Honda Civic Takes on SEAT Leon and Hyundai i30 in Battle of the Hatches

These are off-beat choices compared to the more popular Golf, Focus, and Astra. One good example of this is the Leon, which is based on the same platform as the Golf but makes a few compromises, such as less soundproofing, stiffer suspension, and cheaper parts. So it's like a sportier Volkswagen for young people.

Mat Watson dishes out more criticism than ever for the lack of features and dingy interior of the Leon, but that's because the Civic has stepped up its game.

The Sunderland-made hatchback has a trunk as big as some wagons and a cool-looking dashboard. Even though it's the winner of this competition, the Civic is judged just as sharply as the SEAT Leon.

For example, the infotainment, while beautifully designed, is laggy and has horrible graphics. The polarizing exterior styling is "as mad as a box of frogs," with particular attention being given to the exaggerated fake grilles at the back. Space in the rear of the Honda is ample, but taller people will struggle for headroom.

As you might have noticed, we're not saying much about the Hyundai i30, but that's to be expected. Mat says that in isolation it's a good enough car, but it has nothing that stands out in the segment. For instance, the 1.4-liter turbo is reasonably poky but less economical than the one in the Leon.

Hyundai's styling is described as a mix between the body of a Peugeot 308 and the grille of an Audi. Still, there are things that aren't taken into consideration when passing the final judgment, like SEAT's big 2-liter diesel engines or the fact that Honda only has a couple of powertrain options. But off-beat cars are never evenly matched.