2020 Honda Civic vs 2021 MINI Cooper

The 2020 Honda Civic was a standout in Honda's lineup, offering a blend of affordability and engineering excellence typically found in higher-end brands like BMW. It came in three body styles—sedan, coupe, and 4-door hatchback—each showcasing a sharp design that belied its compact size. The sedan featured an elegant, elongated body with a svelte roofline, while the coupe and hatchback had their own unique, eye-catching elements. The 2019 model year brought updates to the grilles, bumpers, and wheels, which carried over into 2020. The Civic Si sedan and coupe received new matte-black 18-inch wheels, LED fog lights, and an updated grille and rear bumper. The hatchback also saw new bumper and light changes, along with new wheels in gray or black.

Inside, the Civic's simple yet high-quality interior featured soft-touch rubbers and high-quality switchgear. The 2020 model introduced new dash accents and revised sport seats for the Si trim. The interior was visually stimulating, with gloss-black trim on the steering wheel and dash, a metal shift knob, and a pulsing red start button. The central air vents' symmetry added to the overall pleasing aesthetic.

The 2021 MINI Cooper, known for its iconic styling, offered a unique and instantly recognizable design. Its rounded shape, compact dimensions, and wide variety of color choices set it apart in the subcompact car market. MINI provided several customization options, including graphics for the roof and hidden Easter eggs like Union Jack taillights. Despite its small size, the MINI Cooper was larger than the original Mini, with various wheel and trim upgrades available.

Inside, the MINI Cooper continued its unique design language with circular shapes dominating the seats, dash, and center stack. The infotainment touchscreen was mounted inside a circular light ring, and the air vents were also circular. While the cabin was generally high quality, it lacked space, especially in the back seats, which were best used for cargo rather than passengers. The front seats were comfortable, but the overall space was tight, making it less suitable for taller drivers.

The 2020 Honda Civic offered a range of powertrains, all front-wheel drive. The base LX and Sport trims featured 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 these trims, while a continuously variable transmission (CVT) was available as an option. Higher trims, including the EX, came with a turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-4 engine producing 174 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque. The hatchback versions in Sport or Sport Touring trims made 180 hp, with the manual transmission now standard on the Sport Touring trim.

The Civic Si featured a boosted 1.5-liter engine with 205 hp and 192 lb-ft, while the Type R boasted 306 hp and 295 lb-ft, both exclusively available with a stick-shift. The Si offered a thrilling driving experience with adaptive dampers and a torque-rich engine, though it rode stiffer than the regular Civic. The Type R was remarkably composed despite its power and ultra-thin tires. The 2020 Civic's fuel economy varied, with the Si rated at 26 mpg city, 36 mpg highway, and 30 mpg combined, while most CVT models achieved at least 30 mpg city and up to 42 mpg highway.

The 2021 MINI Cooper offered four powertrain options. The base model had a turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine with 134 horsepower. The Cooper S featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 189 hp, while the John Cooper Works (JCW) had a 228-hp turbo-four. The John Cooper Works GP, the most powerful, had a 301-hp turbo-four. All models were front-wheel drive, with a six-speed manual standard for the Cooper and Cooper S, and a seven-speed automatic available as an option. The JCW GP came with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The MINI Cooper felt spritely and energetic, especially with the turbocharged four-cylinder engines, which provided noticeable acceleration at highway speeds. The JCW GP model offered the best acceleration, feeling like a proper rocket ship. However, all Cooper models had a somewhat stiff ride, making long drives less comfortable. The car's agility and readiness to change direction made it fun to drive, but it wasn't the most comfortable for daily commutes. Fuel economy varied, with the most efficient model being the Convertible, delivering 28/37/31 mpg city/highway/combined.

The 2020 Honda Civic's interior improvements included a volume knob and better cupholders. The hatchback had more sound insulation, and the EX hatchback featured an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat. The steering wheel had controls for the central display and instrument panel, and the center console offered configurable storage with deep bins and removable 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 MINI Cooper's interior was more suited for cargo storage than passengers, especially in the rear seats. The front seats were comfortable with decent head and legroom, but taller drivers might find the dash shape problematic. Interior storage was limited, with a small center console and door pockets. The Cooper Hatchbacks offered decent cargo space with the back seats folded down, while the Convertible had a small cargo hold under the folding top compartment.

The 2020 Honda Civic's infotainment system was outdated, running slower and looking graphically dated compared to newer Honda models. The 7-inch touchscreen, standard on all models except the base LX, included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The top-end trims featured Garmin-based navigation with accurate voice recognition. 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, power moonroof, and heated front seats. Honda Sensing, with active lane centering, adaptive cruise control, and auto high beams, was standard on all trims.

The 2021 MINI Cooper wasn't generous with standard features. The base screen was a 6.5-inch unit, with an optional 8.8-inch unit offering SiriusXM satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, and more. Optional features included a Harman Kardon sound system, automatic climate controls, and LED headlights. MINI included more physical controls, improving the technology experience, but did not offer Android Auto. The infotainment system used BMW's software, with a physical iDrive controller that was difficult to reach and use due to the tight space.

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 a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS for all body styles except the Type R. It received the top "Good" rating in all six crash tests and a five-star rating from the NHTSA in all categories except the passenger frontal crash rating on the coupe, which received four stars.

The 2021 MINI Cooper missed out on a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS. It scored top "Good" ratings in crash tests but received "Acceptable" or "Poor" ratings for headlights. The standard front crash prevention systems earned "Advanced" scores, and the LATCH system received a "Marginal" rating. The NHTSA had not yet rated the 2021 MINI Cooper. Standard safety features included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and rear parking sensors, with optional features like front parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, and lane departure warning.