piece of the lucrative compact crossover pie. How much will it get?

 

Forget the Civic Type R and NSX, it’s the HR-V and new Jazz that are the crucial new cars for Honda. Sitting somewhere between the Juke and Qashqai for space, the HR-V is a pricey compact crossover but it has a lot going for it – it’s good looking, well made, spacious and in diesel form offers wallet-friendly motoring. If the idea of owning a roomy car in a compact body and with the added peace-of-mind of Honda reliability appeals, the HR-V should be high on your list.

The NSX and Civic Type R may well be the cars whipping up some much needed excitement aropund the Honda brand at the moment, but the one that has the tough job of selling in large quantities to the average person on the street is the new HR-V.

The last time we saw these three letters glued to the tailgate of a Honda was on the quirky HR-V of 1999 - part estate, part hot hatch and part SUV. This time around it's something more conventional, albeit sitting between the established competition. It uses the same platform as the next-generation Jazz supermini, but with a length of 4,294mm it’s 159mm longer than a Nissan Juke. However, it has the interior space to rival the likes of the larger Nissan Qashqai rather than the Juke.

 
Honda has form here, though. Take its CR-V SUV – a clear rival for the Qashqai, Kia Sportage and Mazda CX-5, it’s noticeably larger with a roomier cabin. The HR-V then sits in the strange middle ground between Juke and Qashqai, Captur and Kadjar and CX-3 and CX-5. And with prices ranging from a sniff under £18,000 and rising to around £25,000 it's positioned neatly between these two markers.

The HR-V doesn’t follow the Tonka toy styling of the Jeep Renegade and nor does it play with cutesy lines like the Fiat 500X, instead it goes for a more high-riding sporty look. The combination of a rounded front, curved window area and arching roof line all give the HR-V a jacked-up coupe look, all helped by the pronounced crease running through the two side doors that meets up with the window line, and the hidden door handle on the two rear doors. 

To the rear there’s boomerang-like lights – but they’re only the real styling flourish on a back-end that boarders on being plain; the Mazda CX-3, Renault Captur and even larger crossovers like the Qashqai are more distinctive. Having said that, the HR-V is a world away from its larger brother’s awkward and boxy styling.

The bold outside look is continued onto the inside as well. The dashboard’s design is refreshingly upmarket – the fascia is angled towards the driver and the use of piano black trim gives the HR-V a sophisticated look. A high centre console gives a sporty feeling and the cabin has a number of nice design touches like the thin, stubby gearlever that feels really good in the palm of your hand, and a 3D-like speedowhich has an outer rim that not only can be personalised to the colour of your choice, but also glows depending upon how eco-friendly you’re driving. A quality-feeling leather wrapped steering feel is a nice touch, as are the climate controls that are housed in a classy touch-sensitive panel just under the seven-inch touchscreen.

It’s just a shame then that the upper part of the dash is made out of scratchy hard plastic and the sat nav system is out of step with the rest of the near-premium feeling cabin. SE Navi and top-spec EX models don’t use a bespoke Honda system and instead rely on a Garmin system. It’s relatively easy to use but its bright colours and clunky operation do not sit well with the Android-based infotainment’s other features such as the slick home menu that includes internet radio, MirrorLink, internet browsing and an assortment of apps which can be downloaded from the Honda Store. Aside from this, standard kit is good with even the entry level S model coming with 16-inch alloys, Bluetooth, climate control, cruise control, front and rear parking sensors and heated door mirrors.

The HR-V’s interior space will be enough to sway a lot of buyers, though. Up front it’s easy to get a good driving position thanks to plenty of steering wheel and seat adjustment, and despite there being a high centre console separating the driver from the front seat passenger, it feels spacious. A large cubby hole in the centre console with clever pop-out dividers allow you to store drinks and other oddments is a nice touch and so too is a large area under the centre console. Here you’ll find USB and HDMI jacks to charge your phone, and as it’s under the centre console it’s hidden from prying eyes.

