As you'd expect, the Civic Type-S oozes engineering integrity. The six-speed gearbox has a light, accurate shift, while the clutch, brakes and throttle actions are all spot-on. Moreover, as we've said many times before, the 2.2 i-CTDi diesel engine is fantastic. It's free-revving, impressively refined and punchy. Against the clock, the Civic is potent - but it serves up its power in a smooth, commendable way, too. It remains our favourite diesel in this class, though the latest 1.8 petrol engine is a fair alternative. Like all Honda units, it thrives on revs, but is silky-sweet with it, even if it does lack the diesel's compelling torque. As for suspension, Honda's engineers have given the three-door a sportier edge. Spring and damper rates have been altered and the rear track is 20mm wider. The suspension remains supple over all but the worst potholes, and the Type-S is more composed and agile in corners than its key rivals. The steering is light, but the turn-in is positive and there's appreciable feel. It hints at the potential of the Type-R, and is fun to drive. Plus, stability control is standard fit, and the system works unobtrusively.

With its hidden rear door handles and angular shape, the five-door Civic is hardly a shrinking violet, but that hasn't stopped Honda trying to give the three-door even more impact. For starters, it boasts gunmetal-coloured trim around the wheelarches and sills, plus 17-inch alloys. The doors and rear panels are also unique, but overall, thanks to the five-door's adventurous styling, the Type-S isn't as different from its brother as rivals' three-door models are. Nevertheless, the Honda is still the most unique car in the segment. The Type-S is available with either the 1.8-litre i-VTEC petrol engine or 2.2-litre i-CTDi diesel - both offering 138bhp. Standard and GT trims are on offer, and rivals include the Citroen C4 coupe, Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch and, of course, three-door versions of the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf.

The Civic has substance as well as good looks. By cleverly locating the fuel tank under the front seats, interior space has been maximised. The rear chairs offer excellent legroom, and a flat transmission tunnel means plenty of foot space for the middle seat occupant. The sweeping C-pillars are close to your head, and leave you rather hemmed in, so it's a good job GT models get a panoramic glass room to brighten things up. The rear chairs fold flat in one easy action, while the 485-litre boot capacity is fantastic. There's also an extra 70 litres under the floor, thanks to Honda doing away with the space wheel. This goes to show Honda spent a lot of time thinking about functionality - as well as ensuring the rest of the cabin is as bold as the bodywork. The split-level dash places the important information high up, with secondary data and most of the switchgear lower down. Some testers have found the wheel obscures the speedo, but this aside, the ergonomics are close to flawless, while the driving position is spot-on. Poor rear visibility and blind spots caused by the rakish A-pillars are a problem, but otherwise the Civic cabin is a great place to be, especially as the materials and build quality are class-leading. Retained values are very good too, while the Civic boasts reasonable insurance ratings, decent fuel economy and a five-star Euro NCAP crash test score. Service intervals are shorter than rivals' though, at 12,500 miles.

Are you sure the above isn't copyright?

It doe sound a bit lifted

Chris

Quoted outright springs to mind :P

"Cut and paste courtesy of Auto Express"

Still a good read though.

Cut n Paste

Cut n Paste

OMG You bought a Cut n Paste job :eek:

I thought at least you'd be able to get a Cut n Shut - steel is better than glue (before anyone jumps in - in most cases)

Hope you're enjoying the car

OMG You bought a Cut n Paste job :eek:

I thought at least you'd be able to get a Cut n Shut - steel is better than glue (before anyone jumps in - in most cases)

Hope you're enjoying the car

:rofl:

My wife ran a type s 2.2 CDTi for two years & 34K miles.

At 3K brakes were fading, had new pads under warranty.

At 6K had new discs & pads under warranty.

At 12K the handbrake failed, the car rolled down my mums drive, hitting the house, replaced under warranty (handbrake, not house)

At 14K the clutch was slipping, replaced under warranty.

At 18K it had more pads.

The car used seven litres of oil in top ups in the 34K miles we had it.

Also the drivers seat is way too high & can't be lowered enough to get a decen driving position.

I note that the Civic 2.2 diesel has just been voted most reliable fleet car 2009, ours must have been assembled by the apprentice on a Friday afternoon

2.2 diesel is a great engine , even better with a remap from performance torque, gives the typr r a run for its money

2.2 diesel is a great engine , even better with a remap from performance torque, gives the typr r a run for its money

How so?

It's underpowered, many manafacturers produce 2.0 litre diesels with 170-200 BHP, the 2.2 Honda has 138.

It's renowned for being oil hungry too.

The economy is nothing special for the breed either.

Turbo problems are not unheard of either.

I'd not buy another one!

I had one of these Honda Civic 2.2CTDI type-S as a courtesy car early last year. I was the first person to ever drive it ! as it was brand new! It was lovely to look at and not bad to drive either. It was Nighthawk Black with Rage alloys that really made the car stand out. I also was impressed with the performance of it too compared to my Honda Civic 1.7CTDI. I was offered to buy the car for £10k which was not bad, unfortunately the price to replace a blown turbo for this car was astronomical! Are you ready for the price? How does £2k sound like too you Just what I thought! As soon as they told me that price I thought 'OK, thanks for putting me off forever in buying it!'