Companies looking to try and green their credentials might want to consider the latest eco-friendly model by Honda.

The ninth generation Honda Civic is now available to buy at showrooms across the UK. There are three different models that drivers can choose from and the starting price is around £16,000. Surprisingly though, none of the UK models is a hybrid – even though drivers in the States can get the new Honda civic 2012 as a hybrid or indeed a natural gas model.

Perhaps one reason why Honda didn’t do a UK hybrid version of the Civic is because its diesel Civic offers such good mileage and very low emissions. It’s a very environmentally friendly choice. The 2.2 litre i-DTEC engine can get 64-67 miles per gallon and has carbon dioxide emissions of only 110g/km. These low emission figures mean that the first year’s road tax is free and only £20 in subsequent years.

This fuel-efficiency has been achieved through improved aerodynamics and the introduction of stop start technology. The technology allows for the engine to cut out automatically when the driver applies their foot to the brake pedal in a traffic queue. As they lift their foot off the brake, the engine restarts automatically and seamlessly. Stop start technology obviously helps to save on fuel, but it has great benefits for reducing inner city pollution, too.

All the Civic models have the stop start technology as standard, as well as the ECON button on the dashboard. This gives the driver the option of choosing to drive in the most eco-friendly fashion – as pressing the ECON button instructs all the car’s systems to function at their environmentally friendly optimum.

Inside the new Civic, there’s plenty of room for passengers and a heap of luggage. The boot takes an impressive 477 litres, using a two layer storage system. The rear seats are Honda’s trademark ‘magic seats’ and can be flipped and turned to face the other way, increasing the potential for carrying large or awkward-shaped objects.

So, if you want to be a green driver and you’re a Honda fan, then the new Honda Civic diesel could be the car for you.