2019 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback

The 2019 Volkswagen Jetta presented a more upscale presence with its slightly longer and wider dimensions compared to its predecessor. The new design featured a wide, angular grille inspired by the VW Arteon sport sedan, offering a more dramatic look than the previous generation's staid appearance. Inside, the Jetta continued the angular design language, creating a cabin that was both spacious and functional, with a premium feel thanks to soft-touch surfaces and comfortable seating. The Jetta's trims ranged from the well-equipped base S to the luxurious SEL Premium, each offering a variety of features such as LED lighting, a touchscreen display with Car-Net App-Connect, and driver-assistance technologies.

In contrast, the 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback underwent subtle styling tweaks, including new body-color crossbars on the air intakes, a refreshed grille, and smoked headlights. The Sport Touring trim, with its Platinum White Pearl paint and glossy black detailing, garnered admiration for its striking appearance. Inside, the Civic Hatchback offered stitched leather on the steering wheel and quality materials, though hard plastics were still present. The Sport Touring trim featured a six-speed manual gearbox, adding to its appeal. Despite its higher price, the Civic Hatchback provided a quieter cabin and a more compliant ride, making it a practical choice for daily driving.

The 2019 Volkswagen Jetta was powered by a 1.4-liter turbocharged inline 4-cylinder engine, producing 147 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. Despite having slightly less horsepower than the previous model, the engine felt more responsive, thanks to its tuning and the new 8-speed automatic transmission. This transmission allowed for efficient power management across various speeds, contributing to the Jetta's smooth acceleration and impressive fuel economy of 30 mpg city, 40 highway, and 34 combined. The Jetta's steering was well-weighted and precise, offering a blend of smoothness and sportiness, while the ride quality remained soft over rough roads.

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback, equipped with a turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, delivered 174 horsepower in LX, EX, and EX-L trims, and 180 horsepower in Sport and Sport Touring trims. Torque varied depending on the transmission, with the CVT providing 162 pound-feet and the 6-speed manual offering 177 pound-feet. The Civic Hatchback's engine was quiet and refined, and while the manual transmission's clutch travel was long, the car remained enjoyable to drive. The Civic Hatchback achieved a fuel economy of 32 mpg combined, and its softer ride and quieter cabin made it a comfortable choice for everyday use.

The 2019 Volkswagen Jetta offered comfortable front seats suitable for long trips, with adequate rear-seat space despite a slight reduction in legroom. Trunk space decreased to 14.1 cubic feet, but remained average for the class. The cabin layout was practical, with the touchscreen positioned above the climate vents for easier access, and the shifter moved back to expand the center tray. The Jetta's blend of touchscreen functions with real buttons and dials emphasized its focus on practicality.

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback provided 25.2 cubic feet of cargo space, surpassing the HR-V Touring's capacity. While the Civic Hatchback's driver's seat was low, the Sport Touring's heated leather front seats offered ample thigh support. The rear seats provided good comfort and legroom, though the lack of air-conditioning vents and dark tinted glass could lead to discomfort. The Civic's center console storage was versatile, featuring a sliding armrest, tray, and cupholders, accommodating even oversized water bottles.

The 2019 Volkswagen Jetta came with a 6.5-inch touchscreen display featuring Car-Net App-Connect, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto as standard. The SEL and SEL Premium trims included Volkswagen's Digital Cockpit, a customizable digital display that could project navigation information. This feature allowed drivers to access navigation without needing the top-tier trim.

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback's dashboard included digital instrumentation and, except for the LX trim, a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth and a volume knob. The Sport Touring trim offered Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, a navigation system, and a 12-speaker premium sound system. While the Civic Hatchback lacked a tuning knob and advanced voice-recognition technology, it featured automatic climate control and Smart Entry with Walk Away Auto Lock for added convenience.

The 2019 Volkswagen Jetta was equipped with front and side airbags, a reversing camera, and a tire pressure monitoring system. An automatic post-collision braking system was also standard. Driver-assist features like blind-spot monitoring and forward-collision avoidance were standard on higher trims and optional on the base S. The SEL and SEL Premium trims included adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and automatic high beams.

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback included the Honda Sensing suite as standard, featuring forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, automatic high-beam headlights, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. However, the Civic lacked blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, relying on LaneWatch for the right-side blind spot. The Civic received top crash-test ratings but did not earn a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS due to poor headlight performance.