In the back there’s acres of rear legroom even if a six-footer is behind the wheel and the 470-litre boot is 40 litres bigger than the Nissan Qashqai. Fold the rear seats down and there’s 1,533 – that’s around 50 litres down on the Qashqai but around 250 more than the CX-3 and nearly 350 more than the dinky Juke. Opt for the panoramic glass roof (standard on top-spec EX) and those in the back will be suffer from cricked necks. However, the HR-V’s trump card is its Magic Seats; pinched from the Jazz the rear seat squabs can be folded up against the seat backs allowing tall items like plants to be safely carried inside the car as opposed to rolling around in the boot.

It won’t just be the plants that roll around in the HR-V but the people on board too. While it may have sporty looks, Honda didn't want to put off its core buyers by making the suspension too firm. Show the HR-V a series of twisting bends and it’ll lean, but it means that its easily the finest riding car in the class gliding over potholes instead of crashing into them – and that makes a change over some over hard-riding compact crossovers like the Nissan Juke.

Honda is offering just two engines in the HR-V all in two-wheel drive; a brand new 128bhp 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol and a 1.6-litre i-DTEC diesel. We drove the latter and, again, it’s a mixed bag – it’s the same engine as used in the Civic but while it’s the perfect partner in that car, it’s noisy and a little harsh in the HR-V. With 118bhp it’s not tremendously powerful either and can feel a little breathless when accelerating through first gear and into second. But it does reward your wallet – claimed figures are 68.9mpg (on our EX model) and we averaged over 55mpg on our test route – and annual road tax is just £20. 

 
Aside from the growly diesel, the rest of the HR-V is decent. Steering feel is never really evident but it’s light, accurate and allows you to easily place the car on the road, while the stubby gearlever is mated up to slick-shifting six-speed box. An electronic parking brake features a handy auto hold and release, and Hill Start Assist and city braking are standard across all models. Mid-spec SE, SE Navi and top drawer EX models come with the full suite of Honda safety kit like a Cross Traffic Monitor, Forward Collision Warning, speed assist (which not only alerts you of your speed but also accelerates and decelerates the car), Lane Departure Warning, Highbeam Support and Traffic Sign Recognition.

With the HR-V S petrol starting at £17,995 and the top-spec EX diesel at just under £25,000 Honda has positioned it as an expensive B-segment crossover and a competitive C-segment crossover. Whether you should buy one or not comes down to what you want: If the idea of a spacious, comfortable small crossover appeals then the HR-V is a good option, but the appeal of the larger and well proven Nissan Qashqai for similar money is strong.

Key specs

• Price: £24,945
• Engine: 1.6-litre 4cyl turbodiesel
• Power/torque: 118bhp/300Nm
• Transmission: Six-speed manual, front-wheel drive 
• 0-62mph/top speed: 10.5s/119mph
• Economy/CO2: 68.9mpg/108g/km
• On sale: Now

New Honda CR-V

New Honda CR-V is massively practical – and comfortable, too – but lacks sparkle compared to crossover rivals.

The Honda CR-V is known for its practicality. When it was launched back in 1990 it was one of the original compact SUVs to hit the market, and now in its fourth generation with this facelifted car, the CR-V is more premium than ever without sacrificing anything in the way of usability.

This latest car now comes with the option of a high-output 158bhp 1.6-litre i-DTEC turbodiesel engine replacing the older 2.2-litre unit, as well as Honda’s new nine-speed automatic gearbox, which improves efficiency over the old six-speed auto unit.

On-paper economy is impressive, as is its refinement on the move, but it’s the Honda’s big boot that is the most appealing thing. The crossover sector is crowded and the CR-V has many rivals, but the likes of the Mazda CX-5, Hyundai ix35, Ford Kuga and Kia Sportage can’t hold a candle to the Honda’s spacious load bay, versatile rear seats and roomy interior.

Many of its competitors are more fun to drive, however, but the CR-V is a relaxed motorway cruiser – although we’d suggest sticking to the diesel engines on offer for the best balance of performance and efficiency.

