The compact estate market is growing steadily, and in a bid to win a slice of the pie, a wagon body style has been added to the Honda Civic range for the first time since the Mk6 Aerodeck departed in 2001.
The Honda Civic Tourer matches the Civic hatch up to to B-pillars, and has the same wheelbase, but is a considerable 235mm longer in rear overhang. Far from distorting the hatchback's design, however, it could be said that the estate offers the more balanced aesthetic of the two, and it's much more interesting to look at than rivals like the Volkswagen Golf estate and Skoda Octavia estate.
In 2017, Honda is set to start selling its tenth generation Civic, which will initially be sold as just a hatchback but will be swiftly followed by a Tourer later in the year.
Despite that wedge-like profile, the Civic Tourer boasts a class-leading 624 litres of boot space below its retractable, stowable tonneau cover, including 117 litres beneath the two-stage false floor. Thanks in part to the fuel tank being unusually sited under the front seats and the space-efficient rear torsion beam suspension, the seats can be folded flat to create a vast 1668-litre space, which is both sensibly shaped and easily accessible via the knee-height boot lip that's almost flush to the floor. You can also create a tall central load space by flipping up the rear seat squabs.
Up front, the firm, supportive seats are roundly adjustable, as is the steering column, and the combination of high-quality plastic finishes and interior design to match the adventurous exterior impress, but dowdy switchgear lets the side down. A six-footer can sit behind another with just enough legroom and headroom, and visibility is pretty good considering the car's rising glass line.
