Honda Civic vs Skoda Octavia - pictures

You may not have noticed amongst all the excitement for the new Civic Type R, but Honda has also tweaked the standard Civic hatch. Here we test it against the Skoda Octavia to see which practical family hatch is best. 

The Civic tested here is the new Sport model, powered by a 118bhp 1.6-litre i-DTEC diesel engine which costs £20,820. 

As part of the updates, the Civic received cleaner engines and a revised range. The Sport model tested here features gloss black alloys, black diffuser-style rear bumper, smoked tail lights and a more aggressive front end. 

Inside, the split-level dash is a lot more unconventional than the Octavia's, with a digital display higher-up, and conventional dials in front of the driver. There's plenty of equipment and its solidly screwed together, but the touchs

Rear seats are comfortable and can either fold flat or flip up, cinema-style. Access is a bit tricky, though. 

Wide tailgate opens to reveal a large, square-shaped 477-litre boot, plus there's a false floor if you want to hide items away. 

Honda's 1.6-litre diesel engine impresses in a straight line. There's plenty of punch and it's a refined unit. The ride is on the firm side, but the Civic's decent damping means bumps aren't sent through the cabin. 

In town, the firm ride can be a bit tiring, plus the rear screen is bisected by the spoiler. The rear wiper only clears the upper section, but it's the lower section you spend more time looking through. 

CO2 emissions of 98g/km mean the Civic is tax-free for private buyers, but business users will face a higher tax cost. 

Neat black and chrome trim gives the gearlever an upmarket look, plus the six-speed gearbox itself is slick and precise to use. 

"The Honda Civic is a bit of an unsung hero in the compact hatchback market. There's nothing particularly wrong with it, it's just that there are other models available which are even better." - James Disdale, road test editor. 

The Civic Sport's design has hints of the faster Type R, but the black wheelarch trim makes the wheels look lost. 

Gloss black trim gives the Civic a visual boost at the front, especially when compared with the Octavia. 

LED running lights were added as part of the 2015 updates and give the Civic a distinctive look at the front. 

Black diffuser-style rear bumper helps the Sport stand out from lesser models. 

Gloss black alloys are also exclusive to Sport trim.

The Octavia is nearly 30cm longer than the Civic, but most of this is behind the rear axle. Honda sacrificed some the size of the back doors in pursuit of sporty styling, so access is a bit trickier than in the Skoda. 

The Skoda Octavia is a consistent front-runner in our road tests, and there's plenty of models available to choose from with a range of engines. Here we test the company-car friendly SE Business powered by a 1.6-litre TDI diesel engine

The Octavia is much more restrained than the Civic, but its upright lines and straight edges combine to create a handsome look. SE Business models cost £19,650, but the version tested here has a few extras bringing it to £23,500. 

Inside, the cabin is more conventional than the Civic's, but it's all well built and equipped. 

Back seat space is far better than in the Civic, with a lot more legroom and shoulder space. There are a couple of air vents to boost comfort, too. 

The Octavia has a 590-litre boot with the rear seats in place, trumping the Civic by some margin. The seats can be folded via a lever in the boot to increase this to 1,580 litres. 

The Octavia's engine is rougher at idle than the Civic's, but it smooths out once you're up to motorway speeds where it's an excellent cruiser. The 1.6-litre diesel engine feels punchy on the road, too. 

The Skoda is the more engaging of the two cars from behind the wheel. It's over 70kg lighter than the Civic Sport, so it feels more agile in corners and there's decent feedback through the steering wheel and plenty of grip. 

The standard-fit touchscreen sat-nav is a breeze to use, with a logical layout and straightforward controls allowing you to input destinations with ease. 

Even with the five-speed gearbox, there's enough torque on offer so you'll only need to downshift at higher speeds. 

Octavia looks handsome and almost saloon-like in profile. £570 Sport pack adds a few visual additions, but don't really add anything to the car's look. 

"If you wanted a sporty hatch, you'd look elsewhere. I'd put the £570 towards autonomous emergency braking and a space-saver spare." - Sean Carson, senior road tester.

Black wing mirrors come as part of the Sport pack. 

Subtle black tailgate spoiler is also part of the Sport pack.

Black stripe at the bottom of the doors seem at odds with the Octavia's usual image, plus they have something of an aftermarket feel to them.

Optional 17-inch alloy wheels on our test car cost £650.