HONDA, like many other car makers, has been looking for ways in recent years to make their motors appeal more to the younger driver.

The Japanese giants have built up an envious reputation for quality and reliability with vehicles like the Jazz, Civic, Insight and Accord which have all proved very popular with the more mature motorist, shall we say, or fleet managers.

All are well-made cars with solid performance and an increasing awareness of the need for economy and a reduced impact on the environment.

There is no doubt that's a winning formula worldwide - but Honda has gradually come to realise, like other manufacturers based outside the continent, that image-conscious Europeans want their cars to be sporty and dynamic too.

Given that Honda boasts some real motorsport pedigree, with stints in F1 and a very successful touring car operation, and has given us cars like the CR-X sports coupe, the NSX supercar and various Type-R models with sleek sporty design and eye-popping performance aplenty, then coming up with something in the mid-ground shouldn't be beyond them.

Hence we have the Civic Si, which seeks to combine all the regular small family hatchback benefits of the standard Civic but with some beefed-up design touches which take it towards the ever popular Type-R looks wise.

The Si treatment can be specified for any Civic and means that your motor will get the extra street-cred earned by 17-inch graphite coloured alloys (16 inch on 1.4-litre versions), colour-coded bumpers, front fog lights, a muscular mesh front grille and chrome door handles and fuel cap.

Add all that to the distinctive triangular twin chrome exhaust pipes, leather steering wheel and drilled aluminium sports pedals inherited from the SE (1.8 and 2.2 diesel) version and you've got a package that certainly looks the part.

Inside Si models also get half leather upholstery to continue the sports theme, plus a USB port for iPod connectivity over and above the SE's electric windows, climate control air conditioning, refrigerated glove box, CD stereo with aux-in socket and steering wheel mounted controls.

The 138bhp, 1.8-litre petrol powertrain offers some suitably sprightly performance with good acceleration (0-62mph in 8.9 seconds) and is willing throughout the rev range.

Handling is equally nimble making the Civic fun to drive for the most part, although road noise can become a little intrusive on less than perfect surfaces.

Inside, the Si cabin retains the futuristic look and feel of all Civics with the multi-layered dash, digital speedo and large easy to use knobs and buttons - although the need for an ignition key as well as the push button starter is a little perplexing.

Space is generally good, although the coupe-style roofline, means that tall adults in the back might risk a crick in the neck on long journeys.

The boot incorporates a split-level floor and is big for a small family hatchback, though, and Honda's innovative ‘Magic Seats' add an extra dimension to the interior versatility of the Civic.

Not only do the rear seatbacks fold down in the traditional manner to boost the load space, but the bases can also be flipped up like cinema seats to create a large luggage area in the rear footwell.

With front, side and curtain airbags, anti-whiplash headrests and stability control taking care of safety the Civic Si is not a bed attempt at all to combine sport looks and performance with the practicality and versatility that family use demands.

And with a facelifted 2012 model due to be unveiled any time now there may be a few deals to be done.