LOOKS
While the look of the Civic was revamped and slightly improved with the 2013 model, it’s still got a pretty pedestrian look to it a year later. Not quite as bland as it used to be, but still it’s not much of a looker. Considering why people buy this type of ride, though, that’s not going to hurt sales much. The Civic was never known for being flashy; it’s a quality, long-lasting vehicle aimed at commuters who want to get far on a tank of gas.

Be aware, though, that the amount of space inside is minimal. This is a small sedan with limited interior room. If you don’t have to sit in the back seat, you should probably avoid it -- especially if you’re an adult.

Point blank: This is not a family vehicle, it’s a commuter ride or for single people or couples without kids.

In terms of materials, even in the leather versions, the trimmings are not luxurious. It’s quite comfortable inside, but you never get the feeling that there is anything fancy about this ride.

ENGINE, HORSEPOWER
The 2014 Honda Civic hybrid’s 1.5-liter, 4-cylinder engine plus electric motor produce a combined 110 horsepower and 127 lb.-ft. of torque.

So how is the drive? Overall it had impressive handling, but there is limited oomph when you hit the gas pedal. You’ll get decent acceleration but nothing spectacular. This is a hybrid after all and that’s not an area where these types of vehicles excel.

And as a side note, the ride could be a little bumpy and noisy at times; not to the point of distraction but it was noticeable on a regular basis.

This is not a powerful ride, so steer clear if power is what you seek. This is an eco-friendly, slow gas sipper and isn’t meant to attract any speed demons to the dealership.

TECHNOLOGY
My test vehicle featured a 7-inch touchscreen as the command center, plus the optional Navigation system (which did its job well), a rearview camera, and voice recognition for safely delivering commands while driving.

Honda’s user interface was among the more user-friendly I’ve experienced, but wasn’t without its occasional quirks. Overall though, the experience was positive and you’ll quickly figure out how to use both the touch side and voice commands.

The 6-speaker, 160-watt audio system was decent, but far from the best I’ve heard recently, but the vehicle did feature all the options for music sources you’ll find on most modern rides (AM/FM/CD/XM Satellite Radio/Pandora interface/Bluetooth Audio/USB connection).

SAFETY
In addition to the usual complement of airbags plus anti-lock braking, forward collision warning and lane departure warning systems are among the helpful safety options on the CIvic hybrid.

In government collision testing, the Civic hybrid earned a five-star rating, upholding Honda’s traditional reputation as one of the safest automakers on the market.

This may be a small car, but it’s not one in which you need to be worried about your safety -- quite the opposite in fact.

MPG
I averaged about 45 mpg during my time in the Civic hybrid (in line with the listed numbers of 44 city/47 highway and 45 combined). And depending on your route and the incline levels and how you drive it, the potential is there for the numbers to skew closer to 50 mpg at times.

These numbers are, in a word, fantastic. For this reason alone, the Civic hybrid should drive quite a few buyers; With a 13-gallon tank, you can get up to 600+ plus miles out of a tank (and with gas about $2 in some states right now, it’ll only run you about $25 to fill up and run for that long; not too shabby).

PRICE
Pricing is competitive on the Civic hybrid, and you get a variety of options as far as trim levels -- base, Leather, Navigation, and Leather with Navigation. The base version starts at about $25K, and the option with Leather and Navi will run you about $28K to start.

BOTTOM LINE
If you want a small car with great gas mileage, among your best bets is the Honda Civic hybrid, just be prepared to accept limited interior room, reserved power and less than luxurious trimmings.

If you focus on enjoying your time on the roads and away from the gas pump, and don’t expect the world going in, accepting the Civic is not hard to do.

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Matt Myftiu can be foundon Twitter @MattMyftiu.