Respected car review website Parkers has named the Honda Civic e:HEV self-charging hybrid as its ‘Car of the Year for 2023’.
It’s a big accolade for the Civic, which is also celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
And it comes after the Civic was recently given a hefty revamp.
The old hatchback style was jettisoned in favour of a new ‘fastback’ shape, and all Civics now get an ‘e:HEV’ hybrid powertrain that offers power of 184 PS as well as very decent fuel economy of around 60 mpg.
What’s more, because the Civic is a ‘full hybrid’, it charges itself and never needs to be plugged in.
That powertrain marries a 2.0 litre petrol engine with two electric motors, and can seamlessly switch between full ‘EV’ mode or pure petrol power when you put your right foot down.
The other brilliant thing about the Civic e:HEV is that it comes loaded with equipment as standard, including adaptive cruise control with low speed follow, blind spot information, and lane keep assist.
The good people at Parkers were suitably impressed, with Editor Keith Adams commenting:
“Taking the top honours in the Parkers New Car Awards 2023 is a remarkable achievement for a fuel-sipping family hatchback in an increasingly electrified world.
“It's a reflection of just how effective the Japanese firm's excellent hybrid drivetrain is, proving you don't need to plug in to get great efficiency and low running costs. In short, the Honda Civic is an outstanding Parkers Car of The Year – and we think you’ll agree, too.”
The ‘ludicrously efficient’ Civic was also praised for its ‘refreshingly unfussy’ design and sporty driving dynamics. A spokesperson adds:
“To get better handling than this in a family car, you’d need to opt for a fully-blown hot hatch.”
The ‘Van of the Year’ prize went to the all-electric Ford E-Transit, which has a range of up to 196 miles between charges.
The ‘Best Value Car’ gong went to the uber-affordable, seven-seat Dacia Jogger estate, which you can lease with Select from around £250 per month.
Best ‘Medium Electric Car’ honours went to the Renault Megane E-Tech, while the stunning Alpine A110 took the title of ‘Best Fun Car’.
Read on to see the full run-down:
Best First Car - Skoda Fabia
Best Small Family Car - Ford Puma
Best Medium Family Car - Honda Civic
Best Large Family Car - Citroen C5 X
Best Small Electric Car - Fiat 500 Electric
Best Medium Electric Car - Renault Megane E-Tech
Best Large Electric Car - Kia EV6
Best Fun Car - Alpine A110
Best Value Car - Dacia Jogger
Best Off-Roader - Land Rover Defender
Best Seven-Seater - Volkswagen Multivan
Best Luxury Car - Range Rover
Best Company Car - BMW i4
Best Pickup - Toyota Hilux
Best Small Van - Toyota Proace City
Best Medium Van - Ford Transit Custom
Best Large Van - Ford Transit
Best Electric Van - Ford E-Transit
Best New Car Finance - Renault
Best Used Car - Volkswagen Golf (2013-2020)
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