I was looking at the Audi A3 and the Seat Leon... Oh and the Astra. I didn't really have any massive guidelines for what I wanted, apart from it being something smallish sportyish and good looking.
Though going from my old Volvo 480 (the wedge), I felt I had to keep up a tradition of going for something a bit out of the ordinary
So the Civic it was... and I'm glad I did go with it
Also, the BMW 1-series pisses me off. All the drivers seem to be morons. There's a sort of smug "I'm driving a BMW" air to the way they drive...