Take a look at the new Honda Civic. It looks a lot like the old one, doesn’t it.

It’s true, the changes are subtle, but they are numerous and, taken together, significant.

We’ll start from the front and work our way back:

The headlights have been redesigned and are now framed by the daytime running lights. Front and rear bumpers have been restyled as have the side mouldings and rear spoiler.

The familiar accentuated wedge shape remains. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea but in the competitive world in which the Civic must thrive, standing out from the crowd is an invaluable asset.

My test vehicle arrived in Sport trim, which includes black alloy wheels and colour-coded rear spoiler. To the untrained eye and, indeed, to the occasional trained eye, it’s not a million miles away from the forthcoming Type-R. That’s no bad thing, of course, not least because there are no plans for a Type S which means that unless you splash out on the R the Sport is as sporty as it’s going to get.

Inside there are new chrome door handles, new door trims and seat fabrics but the most significant addition is Honda’s new Android-based infotainment system Honda Connect.

The Civic’s split dashboard remains. I’m not convinced by its merits but all the instrumentation is clear and all the controls within easy reach. In fact, there’s a reasonable amount of kit onboard, including Bluetooth hands free and audio streaming, DAB radio, cruise control with speed limiter, rear view camera, front and rear parking sensors and climate control.

That new infotainment system is, for the most part, very satisfying to use. Overall the interface is intuitive and the bright, crisp screen responsive. The sat nav was particularly good, responding to unexpected route changes and recalculating directions rapidly. However, the decision to use an image of the car as a background to the main menu is a strange one as it just adds unnecessary clutter to the screen real estate, making it harder to read.

Passenger space is more than adequate up front, and the driver’s view out the back is aided by the split rear windscreen. Those sitting in the rear will have to endure more cramped conditions, however, particularly if you’ve got a couple of people over six feet up front.

The only mechanical changes have been to the dampers to create a more comfortable ride.

The 1.6-litre diesel engine can be a little gruff, and certainly under acceleration it’s loud enough to become a little intrusive. Fuel economy and CO2 emissions are, however, very competitive and, driven carefully, I estimate that it’s entirely possible to get in excess of 700 miles from a tank of fuel.

Peak torque arrives quite late so you’ll find yourself working the gear box a little harder than you’d want but, on the plus side, the clutch is light and the changes slick. That hard work brings dividends, however, because there’s enough power available to ensure satisfyingly rapid progress, should you desire it.

There’s enough feel through the steering wheel to allow you to tackle a series of flowing corners with some confidence while there’s enough grip to ensure that confidence isn’t misplaced. The front tyres bite nicely as you turn in and there’s a nice balance and consistency through the heart of the bend.

The slightly softer suspension settings mean that there’s some body roll in corners but the overall ride is a noticeable improvement over the outgoing model although at speed larger imperfections can unsettle the Civic, leaving it lurching uncomfortably from one bump to the next.

The new Civic is an incremental improvement over the previous model but it’s plying its trade in a fiercely competitive market. It’s comfortable, the diesel engine is clean and efficient, the boot is huge and, in Sport spec at least, well equipped. It might not quite match up to the build quality and passenger space of some its rivals but it does enough to put itself in contention.

Honda Civic 1.6 I-DTEC Sport

Price: £21.420

As tested: £22,555

Engine: 1.6-litre diesel

Transmission: 6-speed manual

Power: 118bhp

Torque: 221lbft

Maximum speed: 129mph

Acceleration (0-62mph): 10.5sec

Combined: 76.3mpg

Emissions (CO2): 98g/km

For more information about Honda cars visit www.honda.co.uk.