2020 Honda Civic vs 2021 Lexus ES

The 2020 Honda Civic was a standout in Honda's lineup, offering a compact car experience with a level of engineering excellence typically found in more expensive brands like BMW. It came in three body styles—sedan, coupe, and 4-door hatchback—each showcasing a sharp design that belied its small footprint. The sedan featured a sleek roofline similar to the coupe, with body panel creases and wide, arcing headlights accentuating its low and wide stance. The hatchback had a quirky tall rump, and the Type R model was an exaggerated, anime-like version. The 2019 model year brought upgrades to the grilles, bumpers, and wheels, which carried over to 2020. The Civic Si sedan and coupe received new matte-black 18-inch wheels, LED fog lights, and updated grilles and bumpers. The interior was simple yet high-quality, with soft-touch rubbers, high-quality switchgear, and pleasing design elements like gloss-black trim and a pulsing red start button.

The 2021 Lexus ES expanded its lineup to include the new ES 250 series, featuring a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and standard all-wheel drive (AWD). The ES 350 continued with a 3.5-liter V6 and front-wheel drive (FWD). The ES 300h hybrid version offered significant fuel economy gains. The ES lineup included Standard, F Sport, Luxury, and Ultra Luxury trims, with pricing ranging from $40,000 to $50,910. The F Sport trim added 19-inch wheels, unique styling details, and a black headliner. The Black Line Special Edition featured black wheels, side mirrors, and a black and white interior, with only 1,500 units produced. The ES's design was long, lean, and artfully detailed, with a dramatic grille that required some acclimation. The F Sport trim was particularly appealing with its black grille and larger wheels.

The 2020 Honda Civic offered four engines and two transmissions, all front-wheel drive (FWD). The base LX and Sport trims had a 2.0-liter inline 4-cylinder engine with 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque. A 6-speed manual transmission was standard on the sedans, while the coupe and hatchback paired the manual with the Sport trim. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) was standard on the base LX and optional for manual trims. The EX and above trims featured a turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-4 engine making 174 hp and 162 lb-ft, with the hatchbacks in Sport or Sport Touring trims making 180 hp. The Civic Si had a boosted 1.5-liter engine with 205 hp and 192 lb-ft, while the Type R boasted 306 hp and 295 lb-ft. The Si and Type R came exclusively with a stick-shift. The Si featured adaptive dampers and a stiffer ride, while the Type R was remarkably composed despite its power. The Si's EPA rating was 26 mpg city, 36 mpg highway, and 30 mpg combined, while most Civic models with the CVT achieved at least 30 mpg city and up to 42 mpg highway.

The 2021 Lexus ES 350 featured a 3.5-liter V6 engine generating 302 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Drivers could choose between Normal, Eco, and Sport driving modes, with Sport+ and Custom modes available with the adaptive damping suspension. The ES 350 accelerated to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds, with an EPA fuel economy rating of 25 mpg combined. During testing, the ES 350 F Sport felt quicker than its claimed acceleration time, though it struggled with traction due to its front-wheel drive setup. The ES 350 F Sport offered a firm ride, flat cornering stance, and overall athleticism, making it a sporty sedan rather than an outright sports sedan. The ES's dynamic voice command technology was excellent, allowing drivers to bypass the touchpad interface.

The 2020 Honda Civic's interior featured a volume knob and better cupholders, with more sound insulation in the hatchback. The EX hatchback had an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat. The three-spoke steering wheel had controls for the central display and instrument panel, with easy access to various functions. The center console had a deep storage bin with configurable item trays and cupholders. The Civic felt roomy for rear passengers, though it lacked rear air vents. The sedan's trunk offered 15 cubic feet of cargo space, while the coupe had 12 cubic feet. The hatchback provided 26 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 46 cubic feet with them folded down.

The 2021 Lexus ES featured sport-bolstered front seats with 10-way power adjustment, heating, and ventilation. The NuLuxe synthetic leather looked and felt like the real deal, providing excellent thigh support. Rear-seat passengers enjoyed good foot and legroom, rear air conditioning vents, and an available power rear window sunshade. Outward visibility was excellent, and storage was plentiful, though oddly configured. The trunk measured 13.9 cubic feet, with an optional hands-free power trunk.

The 2020 Honda Civic's infotainment system was outdated, slow, and complex compared to newer Honda models. The 7-inch touchscreen, standard on all models except the base LX, included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The navigation on top-end trims was Garmin-based, fast, and accurate. The Civic Si featured Active Sound Control, push-button start, keyless entry, power moonroof, and heated front seats. LaneWatch, a camera mounted on the right-side mirror, provided a live feed of the blind spot. Automatic climate control was standard, and Honda Sensing included active lane centering, adaptive cruise control, and auto high beams.

The 2021 Lexus ES's infotainment system had a problematic touchpad interface, requiring drivers to look at the screen while navigating. However, the climate and primary stereo controls were separate, with a combination volume and tuning knob within reach. The dynamic voice command technology was excellent, allowing drivers to bypass the touchpad. The optional 12.3-inch widescreen display looked terrific but needed to be a touchscreen. The ES included Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, SiriusXM satellite radio, HD Radio, and connected services. The 12.3-inch display added dynamic navigation and Destination Assist connected services. A 10-speaker premium sound system was standard, with a 17-speaker, 1,800-watt Mark Levinson high-end sound system available.

The 2020 Honda Civic came with Honda Sensing, which included forward collision warning, emergency forward braking, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. The Civic earned the Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for all body styles except the Type R. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) rated the Civic five stars in all categories, except for four stars in the passenger frontal crash rating on the coupe.

The 2021 Lexus ES included Lexus Safety System 2.0 (LSS 2.0), which bundled forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, lane-centering assistance, adaptive cruise control, road-sign recognition, and automatic high-beam headlights. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were standard on all trims except the base. The ES earned the Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA.