Honda Civic hatchback (2011-2017) - Practicality & boot space

A number of factors mark the Honda Civic out as an excellent family car. It only comes with five doors and the rears open at a 90-degree angle, which makes getting in and out extremely easy. Honda's flip-up 'Magic Seats' make the Civic very practical and it also has a huge boot.

Honda Civic interior space & storage

There should be plenty of room up front for two, but in the back the Honda's sloping roofline means headroom is tight. Kneeroom is also average and the small footwell means space for your feet is at a premium, too. In fact, if you regularly carry adults in the back (or have some rapidly growing teenagers) you’d be better off with a Volkswagen Golf.

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Honda hasn't held back with cubbyholes: the Civic has two in between the front seats, a large glovebox and some door bins – although the latter aren't big enough to pass the Carbuyer 'big bottle' test.

Boot space

You won't believe the size of the Honda Civic's boot until you look inside. The company has used clever tricks – such as positioning the fuel tank under the floor in the centre of the car – to eke out 487 litres of boot space. That’s an extra 100 litres compared to a Volkswagen Golf, and makes the Ford Focus’ 316-litre boot seem rather underwhelming.

Dig under the boot floor and you’ll find there’s also a large hidden storage area big enough to swallow a backpack. The Honda’s boot lid opens to reveal a big load aperture, but getting items in is made more difficult by a protruding boot lip.

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With the rear seats folded, total capacity is 1,210 litres, and the seats fold flat so that it’s easy to slide items in. The seat bases can also fold up like a cinema seat, allowing you to carry tall items in the rear footwell.

Towing

The diesel Honda Civic makes the best tow car, as it can pull up to 1,400kg. Avoid the automatic version, which can only tow 1,000kg.