Honda Civic Tourer is up there with the best

WELL I suppose it had to happen someday. I always dreaded the day/night I’d get a puncture in a press car that didn’t have a proper spare wheel and last week my number came up.

I was lucky; it was around 5pm when I came in contact with a rusty old nail and I was close to a garage when it happened so I was able to get help.

An obliging garage attendant, who said he had previously used a sealant on the tyre of his motorbike, gave me good advice and plenty of air. But the experience has not changed my mind about the advantages of a spare wheel over a repair kit.

That’s all by way of introducing you to the stylish Honda Civic Tourer that I drove last week. There are a lot of attractive Estate cars around right now and the Civic is up there with the best.

Honda is not in the top 10 of car sellers in Ireland, but they have recently been named

‘Most Trusted’ car manufacturer by American-based motoring publication Kelley Blue Book for the third year in a row. That’s some praise and of course Honda is a very well established brand worldwide.

I drove a 1.6 diesel version that came in Passion Red Pearl and looked great. The front is very attractive and when you sit in you are met with two display units on the dash. The nearest one, which is based around the steering wheel, gives you the basics, while a more panoramic display higher up but right in your line of sight, really adds a touch of style to the dash.

The press is spoiled and we always get cars with lots of extras. This time I appreciated the

‘lane departure warning’ and

‘blind spot information’ that gives you a flashing amber signal on the side mirror if you are being overtaken on the right or left hand side while driving on a motorway. Those two extras are included in a safety pack, which costs an extra e1,250, but they ensure that you attention is always at 100 per cent when driving.

There is plenty of room for three back seat passengers, but if you have only two people in the back they have more room to relax and place drinks in a drinks holder which folds down between the two passengers. The boot is massive and you could hide expensive items in the massive space that was left for a proper spare wheel.

The handles for the back doors are very discreet and at first glance you might think it was a two-door. But no, it’s a gorgeous four-door estate that I was extremely happy with apart from the spare wheel situation.

Prices start at

?¬27,395 and the safety pack brings the price of the car as tested to

?¬28,645. Road tax is only

?¬180.

At every car launch I have attended marketing people will tell you that their car has more to offer in price or extras than the opposition. And Honda claim that their Civic Tourer has more going for it than the Hyundai i40 Tourer, Octavia Combi and Auris Touring Sports.