WITH the biggest load space in its class, plus Honda's "magic seats" to make larger loads easier and quicker to accommodate, the new Civic Tourer will find plenty of friends.

This new Civic Tourer aims to not only appeal to the business customer, but also young families and downsizers now that compact estate category is growing again.

One in ten cars in the C sector is an estate and Honda wants ten per cent of that market.

The Tourer's long, sleek profile is undoubtedly attractive, and the list of reasons why you might want one keeps on growing as you delve into its capabilities.

It's a European car, built in the UK, and for those likely to get behind the wheel, it is the car's other qualities that are equally likely to attract.

The best Civic Tourer performance figures belong to the 1.8-litre i-VTEC petrol version with 140bhp, getting from 0-62mph in 9.2 seconds and on to a top speed of 130mph.

It’s available either with Honda’s excellent six-speed manual gearbox or a five-speed automatic transmission.

Lift the tailgate with its low load height and you can tick another box - space. There's 624 litres of it - which is class leading - and 117 litres of that is under the main boot floor in a separate, covered compartment. It's an ingenious feature that saves cases, coats, bags and just about everything else you carry about in day to day life, from pinging about inside the boot.

What's more, if you flip the "magic seats" - first seen in Honda's Jazz - you have a completely flat load area with 1,668 litres of capacity. That's despite this being the lowest and most compact estate in the segment.

There are plenty of cubbyholes and storage solutions in the cabin, too, including a big central storage bin that doubles as the location for the multiple media input ports and one of the two 12-volt power sockets that should let the kids charge a compatible device on the move.

Honda has even been clever with the carpeting. It has used sheared-off fibres that should keep the flooring grime-free.

There are two engines to choose from The petrol version is slightly quicker off the mark than the new diesel engine - a 1.6 i-DTEC - and costs £1,000 less.

And while it cannot match the diesel for fuel economy, I found the official average fuel economy figure of 44.1 to be conservative, and regularly achieved 46mpg on a ten-mile journey to and from the office.

Whichever engine is chosen, the refined ride quality is impressive. SR and EX Plus grades get a rear axle adaptive damper system - a world first - which automatically adjusts the rear suspension dampening force to enhance stability and comport under varying load and driving conditions.

Those familiar with Honda's two-tier instrument display panel, which first saw action in the regular Civic will find it here, too.

Honda will also offer a new suite of safety technologies as a £780 factory-fit option on SE Plus models upwards that is good value. It includes a braking system to avoid or mitigate low speed accidents, forward collision warning, high beam support system, lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition system and blind spot information.

For an additional £2,500 - and available on EX models only, you get all of the above plus automatic cruise control and collision mitigating braking system in place of the city brake active system.

The entry level S grade includes features such as automatic climate control, Bluetooth, DAB radio, USB connectivity and 16-inch allow wheels.

In addition to these goodies, the SE Plus, the next level up, has rear parking sensors and 17-inch alloys, while SR customers will benefit from the damper system, front heated seats, satellite navigation and privacy glass.

Those who opt for the top EX grade will receive headlight washer, smart entry and start capability, sunglasses holder, interior blue ambient lighting and Bi-HID headlights with auto levelling.

For piece of mind, there's also a five-year care package covering servicing, warranty and roadside assist for £500.

This is a car that will handle everything you throw at it, and probably never, ever break down. And it sure is pretty for an estate car.

 

At a glance

Honda Civic Tourer 1.8 I-VTEC SR
Price: £24,355 (Civic Tourer range from £20,270)
Engine: 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol producing 142PS
Transmission: Six-speed manual gearbox driving the front wheels (automatic available)
Performance: Top speed 130mph, 0-62mph in 9.6 seconds
Economy: 44.1mpg combined
CO2 emissions: 146g/km