2021 Honda Civic vs 2020 Dodge Charger

The 2020 Dodge Charger, with its roots tracing back to 2006, showcased a modern muscle car silhouette. By 2011, the Charger had adopted menacing headlights and a gaping grille, which were further refined in a significant 2015 facelift. This update introduced a thin inlet grille and more aggressive headlights, aligning perfectly with Dodge's identity as a modern American performance brand. Inside, the Charger blended retro themes with modern touches, featuring large vintage-looking bezels housing digital displays and a cockpit-like feel due to its raised transmission tunnel.

Trim levels for the 2020 Charger included SXT, GT, R/T, and Hellcat, each offering unique features. The SXT came with 17-inch alloy wheels, remote start, and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The GT added 20-inch wheels, dual-zone climate control, and an 8.4-inch infotainment screen. The R/T and GT shared many visual cues, but the R/T boasted a V8 engine. The Hellcat, with the largest engine, featured leather upholstery, heated seats, and advanced safety features like blind-spot monitoring.

The 2021 Honda Civic, a segment-defining model, continued its legacy with the 10th-generation design introduced in 2016. Available in sedan, hatchback, and performance-tuned Type R formats, the 2021 Civic saw the discontinuation of the two-door coupe and the sporty Civic Si. The Civic sedan came in LX, Sport, EX, EX-L, and Touring trims, with prices ranging from $21,250 to $28,300, excluding destination charges. The Touring trim, tested in Cosmic Blue Metallic, offered a blend of style and practicality, though its design received mixed reactions over time.

Inside, the Civic's cabin, once daring in 2016, showed signs of aging, particularly with its 7-inch infotainment screen. However, it still featured quality materials and thoughtful detailing. The Touring trim's 18-inch wheels and Cosmic Blue paint added to its appeal, though the CVT transmission and some interior elements left room for improvement. Despite these quirks, the Civic remained a roomy and practical choice in the compact car segment.

The 2020 Dodge Charger offered a range of powertrains corresponding to its trim levels. The SXT and GT featured a 3.6-liter V6 engine, producing 292 horsepower in the SXT and 300 horsepower in the GT. Both engines were paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission, with AWD available as an option. The R/T trim came with a 5.7-liter Hemi V8, delivering 370 hp 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 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque, and included Brembo high-performance disc brakes and launch assist. The Scat Pack was also available in a widebody variant, featuring unique bodywork and a wider track. The range-topping Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody housed a supercharged 6.2-liter V8, producing a staggering 707 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque.

The Charger lineup provided a "Good/Better/Best" performance hierarchy, with the base V6 offering respectable acceleration, the 5.7-liter V8 adding fun, and the 6.4-liter Hemi in the Scat Pack delivering serious performance. The Hellcat's 707 horsepower offered exhilarating acceleration, though the Charger's weight was noticeable at times. The widebody models featured Bilstein adaptive suspension, enhancing cornering precision, while Brembo brakes ensured effective stopping power. The Performance Pages system allowed for detailed performance monitoring and customization.

The 2021 Honda Civic offered two engine options. The LX and Sport trims came with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque, paired with a CVT driving the front wheels. The turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, standard on EX, EX-L, and Touring trims, delivered 174 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque, providing ample power for the Civic.

While the turbocharged engine was spunky and the suspension offered a balanced ride, the CVT transmission detracted from the driving experience. The CVT's droning and ineffective paddle shifters were notable drawbacks. However, the Civic's fuel economy was impressive, averaging 34.8 mpg on a 140-mile driving loop, surpassing the EPA estimate of 33 mpg in combined driving.

The 2020 Dodge Charger stood out among high-horsepower sedans for its spacious interior. Unlike many performance sedans, the Charger offered ample rear legroom, even with the seats slid back. The front bucket seats were well-bolstered, providing plenty of head- and legroom for the driver and front passenger. The doors featured practical trays and cup holders, and the center console offered quick and easy storage solutions. The Charger's trunk was also generous, with 16.5 cubic feet of space, surpassing many performance sedans and even some large family sedans. The 60/40 split-fold rear bench further enhanced storage capacity.

The 2021 Honda Civic sedan, while low to the ground, provided a comfortable interior once inside. The driver's seat offered eight-way power adjustment, though the front passenger's seat lacked height adjustment. Leather upholstery was standard starting with EX-L trim. The rear seats accommodated adults comfortably, with excellent thigh support and a well-angled backrest. However, the absence of rear air conditioning vents was a drawback.

The Civic's center console was highly practical, offering ample storage space with trays, cupholders, and a deep center bin with a sliding armrest. The sedan's trunk was spacious for its class, measuring 15.1 cubic feet, though the Touring trim's premium sound system reduced it to 14.7 cubic feet.

The 2020 Dodge Charger came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, while higher trims featured an 8.4-inch touchscreen. Both screen sizes ran FCA's Uconnect infotainment system, known for its simplicity and user-friendly interface. The system included Bluetooth and USB connectivity, available satellite radio, HD radio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The logical menu layout and persistent dock icons made navigation easy, even when using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. The standard digital display screen in the instrument panel provided essential information and was operated via a directional pad on the steering wheel.

The 2021 Honda Civic's technology showed its age. The LX trim offered a 5-inch LCD screen, Bluetooth, and a 1.0-amp USB port. The Sport trim upgraded to a 7-inch high-definition touchscreen, an eight-speaker sound system, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a more powerful 1.5-amp USB port. The EX trim added HD Radio and SiriusXM satellite radio, while the Touring trim included navigation with voice recognition, digital traffic, and a 10-speaker premium audio system. However, the Touring's voice recognition system was unsophisticated, and the premium sound system, while nice, was not a significant upgrade over the eight-speaker setup.

The 2020 Dodge Charger came with standard safety features, including front- and side-impact airbags, traction control, and rear parking sensors. Available safety features included forward-collision avoidance with automatic emergency braking, 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 the highest score of Superior from the IIHS, though many of these features were optional.

The 2021 Honda Civic came standard with Honda Sensing, a suite of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). This included adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, Road Departure Mitigation, and a Lane Keeping Assist System. Automatic high-beam headlights and a multi-angle reversing camera were also standard. The Civic offered LaneWatch, a camera-based blind-spot monitoring system, starting with EX trim. However, LaneWatch had limitations, including susceptibility to damage and only monitoring the right side. The Civic lacked a traditional radar-based blind-spot warning system and rear cross-traffic warning system. Despite these drawbacks, the 2021 Civic earned a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS and five-star ratings in every NHTSA assessment.