2008 Honda Civic SE review from UK and Ireland

Rattles and squeaks from the cabin, and very low quality overall.

Nothing has gone wrong with the car as such, but the experience as a whole is pretty miserable.

I bought this car as I fancied something that looked a bit different, and in that respect it fits the bill perfectly. However, the quality is really quite appalling considering the price (I could have bought a Golf or 1 Series for the price).

The doors are tinny and the handles especially feel cheap, the dashboard rattles from almost every joint, the most annoying of which is around the tachometer.

The seats are uncomfortable over long distance. I regularly drive from Warwickshire to Yorkshire and feel abused at the end of every journey. I believe that this is due to the head restraints, which are inverted towards the neck, consequently forcing the head down.

Indeed, the car is generally unrefined with a very poor ride and much mechanical noise is present, even at town speed.

The dealership is also pretty obnoxious; when I took the car back after a week of ownership to complain about the paint quality (the bonnet appears to be a different colour to the rest of the car), I was told that I was being fussy.

In summary it is clear that this vehicle has been built to a very low price. I cannot understand how this company achieved a reputation for quality. Based on my experience, I would certainly not recommend buying a car from Honda.