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“As a company car driver, I find the Honda Civic IMA...”

written by PaulHowell on 23/02/2005

Good Points
Excellent build finish.
Economical.
Fantastic tax perks.
Lovely drive.
Plenty of leg room in the back.

Bad Points
Rear view obstructive when reversing.
Engine cut-out can be slightly dodgy.
Boot small and unfinished.
Carpets and leather too pale.

General Comments
As a company car driver, I find the Honda Civic IMA 1300 ideal. I previously had a people carrier but the emissions on the civic are so low that you even get a 1% bonus below the minimum tax bracket.

Also, at purchase time the Government paid £1000.00 towards the cost of the car, and you do not need to pay congestion charges.

The car itself is very nicely finished, nothing looks like cheap plastic. I have owned it for nearly 2 years now and have had no problems at all.

The engine is designed to cut-out when in neutral and stationary, it then starts again when you engage first gear, a bit like the old VW Formel-E. This can be a bit flakey, sometimes when coasting to a roundabout, you can put your foot down and nothing happens.

The boot is adequate for most things, but I do have to carry a large pram around sometimes, this practically fills the boot on it's own. The boot lid itself is not fully covered, when I first got it, I thought that a panel was missing.

The carpets are a very pale cream, almost white, which is a nightmare to keep clean.

Other than those points, the car is roomy, and just oozes build quality. I would not hesitate to ask for another Honda next time. I would prefer it if it was a true hybrid though.