Honda Civic Saloon Review

The Honda Civic Saloon is right for you if you already like the hatchback model but prefer the saloon’s sleeker looks and bigger, if slightly less practical, boot. Like the hatch, the saloon has lots of passenger space, is available with a choice of economical engines, is comfortable and easy to drive but also good fun when you’re in the mood. 

We’d choose a Honda Civic Saloon SR model which come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, on top of standard kit that includes things like air conditioning and auto lights. The 1.0-litre petrol engine is a nippy performer which suits the Honda’s dialled in handling and it’s best paired with the slick and precise manual gearbox. 

You could just buy a Honda Civic hatchback as it's more practical, but if you’re sold on a small saloon there’s not really many other choices out there bar the Hyundai i30 Fastback, unless you look at premium models like the Mercedes A-Class Saloon or Audi A3 Saloon.

While not a saloon, the Skoda Octavia follows a similar path offering quality and reliability in a sensible (and similarly sized) package. Alternatively there's the Toyota Avensis which is another reliable choice.

It’s hard to fault the Honda Civic Saloon’s build quality; indeed, you can be assured it’ll still look and feel exactly the same in years to come, with all the buttons working with the same assured precision and the interior remaining squeak and rattle free. 

Thing is, it’ll still look and feel a bit underwhelming, despite the superb build quality, as the materials Honda has used are a little bit short on tactility and visual flair.

It doesn’t take much searching to find harder, cheaper feeling plastics, either, and the base level SE model does without things like the leather covered steering wheel and gear knob, making it feel the cheapest of the lot.

Basic SE versions of the Honda Civic Saloon have a five-inch monitor with AM/FM, Bluetooth hands-free telephone, a USB input and eight speakers. 

You’ll need a Honda Civic Saloon SR model if you want the better system, which adds DAB radio, sat-nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, all controlled using a seven-inch touchscreen. Even with this system, the Honda Civic Saloon does feel like it’s trailing its rivals thanks to its slow responses and intuitive menus. EX models get a pair of extra speakers and also wireless phone charging.

Up front you’ll not have any complaints for space, with even the tallest of occupants easily accommodated, with plenty of head room and room to stretch out their legs. That’s not the case in the back, where the sloping roof makes headroom a bit tight for tall adults. There’s a pair of ISOFIX child seat mounts back there, though they do require a good deal of digging around between the seats to locate.

The saloon has a 590-litre boot (42 litres more than the hatchback), although, the reality is the space in the hatchback’s boot is more useful – because the larger opening means it’s more easily accessed and the space is squarer – allowing you to load bulkier objects in the back. 

With the back seats folded (they split 60/40) the floor is flat, but you’ll still need to slot things through the relatively small boot opening to make use of it. 

In terms of smaller storage areas, there’s decent oddment storage throughout, with door bins, a usefully-sized centre cubby and cupholders.

The Honda Civic Saloon dimensions are 4648mm long, 2075mm wide and 1416mm tall.

You only get two engines to choose from in the Honda Civic Saloon – a 129PS 1.0-litre VTEC petrol or a 120PS 1.6-litre i-DTEC diesel, both available with either a slick-shifting manual transmission or a pair of automatics.

The petrol engine is smooth and responsive, only getting raucous if you really rev it, but there’s plenty of low-end flexibility, so there’s rarely the requirement to do so. It’s best with the manual transmission, because the CVT automatic demands and holds high revs under acceleration – creating a flat engine drone in the process. 

The 1.6-litre diesel is another fine choice. It doesn’t feel as energetic as the petrol, even though it’s actually quicker on paper. It comes with either a manual transmission or a nine-speed automatic, which is smooth and quick-shifting, suiting the diesel well – if impacting on fuel economy slightly. 

The diesel would be the choice if you’ve longer trips in mind, but the petrol will be fine if you mostly drive in the city.

Honda placed a lot of focus on refinement when it designed the Honda Civic Saloon, and it’s largely worked. There’s acoustically laminated glass which has been fitted to reduce wind noise, and at motorway speeds the Honda Civic Saloon is nicely hushed. Road noise, too, is damped by extensive sound deadening. 

The petrol engine is the quietest under normal driving – it’s smooth and refined – the diesel is a little bit more vocal, but it’s not so noisy to be a distraction.

Euro NCAP hasn’t crash tested the Honda Civic Saloon, but the hatchback got the full five star rating when it was evaluated in 2018 and you can expect the saloon to be very similar. 

All Honda Civic Saloons come with a comprehensive level of equipment including automatic emergency brakes, lane departure warning and lane keep assist all coming as standard. You also get a speed limiter, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, and a host of airbags. EX models add to this with blind spot information and cross traffic monitoring.

The Honda Civic Saloon scored a respectable 9.25 out of 10 for reliability in the HonestJohn.co.uk Satisfaction Survey, which remarkably is one of the lesser-performing Honda models of the period.

As a brand Honda finished a solid 14th overall in the same survey, but Honda's well-deserved reputation for reliability should mean you can buy with confidence.

The 1.0-litre petrol attracts the lowest premiums, with the saloon in groups 15 and 16 here. The diesel increases that to groups 18 and 19, but in reality you’ll not pay much to insure either.

Launched after the 2017 changes to VED, all Honda Civic Saloons will attract the same annual £165 payment to the taxman. 

Honda Civic Saloon SE models can be spotted by their 16-inch alloy wheels and LED daytime running lights. Equipment includes climate control, air conditioning, remote central locking, a five-inch touchscreen with eight speakers, Bluetooth connection and LED daytime running lights. 

Honda Civic Saloon SR models look and feel a bit posher. They get 17-inch alloy wheels, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear knob, dual-zone climate control, rain-sensing wipers, all-round parking sensors, a reversing camera and electrical lumbar adjustment on the driver’s seat. They get the upgraded infotainment system with a seven-inch touchscreen that has DAB radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus built-in sat-nav.   

Honda Civic Saloon EX models are the most luxurious and they feel it thanks to their leather interior and four heated seats. Their kits list adds things like keyless entry and start, wireless phone charging, a 10-speaker stereo, LED headlights and a sunroof.