Honda's new Civic should - ideally - fail in the Indian car market. It looks more like a Hyundaish toy rather than a sophisticated, rich-man's sedan, and compared especially to Skoda's elegant and far more manly Octavia, the former shouldn't stand a chance.

Because the much-cheaper Honda Amaze diesel-engine variant includes the same excellent engine of the much more expensive City diesel, and is now also good looking and packed with most features, the former should achieve significant commercial success in the Indian car market.