HONDA has a lot of experience building the capable Civic, and it really shows in the latest line up of a model which can trace its ancestry over 54 years.

Today, theHonda Civic hybrid comes in Elegance trim from £34,325, Sport beginning at £35,945 and our Advance version from £39,295.

The entry model includes a lot of driving safety systems and heated front seats while the mid-range car also has a heated steering wheel, wireless charging and privacy glass with the top version also gaining a big glass sunroof, leather upholstery, premium Bose sound and adaptive driving beam.

The powertrain is identical and highly refined, self-charging its 1.05kWh battery to be used when the car decides it's most appropriate for urban work or added acceleration.

Our Advance model's powertrain did not have the kick in back by which some Honda models are best remembered in the older Civic line-up but rather there was a good, steady push from standstill and up to motorway speed. It was all delivered without driver intervention except through the Mode button behind the drive selector to determine how you wanted to use it.

Acceleration was good, quiet and consistent and the lack of mechanical noise meant the Civic's road rumbles and suspension knocks were noticed the cabin.

Nevertheless, mixing the driving modes over 300 miles we saw it climb to just under 54mpg.

The steering was nicely weighted for feedback and no vibration could be felt but we thought a tighter turning circle would have been an advantage when parking.

The Civic's brakes really were strong and very smooth when coming down from speed with modest pedal pressure. The hold setting worked every time as well.

Secondary controls mostly grouped on the wheelspokes or column stalks were tightly placed and also hid the start and stop button. The driver safety system worked very well to alert about hazards when parking or on the road, while the speed adjustment or cruise control had a sensitivity setting for distance and also seemed effective.

The car had a few blindspots and really needed the sensors to cover them, particularly reversing and the thick c-pillars were obstructive.

Very good intelligent headlights were great at night and not too dazzling, the wash and wipers both ends cleared the windows and the demisting system was particularly quick working. I liked the fact the demisting settings were all switches below the infotainment system and not hidden deep within a touch-screen menu.

The Honda Civic had a lot of oddments space throughout for a family five-seater, a good amount of leg and headroom and quickly adjusting powered seats infront. However, the steep sloping a-pillar meant users had to consciously duck heads to avoid meeting the door surround.

Access to the rear seats was easier and getting things into or out of the boot was straightforward so long as you realise the back window steeply sloped over the luggage space and tall items were impossible to slide in. Offset folding back seats were useful.

A lot of thought and careful design has been applied to the Honda Civic and it looks very high quality inside and its dynamic qualities gave it a sporty feel.

Handling was quick and taut, roadholding good and a series of sweeping curves were negotiated without drama and with a lot of smiles.

Going slowly, the firmness of the suspension, big tyres and suspension set up produced a lot of noise and rumbles because the car was otherwise quiet.