2012 (12) Honda Civic

This generation of the Civic was one of the most practical cars on the market. It has a large boot with neat split folding rear seats and wide-opening rear doors that provide easy access to the rear. There are plenty of storage spaces and cubby-holes with lots of soft-touch plastics and high-quality materials. There are two petrol engines on offer or a revised version of the 2.2 litre diesel which can do over 60 miles per gallon. The cabin is comfy and quiet and feels reasonably sporty with a snappy gearshift. The Civic is quite a bit more expensive that its near rivals, a price worth paying if you want a well-built and reliable hatchback.