2020 Honda Civic: What makes the interior class-leading?

The interior of the 2020 Honda Civic as Honda tells us is designed with the 'man maximum, machine minimum' philosophy in mind. Which is just another way to say they squeezed out every bit of space possible, really.

Is that really the case though? Let's take a closer look at the Civic's interior and pit some notable changes against its older one, just so you have an idea on what's new and see if it really does embody Honda's philosophy.

Without further ado...

Good ergonomics

Space is something it has in spades.

It's the little things that gives the Civic points for practicality. There's lots of smart cubby holes and areas that are well-designed to keep the interior looking clean.

For one, take a look at the small compartment under the centre console. It's good enough to keep your wallet and phone out of the way for distraction-free driving, without getting in the way of the gear lever.

Inside the little space is a 12 V power socket, HDMI connector and USB port that links your phone to the infotainment system.

Going further behind the centre console is yet more space under the centre armrest. It's enough to store and charge a tablet, given that there's another USB port here - making a total of two throughout the car.

Round the sides, there's plenty of storage spaces on all four doors that can fit small bottles and more than your fair share of inevitable receipts.

These spaces are wide and deep enough to fit baby bottles and storybooks - necessities in any car if you're a parent!

Speaking of valuable cargo, there's rear air-conditioning vents for passengers too. 

As for the rear seats, you can fold down the centre armrest for two more cupholders but if you really need more space...

...you can fold the rear seats the extend the 519-litre boot! Bear in mind that these 60:40 split-fold rear seats are only available on the facelifted model though.

Ergonomics

Friendly and intuitive - that's what it is.

Clicky buttons now take the place of touch-sensitive ones for infotainment and fan-speed controls.

Although at first glance they may seem old-fashioned, these physical buttons are much more intuitive than the older system - you don't have to take your eyes off the road to adjust volume and fan speed anymore.

Also, the infotainment system supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

When linked to your phone via the aforementioned systems, the digital instrument cluster can show turn-based navigation, among other features.

Cool - any issues I should note?

Two things - visibility and apparent door weight.

Although visibility is generally good, the thick A-pillars and tweeters sometimes get in the way of things - especially considering you sit quite low in the Civic.

About the doors, the handle is positioned quite further infront, which makes it feel a little heavier to open and close.

Conclusion

The Civic is a rather complete package - sharp styling, balanced driving experience and as we've just seen, a really practical interior.

Take a look at Adrian's review below and if that's got you convinced, see what's different between variants here!