It is a sad but undeniable fact that we have been living through an era of almost relentlessly dull car design. Of course, you can find exceptions among cars few of us can afford, but if you look at the cars normal people drive, the unimaginative lines seem designed to do nothing more than ensure that no one ever takes offence at them. That offends me.

The current Ford Focus looks older than the car it replaces, the shape of the latest VW Golf is stultifyingly predictable, while even quite a pretty car such as the Vauxhall Astra is little more than a well executed variation of an all too familiar theme.

The excuse often trotted out for this lazy design is that the legislative rulebook is now so thick that cars almost design themselves and there remains little room for true creativity.

The good news is that I think the world is finally waking up. Those designers wringing their hands at the restrictions they believe have been placed on their artistry should look at the Citroën C4 or Renault Mégane or BMW 1-series for proof that it is possible to be different.

But, bizarrely, it is the new Honda Civic that has raised the creative bar. Bizarre, because the average Civic buyer is traditionally the most conservative of all car users. Quite what they will make of the new Civic, arguably the most futuristic car on the road, remains to be seen.

This is not just a conventional car with a few wacky additions — it has been crafted inside and out never to let the driver forget that he or she has chosen to be different. Potential buyers will first have to be comfortable with that before this car makes sense.

But Honda’s real achievement is to have created a futuristic car that still works as it should. It is roomy front and rear, boasts a big boot and rear seats that cleverly flip up as well as folding flat to create a genuinely versatile interior.

Only three engines are available, a 1.4 litre and 1.8 litre petrol and a 2.2 litre diesel, and your choice of powerplant is as important as any other factor in buying a Civic. Even if the rest of the car were absolutely class leading, I could not recommend the petrol to anyone who ranks refinement as even a minor priority. Thanks to short gearing, you cannot escape its raucous note. It would be easier to justify if the car were a little road rocket, but it’s not. Besides, the engine is so noisy you soon tire of revving it any further than you absolutely have to.

Swapping to the diesel brings a near total transformation. Diesels have progressed so far in recent years that many are now more civilised than their petrol equivalents, and the Civic’s is no exception. It has so much torque from little more than idling speed that it doesn’t need to be thrashed, but when you do its manners are better by far than that of its uncouth petrol brother.

It allows the rest of the Civic to shine. Get it on the right road and it will cruise all day in refined comfort. Only in town does its lumpy, low-speed ride reveal a lack of suspension sophistication relative to the Focus or Golf.

Fans of the wildly popular, and outrageously powerful, Civic Type-R will have to wait a little longer before the brand returns. Honda refuses even to confirm the existence of a Type-R project for this generation of Civic, but it can be expected to come clean on the subject in the spring, with the car on sale in less than a year. According to one proud engineer: “It will give the Focus ST more than a little to think about.”

In the meantime I leave the standard Swindon-built Civic in good humour, so long as the right engine is under the bonnet. Even so, it faces a tough task in carrying on the job so ably started by the Accord of convincing the public that Honda is more of a rival for BMW and Audi than Ford and Vauxhall.

But with keen pricing relative to its German opposition and with Glass’s Guide making favourable noises about its residual values, the diesel has the ability to continue the job.

VITAL STATISTICS

Model Honda Civic 2.2 i-CDTi EX
Engine type 2204cc, four cylinders in line
Power/Torque 138bhp @ 4000rpm / 251 lb ft @ 2000rpm
Transmission Six-speed manual
Fuel/CO2 53.3mpg (combined cycle) / 135g/km
Performance 0-62mph: 8.6sec / Top speed: 127mph
Price £18,100
Verdict The world’s most conservative car just got interesting
Rating 4/5

THE OPPOSITION

Model Audi A3 Sportback 2.0 TDI £18,585
For Good looks, classy build quality, smart interior
Against Raucous engine, handling more fluent than fun

Model BMW 120d £19,410
For Excellent performance and economy, good ride
Against Looks awful, cramped rear, too expensive