We were late. Again... The presentation was all but over. What a start to the car enthusiast's trip to Bath. The purpose? To drive one of Honda's most important models ever to be launched in Europe. Still, the wine and company were good. I think.

It was a beautiful, fresh autumnal morning. Well, it was when we should have started driving the following day. Yes, late once more.

Raison d'être

The new Honda Civic 5-door is aimed squarely at the Ford Focus and VW Golf. Ambitious? Definitely! Unrealistic? We'll see. There may be a few more targets in the Civic's sights though - surprising prey at that. A clue may be found in the profile shots of the car. Does anyone else recall the Honda Shuttle? Yes, I know there is no particular reason to... Regardless, the Civic 5-door may well be a thinly disguised mini-MPV, or rather, a mini-mini-MPV.

Rationalisation

Regular car enthusiast readers will be wondering why we have such a large feature on a seemingly ordinary car. Respect is one explanation - for a company driven by technology, a relatively small car manufacturer making some of the best engines in the world. The Civic shares the same blood as the S2000 and NSX after all. We are not bound to ignore such a heritage. Tie into that Honda's success in Formula 1.

The drive

Ok, so we got left with the bargain basement 1.4 (non-VTEC incidentally) because of our slightly (ahem) late start. Stepping in and out is simple thanks to wide door apertures and a high (in comparison to previous generation low-slung three doors) seating position. Pulling away from rest is effortless, although I did not like the dash-mounted gear lever initially.

This MPV-like feature was backed up by a soft suspension, which provides too much body roll for my liking. However, dig a little deeper and the Civic 5-door clings on in a neutral stance. Accelerating out of tight roundabouts brings on understeer, but a mild variety. In general, this little car impresses on the road.

Yes, little. The Civic may remind you of a car the size of the Renault Scenic or Vauxhall / Opel Zafira, but it soon shrinks around the driver. Adding to this feeling is a willing engine. (Click here for torque curves.) The previous generation 1.4 was pretty gutless, in the way that most of the characters in Alien ended up. This car however is different. It is not a fast car, but the engine does try to shift the 1185kg (manual with all the trimmings). The downside is the noise at motorway speeds. We had a chance to drive the 1.6 VTEC model later, and it feels faster indeed, and a little sportier, but 1.4 drivers will not feel hard done by. Interestingly, the price between the top and bottom of the range is only £2000.

Surprisingly, the weight of the controls differed significantly between the 1.4 and 1.6 we drove. The brakes and brake feel in the 1.4 are superb - backed up by ABS. The Civic 1.6 brakes however, with a more sophisticated all-disk setup had a much less inspiring feel, and pedal travel to match the range of Battlestar Galactica. The steering feel worked the other way around. It is aided in the 1.6 by a much nicer wheel though. Electric power steering may well be the way forward until steer-by-wire is allowed, but we feel that Honda have not got it quite right in this instance.

These are small criticisms however, for a car that impressed us immensely, taking into consideration especially that it is the entry-level model.

I did question (ok, interrogate) every Honda representative that would listen, about the possibility of a new generation CRX. No such luck I'm sorry to report. The closest we will get is a 3-door Civic Type R, which may or may not come to the UK. :-( However, I was assured that the 3-door Civic itself has a much sportier character in general than the 5-door. I believe it.

The viewing

We took the test car to the Castle Combe circuit near Bath, not to track test it, but to look the lines over in the vast sky and take a picture or three. The best view of the car is undoubtedly the rear three quarters. This is possibly due to the similarity to the Audi A3. As already alluded to, the side profile is extremely MPV-like. By not commenting on the front-view, and the headlights in particular, I am being kind.

Inside, things really do improve. Although the gear level is a bit phallic, it is immensely practical. We are a bit mystified though as to why the same thing wasn't done with the hand brake. Nevertheless, this oversight is made up for in space. The interior is huge, and feels it. The design is stylish in a basic way, and with the exception of one or two surfaces, has a sturdy feel to it.

The end?

The keys were returned, and we walked away, satisfied that the Civic 5-door is a good car, if not a sporty one. Somebody left the interior light on in the CRX we drove there in, killing the battery and stranding the little coupe. Symbolic? I hope not.

Shane O' Donoghue