We'd still me tempted by the Civic. It's true that the i-Shift gearbox attracted some criticism when it was new as it wasn't the nicest gearbox to use, but learn to drive around its flaws (e.g. lift off when changing up a gear) and it's not too painful. It's also more reliable than the likes of Ford's Powershift gearbox. Alternatively, would you consider a Toyota Prius? It will be very economical and should prove to be reliable.