HONDA launched its revised Civic range in February of this year, headlined by the third-generation petrol-electric Hybrid variant.

While the changes to traditional petrol-powered Civics were more evolutionary than revolutionary, Honda claimed to have taken a more wholesale approach with the Hybrid, fitting a larger 1.5-litre petrol engine and replacing the previous nickel-metal batteries with a superior lithium-ion pack.

But at $35,990 the new model is more expensive than it should be, costing more than rivals such as the Toyota Prius and Camry Hybrid, while the paucity of standard features compared to traditional small-car rivals dilutes the value equation even further.

Combine this with a below-par driving experience, and it’s a hard car to recommend.