2020 Honda Civic Hatchback vs 2020 Dodge Charger

The 2020 Dodge Charger, with its roots tracing back to 2006, maintained a modern muscle car aesthetic. The 2015 facelift introduced a thinner grille and more aggressive headlights, enhancing its menacing look. Inside, the Charger blended retro and modern elements, featuring large vintage-looking bezels housing digital displays. The raised transmission tunnel and tall center console created a cockpit-like feel. Trim levels ranged from the base SXT to the high-performance Hellcat, each offering unique features and visual cues.

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback, redesigned half a decade ago, received subtle styling tweaks for 2020. The Sport Touring trim, with its Platinum White Pearl paint and glossy black detailing, garnered admiration. Inside, the Civic 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, priced at $28,980. The Civic Hatchback offered a range of trims, starting from the base LX at $21,650 to the leather-lined EX-L at $25,350.

The 2020 Dodge Charger offered a variety of powertrains. The SXT and GT trims came with a 3.6-liter V6, producing 292 and 300 horsepower, respectively. Both engines were paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission, with AWD available as an option. The R/T trim featured a 5.7-liter Hemi V8, delivering 370 horsepower and 395 lb-ft of torque, along with an upgraded performance suspension and active exhaust. The R/T Scat Pack boasted a 6.4-liter Hemi V8, generating 485 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque, and included Brembo brakes and launch assist. The range-topping Hellcat Widebody, with its supercharged 6.2-liter V8, produced a staggering 707 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque. The Charger’s Performance Pages allowed for extensive customization and monitoring of performance metrics.

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback, equipped with a turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, produced 174 horsepower in LX, EX, and EX-L trims, and 180 horsepower in Sport and Sport Touring trims. Torque varied slightly between the CVT and 6-speed manual transmissions. The Civic Hatchback offered a refined and quiet engine, with a softer and more compliant ride compared to the Civic Si. The Sport and Sport Touring trims provided a balance of daily comfort and occasional driving excitement. The EPA rated the Civic Hatchback at 32 mpg in combined driving, with real-world testing confirming this efficiency.

The 2020 Dodge Charger stood out among high-horsepower sedans for its spacious interior. The rear seats offered ample legroom, and the front bucket seats provided excellent head- and legroom. The Charger featured practical storage solutions, including door trays, cup holders, and a large center console. The trunk, with a capacity of 16.5 cubic feet, was generous for both performance sedans and large family sedans, and the 60/40 split-fold rear bench added versatility.

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback, despite the SUV craze, offered a compelling alternative with its 25.2 cubic feet of cargo space. While it couldn’t match the maximum volume of the HR-V, the Civic Hatchback excelled in acceleration and fuel efficiency. The low seating position might not be as convenient as an SUV, but the Sport Touring’s heated leather front seats provided comfort. The center console storage area was versatile, accommodating even oversized water bottles. Rear seat comfort was good, though the lack of air-conditioning vents and dark tinted glass could be a drawback.

The 2020 Dodge Charger came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, with higher trims featuring an 8.4-inch screen. Both sizes ran the user-friendly Uconnect system, offering Bluetooth, USB connectivity, satellite radio, HD radio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The system’s simplicity and logical menu layout were highlights, with docked icons for easy navigation. The digital display screen in the instrument panel provided essential information and turn-by-turn directions for the available navigation system.

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback featured a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system in all but the base LX trim. The Sport Touring trim included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, navigation, a quick-charging USB port, and a 12-speaker premium sound system. While the Civic’s technology suite was not the most advanced, it included useful features like automatic climate control and Smart Entry with Walk Away Auto Lock. However, the lack of a tuning knob, a larger screen, and reliable voice-recognition technology were notable omissions.

The 2020 Dodge Charger came with standard safety features such as front- and side-impact airbags, traction control, and rear parking sensors. Optional safety features included forward-collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high-beams. Blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and rain-sensing windshield wipers were also available. The Charger’s crash prevention technology earned a Superior rating from the IIHS, though many features were optional rather than standard.

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback included the Honda Sensing suite as standard, featuring forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, automatic high-beam headlights, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, Road Departure Mitigation, and adaptive cruise control. However, the system showed some refinement issues during testing. The Civic lacked blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, relying instead on the LaneWatch system for the right-side blind spot. The Civic received top marks for crash-test performance but did not earn a Top Safety Pick rating due to poor headlight performance.