2020 Honda Civic Hatchback vs 2020 BMW 2 Series

The 2020 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe was a departure from the traditional two-door coupe design, adopting a four-door layout with a sloping roofline. This change aligned with a broader trend among German automakers, where the term "coupe" was used more liberally. The Gran Coupe shared its platform with the BMW X1 and X2, as well as the Mini Clubman and Countryman, featuring a front-wheel-drive bias. The front end of the 2 Series Gran Coupe echoed the styling of the larger 8 Series, with swooping headlights and an angular twin-kidney grille. However, the rear design struggled to maintain the aesthetic of the two-door coupe, despite efforts with frameless doors and flared fenders. Inside, the Gran Coupe offered a modern cockpit with solid fit-and-finish, though it lacked the elegance of some competitors.

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback, particularly in the Sport Touring trim, presented a refreshed design with subtle styling tweaks. The new grille, smoked headlights, and body-color crossbars on the air intakes contributed to a more refined appearance. The Platinum White Pearl paint contrasted sharply with the glossy black detailing, garnering admiration from onlookers. Inside, the Civic Sport Touring featured stitched leather, soft surfaces, and quality materials, though hard plastics were still present. The six-speed manual gearbox, previously exclusive to the Sport trim, was now available in the Sport Touring, offering a more engaging driving experience. Despite its compact nature, the Civic Hatchback provided a comfortable and quiet cabin, making it a practical choice for daily driving.

The 2020 BMW 2 Series offered a range of powertrains, with the 228i Gran Coupe featuring a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, available in both front-wheel-drive and xDrive all-wheel-drive configurations. While the engine was refined, turbo lag was noticeable, affecting initial acceleration. The Gran Coupe's steering was sharp and responsive, but its front-wheel-drive layout lacked the natural feel of the rear-wheel-drive Coupe and Convertible models. Body roll was minimal, but the ride quality suffered over rough roads, making it less suitable for areas with poor road conditions.

In contrast, the 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback, equipped with a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, delivered 174 horsepower in LX, EX, and EX-L trims, and 180 horsepower in Sport and Sport Touring trims. The engine was paired with either a continuously variable transmission (CVT) or a six-speed manual transmission, with torque figures varying slightly between the two. The Civic Hatchback's engine was quiet and refined, providing ample power for daily driving. While not as performance-oriented as the Civic Si, the Hatchback offered a more compliant ride, wider seats, and a quieter cabin, making it a more comfortable choice for everyday use. The Civic Hatchback also delivered impressive fuel economy, with an EPA rating of 32 mpg in combined driving.

The 2020 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe offered supportive and comfortable front seats, but rear-seat legroom was limited, especially when the front seats were adjusted for taller occupants. The cockpit layout was straightforward, with easy-to-locate climate controls, though the cupholders and center console were on the smaller side. The Gran Coupe provided 15.1 cubic feet of trunk space, surpassing competitors like the Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz A-Class. The Coupe and Convertible variants offered slightly less cargo space, with the Convertible's capacity further reduced when the top was lowered.

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback boasted 25.2 cubic feet of cargo space, slightly more than the Honda HR-V Touring. While the Civic Hatchback couldn't match the HR-V's maximum volume, it offered better acceleration and fuel efficiency. 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 versatile, with a sliding armrest, tray, and cupholders, accommodating larger water bottles. Rear-seat comfort and legroom were surprisingly good, though the lack of air-conditioning vents and dark tinted rear glass could make the rear seats less comfortable in warm weather.

The 2020 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe came standard with an 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, featuring Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay. The fully-digital instrument panel displayed navigation information and could be personalized. The available head-up display (HUD) added another layer of customization. BMW's infotainment system was user-friendly, with touch functionality and center console buttons for easy navigation.

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback, in Sport Touring trim, featured a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, and a 12-speaker premium sound system. While the system lacked a tuning knob and a larger screen, it included automatic climate control and Smart Entry with Walk Away Auto Lock. This feature provided keyless entry and automatically locked the doors when the driver walked away, offering peace of mind.

The 2020 BMW 2 Series included standard safety features such as forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, and a backup camera. Available features included adaptive cruise control, automatic parking assistance, automatic high beams, and blind-spot monitoring. The driver-assist systems were seamless and customizable, enhancing safety without being intrusive.

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback came standard with the Honda Sensing suite, which included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. However, the system showed signs of aging, with less refined lane-keeping assist and occasional issues with adaptive cruise control. The Civic lacked a traditional blind-spot monitoring system, relying instead on LaneWatch, which only covered the right-side blind spot. The Civic received top marks for crash-test performance but did not earn a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS due to poor headlight performance.