I have only had my brand new Honda Civic 1.8 Si 5 speed torque converter Auto for 10 days but I agree that the handling and grip are fantastic, even on wet roads. I think the Bridgestone tyres help, as latterly my Leon FR DSG had cheap Accelera tyres on the front and they understeered badly in the wet. I did not think the Honda would be as good a driver's car but I know you think it is too. Also, coming from a Leon FR on 18-inch alloys, the ride is far better even on the Honda’s 17-inch wheels and tyres. The steering feel is also much better than the Leon, which had peculiarly numb steering compared to both this Honda and the Focus Mk 1 I had previously for many years.

Some journalists seem only to criticise cars and it's helpful you give a real world view. The Honda torque converter 5-speed auto does not change gear as quickly as the DSG especially under hard acceleration. But you can go from neutral to drive without dancing on the brake pedal in between, which is much easier in very heavy traffic where you are in neutral a lot. Also the DSG cannot be overridden in snow to start in second gear. It resolutely stays in first resulting in too much wheelspin. The Honda auto has a proper second gear lockout/override, so this will be handy in winter. I like the car more than I expected to, and you are right that it is very spacious, which is what I wanted. When I have had it a bit longer I will post an mpg figure on your real world mpg column. It is presently averaging somewhere between 32 and 42.