I’ve driven the all-new Honda Civic – it’s a health kick for the modern motorist

“LOWER in fat, same great taste!” Cakes, biscuits, sauces. And the new Honda Civic.

It’s driven by a petrol-electric system that gives you all the fuel savings you’d hope for. That’s the low-fat bit.

But to drive, it feels like a normal automatic. Same great taste.

There’s no need to plug it in.

And it’s pretty much free of the oddball engine noises and laggy drive and spongey brakes you often get from hybrids.

Even from Toyotas, which have had 25 years’ practice.

Accelerate hard and the response is immediate, and what you hear is the engine apparently changing up through the gears.

But there’s no gearbox.

The engine isn’t even connected to the wheels until you’re at motorway speed.

Normally it drives a generator instead.

That sends juice to a drive motor, and any spare goes to the battery.

The “gear shift” sounds are just there to give you a realistic sense of speed.

On the other hand, in gentle-footed driving, the engine shuts off for much of the time, while the drive motor is fed by that battery.

The battery is also recharged when you brake.

But you don’t need to know any of the under-bonnet secrets.

It simply reacts to your mood and the traffic.

It’s a charmingly silent car when you’re going gently.

And a slightly sporty one when you’re pressing on – perkier than most turbo rivals, although not the GTI crowd.

The cornering is quick-witted and grippy, so it makes good use of that power.

It’s fun to drive.

The main drawback is a lot of wind and tyre noise at high speed.

There’s plenty of kerbside appeal too.

Honda has done a massive spring-clean and tidy-up to the styling for this 11th generation of Civic.

It’s lean and low and long, a sleek contrast to the crossovers that most people buy.

The inside design is smart, modern and pretty plush.

It’s got all the room a family hatch needs.

Your bod is well supported by the seats. The dash and controls are easy to use.

Clever practical touches are dotted about the place.

Like a boot roller-blind that doesn’t get in the way when you’re not using it – a problem that, trust me, really did need solving.

A huge bag of electronic safety and driver-assist features comes as standard, even on the sub-£30k base model.

I got 50mpg, deliberately trying to outfox the hybrid system.

Driving normally you might get 60.

For a petrol family hatch, that’s properly low-fat.