2019 Honda Civic vs 2019 Toyota Prius

The 2019 Honda Civic, while not as stylish as the 2019 Mazda3, still brought its own upscale flair. It featured a new gloss-black upper grille, a revised lower bumper, and larger 18-inch wheels. The sedan's silhouette was graceful, with a long hood balancing a sizable cabin and short tail, complemented by wraparound LED lights. The Touring trim added chrome door handles and LED headlights that resembled tiny crystals. The new Sport trim introduced a center-mounted exhaust and exterior elements from the performance-oriented Si trim at a lower cost.

The Civic Hatchback, with its tall and aggressive rear end, and the Coupe model, offered unique paint options that stood out in traffic. The interior maintained a high-tech yet simplified theme with a central LCD screen for the tachometer and speedometer, a thin center stack, and clean lines. Despite a starting price under $20,000, the Civic's fit and finish felt high quality, with tight panel gaps and durable switchgear, buttons, and fabrics.

The 2019 Toyota Prius, on the other hand, was never known for its looks. The fourth-generation Prius, introduced in 2016, had an extroverted design that some argued hurt its sales. Despite this, the Prius offered a practical solution for daily driving. The 2019 lineup included L Eco, LE, XLE, and Limited trims, with prices starting at $23,770. The AWD-e system, available for an additional cost, added a rear electric motor for extra traction.

The Prius' interior was unusual, with centralized controls and a digital instrumentation strip beneath the windshield. The 2019 model added gloss black interior trim, which attracted dust. Despite its offbeat design, the Prius functioned well, though it took time to get used to the transmission controls. The AWD-e system resulted in lower gas mileage, but the Prius still offered a quiet and comfortable ride, especially in urban and suburban environments.

The 2019 Honda Civic offered a range of engines. The LX and Sport sedans and coupes came with a 2.0-liter inline 4-cylinder engine producing 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque. The EX and above trims featured a turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-4 with 174 hp and 162 lb-ft, paired with a CVT. The hatchback exclusively used the turbo engine, making 180 hp in the Hatchback Sport. The Si and Type R models offered even more power, with the Si's 1.5-liter engine producing 205 hp and 192 lb-ft, and the Type R's 2.0-liter engine delivering 306 hp and 295 lb-ft.

The Civic's engines were smooth and refined, with the turbo engine providing better mid-range acceleration. The manual transmissions were praised for their clutch and shifter engagement, while the CVT was impressive for its smooth operation. The Civic's handling was superb, with excellent steering feel, strong brakes, and a suspension that balanced comfort and sportiness. This made the Civic enjoyable to drive, even for those who just wanted a reliable daily driver.

The 2019 Toyota Prius combined a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine with an electric motor to produce 121 horsepower. The optional AWD-e system added a 5-kilowatt rear electric motor and a nickel-metal hydride battery. The rear motor powered the wheels up to 6 mph and provided extra traction up to 43 mph. The AWD-e system reduced fuel economy, with the standard FWD Prius achieving 52 mpg combined, while the AWD-e version got 50 mpg.

The Prius' CVT handled power to the front wheels, with dashboard-mounted transmission controls. The Prius offered a good ride and decent handling, with the electric motors providing instant torque in Power mode. The car could run in EV mode at low speeds, and the blended regenerative brakes recharged the battery. The Prius was quiet in urban environments, though road noise was more noticeable on the freeway. Overall, the Prius was a hassle-free daily driver with decent driving dynamics.

The 2019 Honda Civic's interior featured a touchscreen with a volume knob and shortcut buttons, making it easier to use than previous models. The three-spoke steering wheel controlled the central display, and analog gauges flanked the screen. The rear seat was surprisingly roomy, with optional heated outboard seats. Cargo space was significant, with the sedan offering 15.1 cubic feet (14.7 in the Touring trim), the coupe 11.9 to 12.1 cubic feet, and the hatchback up to 46.2 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The center console provided ample storage, and visibility was good in all directions.

The 2019 Toyota Prius offered comfortable seating for four adults, with manual height adjustment for the driver's seat and heated front seats. Rear passengers had good thigh support and decent legroom, though air conditioning vents were missing. The SofTex leatherette upholstery in the XLE and Limited trims could trap sweat, making the car uncomfortable in hot weather. The Prius' hatchback design provided up to 27.4 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat (24.2 in the LE, XLE, and Limited), and up to 65.5 cubic feet with the seat folded (62.7 with AWD-e). These figures were comparable to many small crossovers, making the Prius a practical choice for those needing extra space.

The 2019 Honda Civic's infotainment system, while good in 2016, felt dated compared to newer Honda models. The system included standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the 450-watt, 10-speaker stereo on the Touring trim was improved. Honda's LaneWatch provided a live feed of the blind spot, enhancing safety. The Garmin-based navigation system was a standout, with quick and accurate voice-based input.

The 2019 Toyota Prius' most impressive infotainment system was limited to the Limited trim, featuring an 11.6-inch touchscreen, navigation, and a premium JBL sound system. The standard system in the XLE AWD-e test car included a 6.1-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, and a CD player. The Prius' instrumentation was housed in a horizontal strip below the windshield, with some displays looking outdated. The Advanced Technology Package included a head-up display and adaptive headlights but was underwhelming. The Prius lacked Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, though it did offer wireless smartphone charging.

The 2019 Honda Civic came standard with Honda Sensing on all trims except the Si and Type R. This included forward-collision alert with emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control. The IIHS rated the Civic with top Good ratings in all crash tests and Superior for crash-prevention features. The NHTSA awarded the Civic five stars in all categories, except for four stars in the coupe's passenger-side frontal crash rating.

The 2019 Toyota Prius included Toyota Safety Sense on all trims, with adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and automatic high-beam headlights. The LE trim added blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and parking-assist sensors. The Prius received a 5-star rating from the NHTSA, with 4 stars for front passenger protection in a frontal crash. The IIHS gave the Prius a Top Safety Pick rating, with Acceptable ratings for small overlap front passenger protection.