The engine line-up is compact, with just three options to choose from, including 118bhp and 158bhp versions of Honda’s 1.6-litre turbodiesel, as well as a 153bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine. All are nicely refined, but it’s the diesels that make more sense, with lower CO2 emissions and greater efficiency helping keep a lid on running costs.

Alongside the three engine choices, depending on the power unit you can either have a six-speed manual or a nine-speed automatic, as well as two- or four-wheel drive.

The range is made up of S, SE, SR and EX models. All feature alloy wheels, climate control, cruise control and electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors, while you can add things like sat-nav and Bluetooth as part of Honda’s options packages – with only SR and top-spec EX models boasting integrated nav as standard.

Our choice: CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC 120 SE Manual

The previous generation Honda CR-V looked a little awkward from some angles, but the latest version has a cohesive, no-nonsense look about it. Compared to rivals such as the Nissan Qashqai and Mazda CX-5, though, the CR-V can look a little slab-sided and bland.

Wraparound headlights and a grille featuring three prominent chrome bars contribute to a more aggressive front end compared to its predecessor, too. Slight changes were made in early 2015, when the car received a light update to the front and rear – as well as tweaked suspension, steering and gearbox components. The overall design alterations add up to make a more attractive car, even if we wouldn’t exactly call it striking.

Inside, the dash in the CR-V is less button-heavy than other models in the Honda range, and the quality of plastics used is robust, even if they feel solid to the touch. However, the trade-off of this button-free design is that you get a cheap-looking touchscreen infotainment system slotted into the dash.

While it isn't the most exciting interior to be in, you get a sense that it will cope easily with the demands of family life. The only other major niggle is that the computer displays – housed above the sat-nav and in the speedometer – look a tad blocky compared to more recent rivals.

Honda has a strong history in building great engines, and the latest 1.6 i-DTEC diesel is one of its most impressive recent additions. The latest technology has been used to maximise efficiency in the CR-V, while it also delivers strong pace for such a small capacity in a car of this size. This engine is now also available with a new nine-speed automatic gearbox, although unfortunately this isn’t as good. It’s sluggish to respond and although gear changes are smooth, it dulls the engine’s performance.

The 1.6 i-DTEC is relatively quiet on start-up, with only a hint of diesel rattle. It remains a smooth and refined performer up to its 5,000rpm limiter. Opt for the six-speed manual instead of the new automatic unit and you’ll find it a pleasure to use thanks to precise gear changes. However, even despite its impact on acceleration, the auto suits the car's laid back, relaxed nature even better.

The rest of the CR-V's driving experience can't quite match the engine, though. This compact SUV has been designed with practicality and comfort in mind, so there's not much fun to be had. The plus side of this setup is that bumps and potholes are soaked up well.

Grip is also decent, especially on four-wheel drive models, but the slow steering means you have to turn the wheel more than you might expect to navigate a corner, which doesn't inspire confidence. If you want a more engaging Honda to drive with similar carrying capacity, it might be worth looking at the Volkswagen Golf rival, the Honda Civic.

As with most Japanese manufacturers, Honda has a strong reputation for building solid, reliable cars. It finished in 18th place in the manufacturer rankings in our Driver Power satisfaction survey, with the car itself placing in a strong 21st position. Owners praised its reliability, practicality, build quality and comfort, and Honda's dealers are well regarded, too.

The CR-V is one of the safest compact SUVs you can buy thanks to its five-star Euro NCAP rating. Honda also provides six airbags, tyre pressure monitors, stability control with trailer assist, and three Isofix points as standard equipment.

Kit like xenon headlights and front and rear parking sensors is reserved for higher spec models, though, while the firm’s autonomous braking and collision warning systems are also on offer to further improve safety.

The Honda CR-V is one of the most practical cars in the compact SUV class, and offers 589 litres of boot space with the rear seats in place. With these folded down, load space grows to a cavernous 1,669 litres. It’s helped by Honda’s Magic Seats – this means the back seat bases fold upwards and the backs down to create a flat load bay and masses of practicality. Handles in the boot allow you to complete this manoeuvre in one easy motion. The wide tailgate opens lower than the previous generation, making loading larger items an easy process, too.

Storage space inside the CR-V is impressive and the interior is well designed to cater for the demands of family life. A large armrest cubby-hole and big glovebox feature to help maximise interior space, while big door bins help for stowing items like mobile phones.

The CR-V is relatively well-equipped, with entry-level models coming with dual-zone climate control, 17-inch alloys wheels, multifunction steering wheel, heated electric mirrors and cruise control as standard. You can upgrade the specification to improve equipment levels, but be careful, as prices can rise steeply towards the top of the range.

What the CR-V lacks in driver involvement and excitement, the 1.6 i-DTEC engine more than makes up for with impressive fuel economy and CO2 figures. On the combined cycle, the lower-powered 118bhp CR-V returns a best of 64.1mpg (two-wheel drive manual model) and CO2 emissions of 115g/km.

The more powerful 158bhp i-DTEC diesel is still impressive, offering 57.7mpg and CO2 emissions of 125g/km according to Honda – replacing the 2.2-litre i-DTEC at the top of the CR-V tree. It’s only available with four-wheel drive.

The petrol versions are less frugal, though. The 2.0-litre VTEC engine has a strong thirst with combined cycle figures of 39.2mpg and CO2 emissions of 168g/km for manual, front-wheel drive models. These figures become even less impressive for cars specced with automatic gearboxes and all-wheel drive, at a worst of 36.7mpg and 179g/km CO2. 

New Honda Civic Type R

New Honda Civic Type R is a serious hot hatchback that’s usable every day, but its looks won’t please everyone.

The new Civic Type R is Honda’s latest salvo in the on-going hot hatchback war – and on first impression it certainly has what it takes to rival talented competitors such as the SEAT Leon Cupra and Renaultsport Megane.

Some major changes have been made for the new hot Civic, the biggest being a turbocharged engine for more accessible performance and a higher outright output. The 2.0-litre forced induction unit is the only engine available, and puts out 306bhp.

There are two different versions of the Type R and prices start from £29,995, meaning that although it’s more powerful, it’s more expensive than its rivals too. The sub £30k figure is for the entry-level variant, but there’s also a GT model on offer at £32,295.

Standard Honda Civic Type Rs come with a fair level of equipment, including 19-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry, climate and cruise control, a parking camera and LED headlights, but it’s the GT version that gets the full suite of tech.

On top of the standard spec, this car gets lots of improved safety kit, with forward collision warning, rear cross traffic alert to warn of passing cars when backing out of a space, traffic sign recognition and blind spot and lane departure warning all featuring. There’s also dual-zone climate control, automatic wipers and headlights, parking sensors all round and Honda’s latest CONNECT infotainment system with sat-nav.

We’ve been waiting for the 2015 Honda Civic Type R to emerge for a while now, and some might feel that the car is late to the party, but the Type R has arrived packing mega performance from that new engine and a tuned chassis.

The hot hatch arena is particularly competitive at the moment. Rival SEAT took the front-wheel drive Nurburgring lap record with its Leon Cupra in a time of 7 minutes 58.12 seconds. Renault then beat that by four seconds, but Honda claims the Type R is more than three seconds faster again, completing the lap in 7 minutes 50.63 seconds. To put that into perspective, that’s two seconds faster than a Lamborghini Gallardo supercar.

There’s no denying the Type R is a proper pumped-up hot hatchback, with a deep front bumper featuring lots of scoops and cooling ducts, flared wheel arches with huge 19-inch alloy wheels, eye-popping quad exhausts, a diffuser-style rear bumper and a huge rear wing.

Compared to the more subtle approach of the SEAT Leon Cupra, the Honda Civic Type R is aggressive and in your face – this design approach won’t be to everybody’s tastes, and some of the styling elements look a little ‘boy racer’, but there’s no denying the Honda’s creation grabs attention wherever it goes.

