Our roving reporter Graham Courtney recently enjoyed a short trip to Madrid to try out the latest model of the much-loved Honda Civic. The classless car has proven popular for generations so Graham wanted to find out if the newest model is in keeping with the legacy.

For 35 years, the Honda Civic became synonymous with Swindon. Thousands of Civics were built there along with, at varying times, the CR-V, Accord, and Jazz models; up to 160,000 cars rolled off the assembly lines every year, but on the 30th of July last year, the factory closed. Three thousand jobs were lost at the factory itself, and an estimated 10,000 in the supply chain went down the drain. It was a massive blow to the town. Honda switched Civic construction to its plants in Japan, China and North America.

At one point, Swindon was exporting Civics to Japan. Still, this latest 11th generation of the Honda Civic is now travelling in the opposite direction, built in Japan and imported across Europe. It will officially arrive on our shores later this year, but we've been on the European launch and spent the day driving around the countryside near Madrid.

A crucial thing to point out is that although this car is built in Japan, it's been designed for the most part by Honda Europe - especially the driving dynamics. Honda says it will suit European tastes. We can assume, therefore, that the rest of Europe has roads strewn with potholes or closed for hours on end to allow for overnight work.

On first impressions, we reckon they've done a decent job on this smart 5-seater hatchback. Let's start by looking at the powertrain. The latest Civic is a self-charging hybrid, the first time it's appeared in a Civic. Don't bother looking for other power options because there aren't any.

Under the bonnet, a 2.0-litre petrol engine works in tandem with the battery-powered hybrid system. Honda says this Civic has been designed to spend a hefty chunk of its time running only on electric power via a battery and a pair of electric motors, or a combination of both when you need additional power. Add battery and engine outputs together, and you get 181bhp.

Everything goes via a type of CVT gearbox but only for part of the time. Without getting too complicated, the engine works as a generator for the electric motor. The motor is the primary source of power to propel the car along. However, if you need a burst of power for overtaking or just for a bit of fun, the power from the petrol engine engages a clutch which seamlessly sends an extra dollop of oomph to the front wheels. CVTs can sometimes be frustrating to drive, they can be slow to react, and when you need some power, the revs can go off the scale and create a right old din.

Thankfully Honda has done a cracking job with this set-up. It keeps the revs in check and gives you decent performance with 0-60 coming up in 7.9 seconds. It makes overtaking easy. The top speed is 112mph. As for fuel economy, the headline figure of 60mpg is more than reasonable. The car is also extremely quiet and refined for the simple reason that it's going along using battery power for most of the time.

The ride is a tad firm on the road, but it never feels harsh. The handling is excellent. If you like to push on along winding roads, you'll love this Civic. It has a sporty feel to it. Fun too. Honda has even added a bit of wizardry, making it feel like the car is going through the gears. Don't be fooled ‘cos it isn't - there aren't any. We can't decide whether that's clever or pointless and defeats the object of making the car as smooth and serene as possible.

Early signs are encouraging because this is a much better car than the model it replaces and there's a quality feel to the materials used throughout the cabin. The seats are comfortable, and it's surprisingly roomy. It'll make for terrific family motoring.

You get loads of kit as standard, and we're chuffed to report that if you want to alter the cabin temperature or adjust the speed of the fans, there are knobs to turn. You don't need to spend hours prodding the screen trying to find a temperature menu. Too many firms think it's clever to make everything hi-tech rather than simple.

Every Civic gets a 9-inch infotainment screen which controls stuff like the sat nav and audio. You also get heated front seats, powered windows, air con, front and rear parking sensors, rearview camera and smart alloys. Entry-level trim is called Elegance, but if you move up to Sport trim, you'll get part-leather seats, front fog lights and flashier wheels, while if you want top-of-the-range 'Advance', you'll get a sunroof and power seats as standard.

Honda is also careful in how they market the car for the simple reason that they know supplies will be limited to around 10,000 cars in the first year. They're also concentrating on the private retail market rather than targeting companies and fleet sales.

Oh, and if you hark for the good old days of a hot hatch, fear not because early next year will see the arrival of the Type R with a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine and a manual gearbox. We can't wait!

And finally, prices. The 11th generation Honda Civic range kicks off at £400 shy of £30,000. Now at first glance, that looks a bit punchy, but you need to drive this new Civic and take a close look inside. The finish and build quality are top-notch. It's well equipped, and it's very economical. Civics also hold onto their value.

Order books are open now, and customer deliveries are due to start in October.

words: Graham Courtney
pictures: Honda Europe