Honda’s tenth generation British-built Civic model has been unveiled at this week’s Paris Motor Show and it represents a significant step forward for the company in the C-segment.

Building on its 40-year heritage, the car stays true to the original Civic concept of “a car for all people, a car for the world.” It is a marriage of sporty styling, distinctive design and versatile practicality – with a renewed focus on rewarding driving dynamics.

The car is wider, longer, and lower than any of its predecessors and it has short overhangs and taut lines that reference the high levels of aerodynamic efficiency. A sharp and aggressive ‘face’, pronounced wheel-arches and sculpted front and rear intakes hint at the Civic’s sporting character.

Depending on the model grade, the thin, high-tech front lamp clusters feature either sharp high-tech LED headlights or projector halogen bulbs. All models feature LED daytime running lights that illuminate a hockey-stick shaped strip at the outer edge of the cluster.

The new Civic has been engineered from the ground up to fulfil the promise of agile and rewarding dynamics. A lightweight, highly rigid bodyshell – the product of innovative new engineering and construction techniques – complements the lower centre of gravity and a sophisticated new suspension system in contributing directly to an engaging and fun driving experience.

The entirely new interior has a simple, uncluttered layout, new technologies, exceptional refinement and high-grade materials with a lower seating position to give the driver a greater feeling of connection with the car. The second-generation of Honda’s infotainment and connectivity system – Connect – incorporates Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration.

New Civic is set to continue the model’s reputation for providing class-leading practicality and unrivalled passenger and luggage space. The wheelbase is 30mm longer and that means occupants benefit from greater visibility and more space in which to enjoy the premium fit and finish.

Boot space remains class-leading in terms of volume (478 litres), whilst ease of access and versatility has been further improved. The 60:40 split-folding rear seats, low sill height and wide boot opening (1,120 mm) combine with the flat boot floor to make the loading of heavy, wide and long items easy. A hidden underfloor compartment offers a secure additional storage area.

In front of the driver, a completely new instrument display layout provides vivid clarity and highly intuitive usability. A new seven-inch colour TFT-LCD Driver Information Interface display makes up the largest central section of the all-new reconfigured instrument binnacle. It includes a large digital tachometer and speedometer readout. Integrated into the display is a large area in which the driver can switch between a variety of infotainment screens, including navigation instructions, SMS and email text display (complemented by voice activated responses), audio track information, smartphone contacts, journey trip information, and smart vehicle maintenance information.

The Honda SENSING suite of active safety and driver assist technologies will be specified across the new Civic range. Honda SENSING is among the most comprehensive suites of safety technologies in its class. It uses a combination of radar and camera information, plus a host of high-tech sensors to warn and assist the driver in potentially dangerous scenarios.

Safety technologies include: Collision Mitigation Braking System, Lane Departure Warning, Road Departure Mitigation, Lane Keeping Assist System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Traffic Sign Recognition, Intelligent Speed Assistance, Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control (i-ACC), Blind Spot Information, Cross Traffic Monitor and a Multi-angle rear view camera.

The Civic is an important model for Honda in Europe and is a key driver for the company’s sales and manufacturing heritage in the region.