Gloss black plastic inserts on the front and rear bumpers look great no mater what colour the body is in, but the vibrant metallic blue, pearl white and bright red body colours all looks great and show off the Civic’s angular design to the full.

Just like Honda’s regular family hatch, the Type R features the Civic’s most recent updates and gets the latest headlight clusters and taillights. The overall shape is the same, but the sporty add-ons – including the slashes and vents in the front wheel arches – are bespoke to the Type R. It looks every inch the British Touring Car racer.

Inside, the racy theme continues. You have to lower yourself into the deep two-piece bucket seats, and there’s plenty of Alcantara, contrasting stitching and red touches for the dash, steering wheel and doors to change the tone.

While the exterior styling is attention-grabbing but divisive, like the standard Civic, the interior design is much more bland. The dashboard layout follows that of the Civic five-door, and it’s not that exciting – although the racier elements inside make the Civic feel a lot more focused. The plastics are still hard and unforgiving in places, and although it’s extremely roomy inside, it’s nowhere near as slick as the Volkswagen Golf R’s classy cabin.

Still, praise should go to Honda for being bold enough to design a car that looks like this.

Although the high-revving, naturally aspirated 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine has been replaced, it’s still a VTEC unit, so you get an extra punch of power as the revs rise. On top of this, the turbocharger means there’s lots of mid-range shove with 400Nm of torque on tap, this is the most flexible Civic Type R ever, which means it’s easier to use the Honda’s incredible performance.

On paper the Type R will sprint from 0-62mph in 5.7 seconds and hit 167mph flat-out – and it feels up to the claims, too.

Put your foot to the floor and it pulls hard with a great slug of torque, meaning you can leave it in gear. However, if you want to work the box, the six-speed manual is perfectly suited to the power unit, with a super short throw and a lovely, precise mechanical action.

Despite the VTEC system, you can’t actually feel the engine kick anymore (it now performs its magic as low as 1,200rpm for more immediate response), but there’s still a ferocious top end to play with and the engine will rev out to its 7,000rpm redline with real aggression.

Those who like to chase revs will appreciate that Honda has left the Type R character alone – up to a point – and with the added whooshes and whistles from the turbo, there’s a new element to the Honda’s engine note.
It’s not all positive, however – those four fat exhaust pipes emit a bassy rumble at idle, but on the move the engine emits more of a drone and the noise is quite intrusive if you’re on a long cruise.

The problem is easily solved by turning off the motorway and onto a twisty back road though. If you push the +R button the dash turns from white to glowing red, the already firm suspension dampers get 30 per cent stiffer, the throttle is more responsive and the steering weights up.

As a result R+ mode gives the Type R an extra hardcore, focused edge and feels even more lithe and agile. The big 350mm Brembo brakes have huge stopping power and nice feel, and the heftier steering is very precise. It’s not overflowing with feedback, but it’s so accurate you can guide the Civic through a corner adjusting your line with tiny movements of the steering and throttle. Floor the accelerator out of a bend and the traction from the limited-slip diff and super-sticky low profile tyres is immense.

It’s helped by a clever new suspension system at the front to give it this extra dynamic ability. By separating components with a new ‘dual axis’ strut design it means each can do their job better, reducing torque steer by as much as 50 per cent. It’s not completely gone, but the wheel wriggles less and doesn’t tug your hands quite so much under hard acceleration.

You can use all of the Civic’s power, too, as the chassis is so grippy and communicates what’s going on clearly. The adjustable dampers are noticeably stiffer in the +R mode, but the car still rides nicely (even if it is very hard) and doesn’t crash over bumps. Body control is excellent, too.

The Type R isn’t designed for cruising, but dial the chassis back to the normal mode and it’s surprisingly refined. The sporty bucket seats offer lots of support, but they’re comfortable, too, and mean you can find the perfect driving position.

Honda slipped five places in our 2015 Driver Power satisfaction survey to 18th overall. However, for reliability alone, it faired much better, taking fourth place behind Toyota, Dacia and Lexus.

