Party in the front, a mess in the back

This here is a 2018 Honda Civic hatchback. More specifically this is the top of the line Prestige model, powered by a 1.5 litre turbo petrol engine with VTEC putting down 180 horsepower and 240 newton-meters of torque to the front wheels, through a six speed manual transmission. It has more luggage space than a Golf at 478 litres and comes with every driving assist you can think of as standard. Prices start at 20.000€ for the 1.0 litre Comfort model, but the one you really want is the Sport Plus, as it comes with everything you need. But the Civic sets itself apart from other hatchbacks in one crucial way.

Ugh

Ugh

The rear end. While the front is in my opinion one of, if not the best looking in i's class, the rear takes some time getting used to. It's just too angluar and smushed and those big rear lights really do look ungainly. On the plus side though, you don't just get one rear spoiler. You get two and one even has little vortex generators under it. The Sport model does however look better with its dual, centre exhaust and a more aggressive rear diffuser. Jokes aside, the real reason I believe the Civic is different is its driving characteristics. It's just so much more composed and focused when the going gets twisty.

The aggressive front end

The aggressive front end

The car sits on 235 tires all around as standard, so there's plenty of grip even in slightly damp conditions and the adaptive dampers keep the car in check. You have two modes, Normal and Dynamic. On the highway, the mode I really wished for was Comfort, as the car still felt too stiff. You can see that the car was set up more for handling and less for comfort.

The office

The office

The position behind the unfortunately non-heated steering wheel is excellent. The seat, which as a plus is heated, holds you in place well and combined with the high centre console cocoons you low to the ground, for an excellent position behind the un-heated steering wheel. The six speed manual gearbox's throws are short and precise, so rowing through the gears is a pleasurable experience every time and it truly is more suited to the car than the CVT auto.

There is plenty of space in the back even with the panoramic sunroof

There is plenty of space in the back even with the panoramic sunroof

I really liked the Civic and for the price, there aren't many cars that offer this level of performance and safety. The rear end is a deal-breaker for some, but apart from that, I really cannot find much wrong with it.