Warm hatches are nothing particularly new but it's only relatively recently that diesel warm hatches started to make a significant impact on British buyers. Cars like the SEAT Ibiza FR TDI, the Citroen C4 VTR HDi and the Skoda Fabia vRS TDI have all notched-up respectable sales. As this was going on, Honda already had all the ingredients necessary to join the party.

Firstly, the company had already established the Type-S badge in the previous generation Civic. Secondly, they already had an excellent 2.2-litre i-CTDi diesel engine doing sterling work in the Accord and, thirdly, they had engineered the Civic in such a manner that this powerplant could be squeezed beneath its stubby bonnet. The result is the surprisingly satisfying Civic Type-S 2.2 i-CTDi we have before us here. It's not cheap but at least it's easy to see where your money has been spent.

Powered by a torquey 2.2-litre diesel unit good for 139bhp, the Type-S also comes with a slick, wristy six-speed manual gearbox that will have you punching up and down the ratios just for the sheer fun of it. The dynamics are what makes this car special and they're a long way removed from a common-or-garden variety five-door Civic.

For a start, the steering has been sharpened to give a more direct feel. The spring and damper settings have been revised to offer a decent ride quality with the standard 17-inch alloys coupled with beefy roll resistance through corners. The rear track has been widened by 20mm to give the Type-S an even more planted appearance, the car almost appearing to sit foursquare on the tarmac.

Like any diesel car, it doesn't show off its best aspect with a bald 0-60 figure, managing to hit the benchmark in 8.3 seconds. Instead, the Type-S saves its best work for the midrange where it will overtake with real verve with as little as 2,000rpm showing on the clock, despite maximum power being attained at 4,000rpm. Keep it in this band and it feels genuinely quick. Top speed is pegged at 127mph.

"Thanks to Honda, not every aspect of growing up needs to be disappointingly onerous"

Sharing the same platform as the five-door car, the styling of the Type S is well judged, with a decent array of sporting cues that stops short of appearing too over the top. If you've seen the Type-R, you'll appreciate that it's for genuine extroverts. Get at all self-conscious in a car and this Type-S may be more your thing. With side skirts that flare outwards to the wheel arches, the Civic's flanks now get a more voluptuous Coke-bottle look and the front and rear spoilers give the impression that the Type-S is absolutely bonded to the tarmac. The lower body structure is finished in gun metal grey. The side windows of the three-door are probably the easiest way of identifying it, with an upwards kick to the rearmost pane giving a wedgier look than the five-door car.

Although the latest Civic is significantly smaller than its predecessor on the outside, the company claims that room inside is just as generous as before. Instead of trying to understand how Honda has warped the time-space continuum, it's easier to spot the simple engineering solutions they've employed. Like the Jazz, the Civic features a fuel tank that's centrally-mounted along the cross member below the front seats. This means that the seats in the rear can fold flat and there's no intrusion into the cargo bay floor. Just because you opt for a three-door model doesn't bring any penalty in luggage carrying ability, the 485 litres of loading space identical to the more family-friendly five-door car.

The Type-S is fitted as standard with silver-stitched black alcantara seats and a leather trimmed steering wheel. Peer into the footwell and you'll spot a natty aluminium pedal set too.

Two model grades are offered - standard and GT. As well as the big alloys and Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), the Type-S is fitted with air-conditioning, a cool box, remote audio controls and curtain airbags. Those who bought the old Type-R will remember that air con was a costly option and many felt they had been a little hoodwinked by the car's attractive base price. No repeat this time round. The GT version of the Type-S adds dual zone climate control, a panoramic glass roof, cruise control, front fog lights, retractable mirrors and automatic wipers and headlamps.

Pricing may well raise an eyebrow, Honda wanting £17,170 for the entry-level car and £18,170 for the GT variant. This sort of money will buy you a fully-fledged hot hatch such as a Clio Renaultsport 197 or, at a pinch, a Ford Focus ST so it's worth bearing in mind that you probably won't spend this sort of money in order to recoup it in terms of fuel bills. You've got to actively want the characteristics of the diesel engine.

The upside of having a relatively modest 138bhp diesel engine up front is a Group 10 insurance rating. Compare that to Group 17 for a Ford Focus ST for example. Give both cars a good pedal cross country and you'll be lucky to see much over 20mpg from the Ford where the Civic will still nudge 40mpg, with an average figure quoted at 54.3mpg. Maybe we're not comparing eggs with eggs here but it goes some way to indicating the markedly different running costs between a diesel warm hatch and a spicier petrol model.

Emissions is another area where the diesel Type-S scores heavily, logging a mere 138g/km. This will make it very attractive to corporate user-choosers who want something that appears outwardly responsible to the bean counters in the back office but decidedly racy to their colleagues in the company car park. Depreciation is another area in which the Civic is reasonably strong, this model expected to retain around 48 per cent of its value after three years.

Get over the fact that it's not going to regularly win you the traffic light Grand Prix and there's a lot to be said for the Honda Civic Type-S 2.2 i-CTDi. It's good-looking, well-equipped, engineered with an integrity utterly beyond 90 per cent of other car manufacturers and, once you've got it spooled up to speed, very good fun to drive. It also manages to make most of its rivals look a generation older. The initial asking price might put some off, as may the nagging suspicion that this is a sheep in wolf's clothing.

Some will pigeonhole it as a Type-R for those whose partner wouldn't let them have one but this is perhaps unfair. Responsibilities happen to all of us sooner or later. Thanks to Honda, not every aspect of growing up needs to be disappointingly onerous.

TOP 4 CIVIC DEALS

The results below show the top CIVIC deals on buyacar

	Honda Civic 2.2 i-CTDi Type S GT 3dr Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £312	Saving £1,231	Price £16,594
	Honda Civic 2.2 i-CTDi Type S GT 3dr [Sat Nav+ HFT] Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly	Saving £1,357	Price £17,868
	Honda Civic 2.2 i-CTDi Type S 3dr Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £292	Saving £1,141	Price £15,684
	Honda Civic 2.2 i-CTDi Type S 3dr [Sat Nav+ HFT] Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly	Saving £1,267	Price £16,958

typical 11.92% APR

PCP finance quote over 48 months,  10,000 miles pa,  deposit of £1000