2015 Honda Civic Tourer 1.6 i-DTEC 120 EX Plus first drive

What is it?

This year is unquestionably an important one for Honda. Firstly, the high-performance Civic Type R and the flagship NSX are due to be launched.

Secondly, the company is busy revamping every model in its line-up – including this, the Civic Tourer. It benefits from a range of upgrades in an effort to keep it on buyers' radars alongside estate versions of the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf.

So on the outside you'll find redesigned bumpers, a tweaked grille and more elegant daytime running lights, while inside the Civic benefits from new door trims and seat fabrics, and a new Android-based infotainment system.

The Tourer's chassis has also been fettled, with adjustments made to the responses of the electronic power steering, a new stability system, which is claimed to boost traction and grip, and new dampers and bushes. These changes have, reputedly, created a more enjoyable experience for the driver. Each Civic gets active city braking as standard now, too.

Furthermore, Honda has cut up to £1600 off the price of the facelifted Civic in a bid to make it more competitive with less costly alternatives.

What's it like?

It remains an unquestionably practical car. In standard configuration it offers a whopping 624 litres of storage space, which is 99 litres more than the larger Ford Mondeo. 

This useful nature is echoed in the design of the rest of the interior. There's plenty of space in the front and lots of decently sized cubbyholes. Three can sit abreast in the second row, in part thanks to a low-slung central tunnel, and even taller passengers can be accommodated without difficulty in the back.

It's not all good, though. The Honda's seating position is rather perched, the dash is overly cluttered and frequently fiddly to interact with and some of the materials - for example the tops of the door cards - leave a lot to be desired.

These foibles detract from what is otherwise a comfortable, smart cabin. While the new media and sat-nav system works very well indeed, it too could do with a little polish. For example the buttons down the side are flimsy and lack the quality you might expect.

Out on the road the Civic has the kind of long-legged demeanour you'd look for in a car like this. The ride can be patchy on rougher surfaces, but it corners well and cruises along with minimal fuss.

The controls are light and their responses well judged, further reducing driver workload, but there's little in the way of steering feel or additional weighting when cornering. As an effortless family hack it's perfect, but those seeking something offering a little more will be left wanting.

The quiet 1.6-litre diesel proves to be a good match for the practical Civic, however, providing enough motive power to stop it feeling like a mobile obstruction. The 0-62mph sprint is dispatched in a relatively prompt 10.5sec and the engine responds quickly and willingly. 

Predictably, it doesn't have the in-gear punch of a 2.0-litre diesel, but what it lacks here it makes up for in outright economy. Honda claims an average of 72.4mpg for the Civic, which in conjunction with its 50-litre tank will grant it a nigh-on 800-mile range.