2020 Honda Civic vs 2021 BMW 2 Series

The 2020 Honda Civic was a standout in Honda's lineup, offering a blend of affordability and engineering excellence that was often compared to BMW. It came in three body styles—sedan, coupe, and hatchback—each showcasing a sharp design that belied its compact size. The sedan featured an elegant, elongated body with a svelte roofline, while the hatchback had a quirky tall rump. The Civic's exterior was visually stimulating, with wide, arcing headlights and sweeping LED taillights accentuating its low and wide stance. The interior was simple yet high-quality, with soft-touch materials and a pleasing design. The 2020 model introduced new styling elements, including matte-black wheels and updated bumpers, enhancing its already appealing look.

The 2021 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe, introduced as a new model, marked BMW's first foray into front-wheel drive in the U.S. market. Despite its name, it was a four-door sedan with a conventional trunk, offering a more affordable entry into the BMW brand. The 2 Series Gran Coupe was available in 228i and M235i models, with xDrive all-wheel-drive optional for the 228i and standard for the M235i. The car's design featured visual tricks to balance its proportions, such as large LED headlights and a tapering roofline. Inside, it adhered to BMW's modern design language, with geometric shapes, a touchscreen infotainment system, and digital instrumentation. The interior materials were upscale, and the optional leather added to its appeal, making it feel more sophisticated than its entry-level status suggested.

The 2020 Honda Civic offered a range of engines and transmissions, all front-wheel drive. The base LX and Sport models featured a 2.0-liter inline 4-cylinder engine with 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque, paired with a 6-speed manual transmission. The EX and higher trims came with a turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-4 engine, producing 174 hp and 162 lb-ft, with a CVT as standard. The Civic Si and Type R models offered more power, with the Si's 1.5-liter engine boosted to 205 hp and the Type R delivering 306 hp. The Civic's engines were praised for their smoothness and responsiveness, with the manual transmission offering a tight, enjoyable shifting experience. The Si model featured adaptive dampers and a stiffer ride, while the Type R was noted for its remarkable composure despite its power. The Civic's fuel economy was competitive, with most models achieving at least 30 mpg city and up to 42 mpg highway.

The 2021 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe, particularly the 228i xDrive model, featured a 228-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with an eight-speed sport automatic transmission and optional AWD. BMW quoted a zero-to-60 mph time of six seconds for the 228i xDrive, offering a lively driving experience. The car included performance-enhancing technology such as brake-fade compensation and cornering brake control. The M Sport Package added M Sport steering, which was swift and direct, enhancing the driving experience. The suspension was firm but provided a glued-to-the-road feel, although the all-season run-flat tires were noted for squealing at the limit of adhesion. The 228i xDrive averaged 27.9 mpg during testing, slightly exceeding the EPA's estimate.

The 2020 Honda Civic offered a spacious interior, with the hatchback model providing the most cargo space at 26 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 46 cubic feet with them folded down. The sedan's trunk offered 15 cubic feet of space, while the coupe had 12 cubic feet. The Civic's interior featured a conventional PRNDL shifter, a deep center console with configurable storage, and a three-spoke steering wheel with controls for the central display and instrument panel. The rear seats were roomy, although the lack of rear air vents was a noted oversight. The Civic's interior was praised for its practicality and thoughtful design.

The 2021 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe was practical for two passengers, with sport-bolstered, 10-way power-adjustable front seats providing comfort. However, the rear seats were less accommodating, with limited headroom and legroom, making entry and exit challenging. The Gran Coupe's trunk offered 15.2 cubic feet of space, including a storage compartment under the load floor, and the 40/20/40-split folding rear seat added utility. Despite its fast roofline, the Gran Coupe did not offer the added cargo utility of a sportback design.

The 2020 Honda Civic featured an outdated infotainment system with a 7-inch touchscreen, standard on all models except the base LX. It included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with Garmin-based navigation on top trims. The Civic Si introduced Active Sound Control, which could be turned off, and came with a 450-watt, 10-speaker stereo. Standard features included push-button start, keyless entry, and Honda Sensing, which offered active lane centering and adaptive cruise control. The Civic's technology was functional but lagged behind newer systems in other Honda models.

The 2021 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe came with Live Cockpit Plus, featuring a 5.1-inch display between analog gauges. The Premium Package upgraded to Live Cockpit Pro with a 10.25-inch digital display, paired with an 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system using iDrive 7.0 technology. The system included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, and navigation, with over-the-air updates. The infotainment system was praised for its responsiveness and ease of use, with multiple control options. The test car also featured a premium sound system and a head-up display, although the latter was less effective with polarized sunglasses.

The 2020 Honda Civic came with Honda Sensing, which included forward collision warning, emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. The Civic earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS, with top "Good" ratings in all crash tests except for the Type R, which wasn't tested. The NHTSA rated the Civic five stars in all categories, except for four stars in the passenger frontal crash rating on the coupe.

The 2021 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe offered the Active Driving Assistant package, which included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, and active blind-spot warning. The lane-keeping assistance was noted for its effectiveness, though it could be aggressive. The IIHS rated the 2 Series Gran Coupe highly for crash protection, but it missed a Top Safety Pick due to headlight ratings and vehicle-to-pedestrian test results.