2019 Honda Civic vs 2020 Dodge Charger

The 2019 Honda Civic, while not as stylish as the 2019 Mazda3, brought its own brand of upscale style. 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 the sizable cabin and short tail, which had unique wraparound LED lights. The Touring-trim test car came with chrome door handles and LED headlights that looked like hundreds of tiny crystals. For 2019, Honda added a new Sport trim with a center-mounted exhaust and some exterior flash of the performance-oriented Si trim for thousands of dollars less.

The Civic Hatchback, listed as a separate model, had a tall and aggressive rear end, while the Coupe model offered a more balanced alternative. The max-attack Civic Type R, available only in hatchback form, was essentially a race car. Unique paints like lime green or flat bluish gray made the Civic stand 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 with minimal buttons, and clean, linear lines. Despite a starting price under $20,000, the Civic's switchgear, buttons, and fabrics felt built to last.

Dodge resurrected the Charger name in 2006 with a modern take on the muscle car silhouette. The menacing headlights and gaping grille were key features that carried over to the current-generation car, which arrived in 2011. In 2015, the Charger underwent a major facelift, replacing the large grille with a thin inlet and opening up the lower front grille area below the bumper. The headlights took the "menacing" theme to new places.

The Charger's cabin honored a retro theme while blending old and new. Large vintage-looking bezels housed modern digital displays, and the rear-wheel-drive platform required a raised transmission tunnel, creating a cockpit-like feel for the driver and front passenger. Trim levels for the 2020 Charger included SXT, GT, R/T, and Hellcat, with further sub-trims for the R/T and Hellcat versions. The SXT came standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, remote start, push-button start, power-adjustable front seats, rear parking sensors, and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The GT trim added visual touches like 20-inch wheels, a more pronounced lower front spoiler, rear trunk lip spoiler, and a hood scoop, along with dual-zone climate control, a WiFi hotspot, HD radio, and a larger 8.4-inch infotainment screen.

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 sedans had a standard 6-speed manual transmission, while the coupe's manual was standard only on the Sport. EX and above trims, like the Touring, received a turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-4 with 174 hp and 162 lb-ft, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The hatchback exclusively featured the turbo engine on all trims, making 180 hp in the Hatchback Sport, where the manual was standard. Front-wheel drive was the only configuration available for all Civic models.

The Si model boosted the 1.5-liter engine to 205 hp and 192 lb-ft, while the Type R produced 306 hp and 295 lb-ft from a heavily boosted and re-engineered 2.0-liter engine. Both the Si and Type R came exclusively with a stick shift. The turbo engine was recommended for its quicker response and better mid-range acceleration. The CVT was impressive, simulating gear ratios without straining the engine. The Civic's handling, steering feel, and suspension were superb, making it a joy to drive. The brakes were strong and responsive, and the car was set up for sportier drivers while remaining comfortable and reliable.

The 2020 Dodge Charger offered various powertrains corresponding to its trim levels. The SXT and GT came with a 3.6-liter V6, producing 292 horsepower in the SXT and 300 horsepower in the GT. Both engines routed power to the rear wheels through an 8-speed automatic transmission, with AWD available as an option. The R/T featured a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 with 370 hp and 395 lb-ft of torque, along with an upgraded performance suspension and active exhaust.

The R/T Scat Pack came with a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 making 485 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque, featuring Brembo high-performance disc brakes and launch assist. The Scat Pack was also available in a widebody variant with unique bodywork and a wider track. The range-topping Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody boasted a supercharged 6.2-liter V8, making 707 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. The Charger lineup offered a range of performance options, from the base V6 to the powerful Hellcat. The widebody models had Bilstein adaptive suspension, providing precise cornering and handling. The Brembo brakes were necessary for the car's weight and contributed to its performance.

The 2019 Honda Civic's interior featured a touchscreen with a volume knob and five shortcut buttons, making it easier to use than previous models. The three-spoke steering wheel controlled the central display in the instrument panel, providing quick access to various functions. The rear seat offered surprising roominess, with optional two-stage heated outboard seats. Cargo space was significant, with 15.1 cubic feet in the trunk for sedans (14.7 for the Touring), 11.9 to 12.1 cubic feet for the coupe, and up to 25.7 cubic feet for the hatchback. The center console provided storage trays and a deep center storage bin with removable cupholders. Visibility was good in all directions, especially in the sedan.

The 2020 Dodge Charger offered ample space, with plenty of legroom in the rear seats. The driver and front passenger enjoyed well-bolstered front bucket seats and plenty of head- and legroom. The doors featured helpful trays and cup holders, and the center console provided quick and easy storage solutions. The Charger boasted a large trunk with 16.5 cubic feet of space, above average for both performance sedans and large family sedans. The 60/40 split-fold rear bench opened up for even more storage space.

The 2019 Honda Civic's Android-based infotainment system was good in 2016 but had since been outclassed by newer systems. The graphics and voice-based input for addresses in the Garmin-based navigation were better than the rest of the system. The Civic redeemed itself with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The 450-watt, 10-speaker stereo on the Touring trim no longer rattled the back window in bass-heavy songs. Honda's LaneWatch, available on certain trims, provided a live feed of the blind spot when the turn signal was activated.

The 2020 Dodge Charger came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, with an 8.4-inch touchscreen available on other trims. Both screen sizes ran FCA's Uconnect infotainment system, featuring Bluetooth and USB connectivity, available satellite radio, available HD radio, standard Apple CarPlay, and standard Android Auto. The system's simplicity and logical menu layout made it easy to use. The standard digital display screen at the center of the instrument panel allowed for easy cycling through functions and presented turn-by-turn directions for the available navigation system.

The 2019 Honda Civic came with Honda Sensing as standard on every trim level except the Si and Type R. It included forward-collision alert with emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control. The IIHS rated various 2016–2018 Civic models with its top Good rating in all six crash tests and Superior for crash-prevention features. The NHTSA awarded the 2019 Civic five stars in all categories, except for four stars for the coupe's passenger-side frontal crash rating.

The 2020 Dodge Charger came with standard safety features, including front- and side-impact airbags, traction control, and rear parking sensors. Available safety features included forward-collision avoidance with automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high-beams. The IIHS rated the Charger's crash prevention technology as Superior, but these features were optional, unlike some rival sedans that offered them as standard.