NEWS that the Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC diesel has received what it claims are best in class residual values should boost the model’s competitive leasing rate.

The reason? The better the residual values – called RVs – the more competitive the leasing rates. Which is why some premium cars feature such low monthly car lease rates

Industry experts and residual value setters CAP have forecast that the British-built Civic diesel will hold up to 37% of its value after 36 months and 60,000 miles.

The Civic diesel, which offers a 5% higher residual value compared to the VW Golf, also features class-leading emissions and fuel economy, at just at 93g/km – a 1g/km drop compared to the previous 1.6 i-DTEC engine.

It makes the diesel Civic worth considering for company car drivers with a competitive company car tax banding of 23%. Benefit in kind company car tax starts from £77 a month.

Marc Samuel, Fleet Sales Operations Manager at Honda, commented:

“These residual values once again re-emphasise why the Civic diesel is an impressive offering for company car drivers. When compared to key competitors, the Civic comes out on top in residual value and its market-leading emissions performance, highlighting Honda’s commitment to making its cars even more affordable and efficient. Coupling this with the Honda Sensing safety features as standard in the Civic, it is a highly competitive choice for small fleets operating company cars.”