2019 Honda Civic vs 2020 Hyundai Elantra

The 2019 Honda Civic, while not as stylish as the 2019 Mazda3, still 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 a 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. 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, with tight panel gaps and durable switchgear, buttons, and fabrics.

The 2020 Hyundai Elantra, last redesigned for the 2017 model year and boldly restyled for 2019, remained visually unchanged for 2020. The previous year's restyle swapped the Elantra’s Genesis Jr. design cues for a geometric-influenced appearance, setting the stage for the dramatically angular styling of the all-new 2021 Elantra. Six versions of the car were available: base SE, SEL, Value Edition, Eco, Limited, and Sport, with prices ranging from $19,300 to $24,150. The Elantra Limited test vehicle included the Ultimate Package and floor mats, bringing the total to $27,630.

A black paint job highlighted the Elantra’s angular headlight, fog light, and wheel designs, adding strong contrast to the chrome grille, beltline, and logo detailing. The interior was updated to add a more upscale look, with silver trim on the air vents, climate control panel, engine start button, and steering wheel. However, enough hard and glossy plastic remained to remind you that this was a mainstream compact car.

The 2019 Honda Civic offered a variety of engines. The Civic 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 a staggering 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 and not straining the engine at high revs. The Civic's handling was superb, with excellent steering feel, a well-balanced suspension, and strong brakes.

The 2020 Hyundai Elantra featured a base 147-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a new continuously variable transmission (CVT). The CVT replaced the previous six-speed automatic, and the manual gearbox was no longer available. All Elantra models were front-wheel drive. The Elantra Eco had a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine with 128 horsepower and 156 lb-ft of torque, paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT) and an automatic engine start/stop system. It achieved 36 mpg in combined driving.

The Elantra Sport trim had a 1.6-liter turbo four-cylinder making 201 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, with a seven-speed DCT. The Sport model also featured an independent rear suspension for better handling. The Elantra Limited test car, with its 2.0-liter engine and new CVT, provided a smooth and efficient driving experience. However, real-world fuel economy fell short of expectations, averaging 29.3 mpg compared to the expected 34 mpg. The torsion beam axle rear suspension detracted from the ride and handling, making the Elantra feel unsettled on rough roads.

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 sedan's trunk (14.7 in the Touring trim), 11.9 to 12.1 cubic feet in the coupe, and up to 46.2 cubic feet in the hatchback. The center console offered ample storage, and visibility was good in all directions.

The 2020 Hyundai Elantra provided comfortable accommodations for four adults, with a fifth person squeezed in for short trips. The Limited test car featured power driver’s seat adjustment, leather upholstery, and a sliding center console armrest. Every Elantra included a dual-zone automatic climate control system with a Clean Air ionizer and automatic defogging system. Interior storage was well-proportioned, and the trunk offered 14.4 cubic feet of space. The interior grab handle inside the trunk lid made it easy to close.

The 2019 Honda Civic's infotainment system, while good in 2016, had been outclassed by newer Honda models. The system looked dated and was slower, but the Garmin-based navigation was a standout with better graphics and quick, accurate voice-based input. Standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were redeeming features. The 450-watt, 10-speaker stereo on the Touring trim no longer rattled the back window, and Honda's LaneWatch provided a live feed of the blind spot when the turn signal was activated.

The 2020 Hyundai Elantra came with a touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth and a USB port. The base SE trim had a 5-inch screen, while the SEL featured a 7-inch display with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and SiriusXM satellite radio. The Value Edition included a complimentary subscription to Blue Link Connected Car and Remote plans for three years. The Limited trim added wireless smartphone charging and a premium Infinity sound system. The Ultimate Package increased the touchscreen size to 8 inches and added navigation and Blue Link Guidance service. The Sport trim offered similar upgrades, packaged differently. The infotainment system was easy to use, with shortcut buttons and volume and tuning knobs. The Infinity sound system impressed with its depth of sound.

The 2019 Honda Civic came with Honda Sensing as standard 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 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 Hyundai Elantra featured Hyundai Smart Sense as standard on all trims, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and a driver attention monitor. Starting with SEL trim, the Elantra included blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert. The Limited and Sport trims had full LED headlights with automatic high-beam operation. The Ultimate Package added adaptive cruise control, a pedestrian detection system, and Safe Exit Assist. The Elantra earned a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS and a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA.