Honda's British-built Civic Tourer, priced from £20,265 on the road, is now available to order ahead of it arriving in dealerships in February.

The Civic Tourer is available with the 1.8 i-VTEC petrol and new Earth Dreams Technology 1.6 i-DTEC turbo diesel engines and four generously equipped trim levels.

Entry-level S grade includes features such as Bluetooth phone connection, DAB radio, USB connectivity and 16in alloy wheels.

Step up to SE Plus and you gain rear parking sensors and 17in alloys, while SR customers will benefit from the new world-first rear adaptive damper system, front heated seats, HDD Navi and privacy glass. Those who opt for range-topping EX grade will receive headlight washers, smart entry and starting, sunglasses holder, interior blue ambient lighting and auto-levelling Bi-HID headlights.

The space inside the Tourer defies its dimensions. Despite being the lowest and most compact estate in the segment – just 235mm longer than the Civic hatchback – the new Tourer offers a class-leading 624 litres of boot space to the tonneau cover with rear seats up. Using Honda's unique Magic Seat system, the rear seats can be pulled down to create a completely flat load area with 1,668 litres of capacity to the roof lining,

The new rear adaptive damper system automatically adjusts the rear suspension damping force to enhance stability and comfort for load and driving conditions.

Another first is the option to add Honda's new suite of safety technologies to a C-segment car. Based on the philosophy of 'Safety for Everyone', the new sensor-based active safety systems uses a combination of cameras and radar to deliver a high standard of safety in all conditions, giving drivers and passengers complete peace of mind. The new driver assistance safety pack is available as a factory-fit option from SE models upwards for £780 and consists of the following:

City brake active system designed to help avoid or lessen the impact of low-speed accidents.

Forward collision warning which detects the risk of collision by recognising the vehicle directly in front.

High beam support system.

Lane departure warning.

Traffic sign recognition system.

Blind Spot information.

Cross traffic monitor.

Safety pack two, available only on EX models for an extra £2,500, also adds automatic cruise Control and collision mitigation braking system in place of the city brake active system.

The new 1.6 i-DTEC diesel engine delivers exceptional fuel economy without compromising power and performance.

The lightweight engine provides a punchy 120PS and 300 Newton metres of torque with an acceleration time of 0-60mph in 10.1 seconds, while achieving 74.3mpg on the combined cycle. A range of 817 miles on one tank of fuel means less trips to the fuel pumps while CO2 emissions from 99g/km keeps the car exempt from annual vehicle excise duty.

Honda's proven and reliable 1.8 i-VTEC petrol engine will be available with manual and automatic transmission and provides 142PS and 174 Newton metres of torque, delivering 45.56mpg on the combined cycle and from 149g/km of CO2 emissions.

The petrol models are pricing from £20,265 to £26,250 with the diesel versions £21,375 to £27,460.