Although much of the Civic’s running gear has changed for the Type R, the Honda’s electronics are mostly unchanged, so it should prove dependable here. The current Honda Civic was voted the 41st best car to live with out of our top 200 in this year’s Driver Power survey.

The last time the Honda Civic was crash tested was back in 2012. Euro NCAP awarded the Civic a full five-star rating, and as the facelifted car packs even more safety tech, the Type R should be just as robust in a crash, and have more features to try and avoid one.

One of the standard Honda Civic’s major strong points is its practicality, and although it’s a much more focused car, the Type R retains this trait. The Magic Seats from the standard Civic aren’t carried over here, so you can’t fold the rear seat bases up to add extra load space behind the front seats, but the standard split-folding rear bench folds down in one smooth, easy motion to give a fully flat load floor.

Given how much performance there is on offer, it’s amazingly practical with 498 litres of boot space on offer. Fold those rear seats down and this rises to 1,427 litres, while the opening and load bay are both a good shape.

Although there are plenty of sporty touches inside, they don’t affect practicality too much. The front seats are deeper, so there’s marginally less legroom for rear seat passengers, but it’s still very spacious.

Storage is good, too, with decent sized door bins, a coin tray behind the gear lever, a large central cubbyhole and a roomy glovebox.

One of the major benefits of the Civic Type R’s new turbocharged engine is improved efficiency alongside the staggering performance. On paper the Civic Type R returns 38.7mpg combined and 170g/km CO2, which means road tax of £205 per year.

Running costs are comparable to its turbocharged rivals, but Honda’s servicing costs are usually quite steep, so routine maintenance could be more costly than on the Honda’s closest competition, the Renault and the SEAT.

Honda Civic Tourer 2015

The improvements have been applied to the practical Tourer estate, too.

 

That means new headlights with LED daytime running lights, refreshed bumper designs and an updated grille. Honda has also done some work on the Tourer’s interior, with the same updated Android infotainment system from the hatch, as well as new door trims, seat fabrics and dashboard panels.

Luckily the engineers have done nothing to alter this car’s practicality. The 624-litre boot keeps it at the top of its class, surpassed only by the Peugeot 308 SW, which pips it with a vast 660-litre load bay. Space in the back of the Civic is good, too, and the seats fold fantastically in one smooth action.

Our range-topping EX Plus is actually £1,320 less like-for-like than the previous generation car, making it better value than before. Standard kit is good – as you’d expect at this price – including 17-inch alloy wheels, heated leather seats and automatic climate control. All models get the new Honda Connect central screen too, with our EX Plus also boasting built-in sat-nav with European mapping.

For £600, Civic Tourer buyers can also spec a Driver Assistance Package, adding safety tech such as forward collision warning, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, traffic sign recognition and automatic high beam support. While that seems reasonable value, few new car buyers will be prepared to stump up more of their hard-earned cash for extra safety tech, especially when you consider metallic paint will set you back £525.

It's available with 1.8-litre i-VTEC petrol and 1.6-litre i-DTEC diesel engines, and despite the extra bulk, it doesn’t feel hugely different to the hatch - with a well sorted chassis, nicely weighted steering and decent motorway refinement. It suffers the same delayed lug of torque, meaning progress at low revs is limited, but as the revs build the engine feels much more useable.

The frugal diesel engine means it's among the cheapest cars in its class to drive, too. Honda says it’ll do 72.4mpg in mixed motoring, though in our experience you’ll need a very light right foot to achieve figures like that. We managed 54.1mpg over six months during our time with the pre-facelift car, last year.

While the updates haven’t changed the way the car drives, the improved kit list and tweaked styling make it an even more attractive ownership proposition. Most buyers will be happy with the lesser SE Plus or SR trim models, but if you want all the bells and whistles, this top-spec EX should fit the bill nicely. 

 
Key specs

• Price: £26,140
• Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbodiesel
• Power/torque: 118bhp/300Nm
• Transmission: Six-speed manual, front-wheel drive
• 0-62mph: 10.5 seconds
• Top speed: 121mph
• Economy/CO2: 72.4mpg/103g/km
• On sale: Now