Demand for hybrid cars is currently surging, as per latest registration figures. Al Suttie puts the Honda Civic family hatch to the test to see how it furthers the case for hybrid.

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Model: Honda Civic e:HEV Advance

List price (BiK): £32,760 (27%) CO2: 113g/km Economy: 56.5 Test efficiency: 49.9mpg

Monday

After a few EVs to test recently, it’s a change of pace this week with the Honda Civic e:HEV, this one finished in Advance trim. While hybrid cars have taken a bit of knock in the mainstream press of late, they still have a relevance that goes way beyond the headlines. This one comes with a 2.0-litre petrol engine that powers two electric motors, though the internal combustion engine can take over the role of primary power source when needed.

Tuesday

Whatever clever tech Honda has employed to combine the petrol engine and electric motors in the Civic e:HEV, it works to create a seamless power delivery. Pulling away on battery power alone is silent and smooth, and the petrol engine comes into play with no obvious jolt or vibrations. It’s the sort of effortless engineering Honda is rightly famous for, and it’s here to make daily driving as easy as possible.

Wednesday

Today has been spent dotting between three meetings, requiring a mix of country, town and motorway driving. The overriding impression I’m left with by this evening is just how good the Honda’s ride quality is and its impressive refinement. Both are of prime importance when you spend a lot of time in a car as they increase enjoyment while reducing fatigue. Top marks to the Civic.

Thursday

It’s a big day today for the Honda Civic as it’s just been announced as the Scottish Car of the Year winner. As one of the judges of these awards, I knew it had taken top spot and deservedly so. Spending the past few days with the car has only served to reinforce why the Honda won and, full disclosure here, why I voted for it. As a car for business drivers, it’s simply a mighty fine all-rounder.

Friday

The weekend gets off to its usual start by ferrying my son and his ever-taller mates to football training. In the Honda, they all fit without so much as a single hair of their new-found early teens coiffeurs brushing the headliner. Having a quick seat in the back of the Honda while the kids are at training shows it really is very roomy back here. The sooner my son can drive, the sooner I can be chauffeured…

Saturday

The Advance trim is not short on goodies. As well as the eco-friendly synthetic leather seats, it comes with electric seat adjustment, heated steering wheel and seats, and a panoramic glass roof that alleviates the mostly black upholstery that could leave it a bit gloomy in here otherwise. Honda’s infotainment set-up with a 10.2-inch screen is easy to navigate, but better still are the simple rotary controls for the heating and ventilation, which are fast, simple and intuitive to use.

Sunday

Given that I’ve been making plenty of use of the Civic e:HEV’s brisk performance over the past few days, I’m happy with the average economy of 49.9mpg. That compares to a claimed combined consumption of 56.5mpg. This isn’t as good as some diesel rivals to the Civic, but the Honda is close enough to make a strong case for itself given the price gap between petrol and diesel. Also, as a family hatch, the Civic is a very tough act to better.