2020 Honda Civic Hatchback vs 2019 BMW 3 Series

The 2019 BMW 3 Series showcased BMW's evolutionary design philosophy, maintaining a consistent aesthetic without radical changes. This approach ensured that the 3 Series aged gracefully, much like its predecessors from a decade or two ago. The car was slightly longer and wider than before, yet retained a compact footprint, making it easy to park and maneuver. The most noticeable design change was the alteration of the Hoffmeister kink on the rear doors, which was now a piece of black trim. The front of the car remained unmistakably BMW, with hard-edged half-circle LED running lamps and widened kidney grilles. The tail featured simplified and squashed LED lights, adding depth and a clean look to the rear end. Inside, the 3 Series kept its driver-focused layout, with a digital instrument panel and an optional wireless charging pad. However, some interior materials felt coarse compared to previous models.

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback, redesigned half a decade ago, received minor styling tweaks for 2020. The fake air intakes were toned down with body-color crossbars, the grille was updated, and the headlights had a smoked appearance. New wheel designs were also introduced. The top-of-the-line Sport Touring trim, with its Platinum White Pearl paint, garnered admiration for its sporty look. Inside, the Sport Touring trim featured stitched leather, soft surfaces, and quality materials, though hard plastics were still present. The six-speed manual gearbox, previously reserved for the Sport trim, was now available with the Sport Touring trim, making it a more engaging drive. Despite its higher price, the Sport Touring offered a quieter cabin, softer ride, and more comfort compared to the Civic Si.

The 2019 BMW 3 Series, particularly the 330i xDrive, was powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine, delivering 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. This engine was praised for its smoothness, torque, and sound, though it had more turbo lag at low speeds. The M340i model, with a twin-turbo 6-cylinder engine, offered near-M3 performance with 382 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. The 330i featured an 8-speed automatic transmission with perfect shifts and intuitive programming. The M Sport package included a lower and firmer suspension, staggered summer tires, variable-ratio steering, and a widened body kit. The 330i's fuel economy was rated at 25 mpg city, 34 highway, and 28 combined for the xDrive version, with the RWD version slightly better at 26/36/30.

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback, with its turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, produced 174 horsepower in LX, EX, and EX-L trims, and 180 horsepower in Sport and Sport Touring trims. Torque was 162 pound-feet with the CVT and 177 pound-feet with the 6-speed manual transmission. The Civic Hatchback offered a quieter and more refined engine, though the manual transmission had long clutch travel and gearbox throws. The Civic Si, in comparison, was tighter and more powerful. The Civic Hatchback provided a softer ride, wider seats, and a quieter cabin, making it more comfortable for daily driving. The EPA rated the Civic Hatchback at 32 mpg combined, and it achieved 32.7 mpg during testing.

The 2019 BMW 3 Series offered a spacious backseat with improved legroom and a 17-cubic-foot trunk. Visibility was good, and the seats were firm yet supportive. The controls were intuitive, with a touchscreen infotainment system that supported swiping gestures. The climate controls were easy to use, and the car featured USB-C ports. The interior layout was driver-focused, with a digital instrument panel and an optional wireless charging pad.

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback provided 25.2 cubic feet of cargo space, slightly more than the HR-V Touring. While it couldn't match the HR-V for maximum volume, the Civic Hatchback offered better acceleration and fuel efficiency. The driver's seat was low, but the Sport Touring's heated leather front seats provided ample thigh support. The rear seats were comfortable with good legroom, though they lacked air-conditioning vents. The center console storage area was versatile, with a sliding armrest, tray, and cupholders.

The 2019 BMW 3 Series featured extensive technology, though many features required subscription fees. The iDrive system was customizable and updated over the air. The car offered a credit-card-size key and a digital key using an NFC-equipped smartphone. Gesture control was available but often unreliable. The BMW personal assistant used natural speech and web-based answers. The Driving Assistance Professional Package included automatic steering and semi-autonomous features, though it required driver attention.

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback included a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, and a 12-speaker premium sound system in the Sport Touring trim. The car also featured automatic climate control and Smart Entry with Walk Away Auto Lock. However, the infotainment system lacked a tuning knob, a larger screen, and reliable voice-recognition technology.

The 2019 BMW 3 Series was a Top Safety Pick+ by the IIHS, with the best ratings in all six crash tests and high ratings for its optional laser headlights and standard forward emergency braking. The car also featured pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, 360-degree cameras, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and Traffic Jam Assist.

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback included the Honda Sensing suite, with forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, automatic high-beam headlights, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and Road Departure Mitigation. Adaptive cruise control was standard, though the lane-keeping assist lacked smoothness, and the adaptive cruise control occasionally braked for no reason. The Civic lacked a blind-spot monitoring system and rear cross-traffic alert, relying on LaneWatch for the right-side blind spot. The Civic received top marks for crash-test performance but did not earn a Top Safety Pick rating due to poor headlight performance.