In their early days, small-capacity turbocharged petrol engines certainly didn't seem to have the same lifespan of bigger engines. We're hearing of fewer issues reported now, though, as a lot of the original gremlins have been ironed out. Ford's popular 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine was one of the most troublesome - we're not aware of many issues with Honda's 1.0-litre engine (and, being a Honda, we'd expect it to be pretty reliable).

You're right to be concerned about keyless car theft, but there are steps you can take to prevent it. You could move your keys away from doors and windows or consider investing in a signal-blocking pouch or box to prevent thieves being able to find a signal. Ultimately, though, if someone wants to steal your car (keyless or otherwise) they'll find a way - I'd much rather someone did it via keyless theft than ransacked my home looking for the keys!

As an alternative to the Civic, we'd recommend the excellent hybrid Toyota Corolla. It'll be very cheap to run and ought to be very reliable. You could also take a look at the stylish Mazda 3.