2019 Honda Civic vs 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback

The 2019 Civic, while not as stylish as the 2019 Mazda3, brought its own brand of upscale style with 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, featuring 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 fit and finish felt high quality.

The 2020 Civic Hatchback received styling tweaks, including body-color crossbars on the fake air intakes, a new grille, and smoked headlights. New wheel designs also debuted. The top-of-the-line Sport Touring trim featured Platinum White Pearl paint, which contrasted with the car’s glossy black detailing. Inside, the Sport Touring included stitched leather on the steering wheel, soft surfaces, and quality materials. The six-speed manual gearbox, previously reserved for Sport trim, was now available with Sport Touring trim. The base MSRP for the 2020 Civic Hatchback started at $21,650 for LX trim, with the Sport at $22,750, the EX at $24,150, and the EX-L at $25,350.

The 2019 Civic offered a variety 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 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, making 180 hp in the Hatchback Sport with a standard manual. The Si and Type R models offered more power, with the Si boosting the 1.5-liter engine to 205 hp and 192 lb-ft, and the Type R producing 306 hp and 295 lb-ft from a re-engineered 2.0-liter engine. All engines delivered smoothness and refinement, with the turbo engine offering better mid-range acceleration. The Civic's handling, steering feel, and suspension were praised for their balance and performance.

The 2020 Civic Hatchback, equipped with a turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, made 174 horsepower with LX, EX, and EX-L trims, and 180 horsepower with Sport and Sport Touring trims. Torque measured 162 pound-feet with the CVT and 177 lb-ft with the 6-speed manual transmission. The engine was quiet, refined, and well-mannered. The Si model, with a helical limited-slip differential, offered more thrilling cornering and power. The Civic Hatchback Sport and Sport Touring provided a softer, more compliant ride, wider seats, and a quieter cabin, making them easier to live with daily. The EPA rated the test car at 32 mpg in combined driving, with actual testing achieving 32.7 mpg.

The 2019 Civic's interior featured a touchscreen with a volume knob and shortcut buttons, making it easier to use. The three-spoke steering wheel controlled the central display in the instrument panel, and analog gauges flanked the central screen. The rear seat offered optional heated outboard seats, with passable head- and legroom for long trips. Cargo space was significant, with the sedan offering 15.1 cubic feet (14.7 with a rear subwoofer), the coupe 11.9 to 12.1 cubic feet, and the hatchback up to 25.7 cubic feet, expandable to 46.2 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The center console provided ample storage, and visibility was good in all directions.

The 2020 Civic Hatchback offered 25.2 cubic feet of cargo space, slightly more than the HR-V Touring. The maximum volume was 46.2 cubic feet. The driver's seat was low, but the Sport Touring's heated leather front seats provided ample thigh support. The center console storage area was long and deep, with a sliding armrest, tray, and cupholders. Rear seat comfort and legroom were good, but the lack of air-conditioning vents and dark tinted rear glass could cause discomfort.

The 2019 Civic's infotainment system, while good in 2016, was outclassed by newer Honda systems. The Garmin-based navigation was a standout, with better graphics and quick, accurate voice-based input. Standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with a 450-watt, 10-speaker stereo, improved the experience. Honda's LaneWatch provided a live feed of the right-side blind spot.

The 2020 Civic Hatchback featured a stylish dashboard with digital instrumentation and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system in all but LX trim. The Sport Touring trim included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, text-messaging support, a navigation system, a quick-charging USB port, and a 12-speaker premium sound system. Automatic climate control and Smart Entry with Walk Away Auto Lock were standard, providing keyless entry and automatic locking.

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

The 2020 Civic Hatchback included Honda Sensing as standard, with forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, automatic high-beam headlights, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. The lane-keeping assist lacked smoothness, and the adaptive cruise control occasionally braked for no reason. LaneWatch was the only blind-spot monitoring system. The 2020 Civic Hatchback did not earn a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS due to Poor headlight performance, but it received top marks for crash-test performance.