2020 Honda Civic vs 2021 Nissan Altima

The 2020 Honda Civic was a standout in Honda's lineup, offering a level of engineering excellence typically found in more expensive brands like BMW. Despite being a $20,000 compact car, 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 an elegant, elongated body with a svelte roofline, while the hatchback had a quirky tall rump. 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 standard LED headlights. 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.

In contrast, the 2021 Nissan Altima sported a bold V-Motion grille, available in chrome or dark chrome, giving it a sleek, aerodynamic profile. The Altima's design leaned more towards folds than curves, giving it a taut, trim essence. However, its stance was somewhat ungainly due to a lot of overhang ahead of the front and rear wheels. Modern features like standard LED lighting and a range of wheel options from 16-inch steel to 19-inch alloy kept its look contemporary. The fit and finish were exceptional, with deep lustrous paint and rich chrome details. Inside, the dashboard was uncluttered and intelligently laid out, featuring a standard 8-inch touchscreen display and a shrouded instrument panel for easy readability. The base model felt stripped-down, but higher trims offered improved materials and better hand feel.

The 2020 Honda Civic offered a variety 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, paired with a 6-speed manual transmission or an optional CVT. Higher trims came with a turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-4 engine, producing 174 hp and 162 lb-ft, with the hatchback versions making 180 hp. The Civic Si, with a boosted 1.5-liter engine, delivered 205 hp and 192 lb-ft, while the Type R was a powerhouse with 306 hp and 295 lb-ft. The Si and Type R were exclusively available with a stick-shift. The Civic's engines were smooth and responsive, with the CVT performing well without hesitation. The Si featured adaptive dampers, reducing body roll and providing a balanced, direct driving experience. Fuel economy was impressive, with most models achieving at least 30 mpg city and up to 42 mpg highway.

The 2021 Nissan Altima offered two distinct powertrains. Most trims featured a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 182 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, paired with Nissan’s Xtronic CVT. This engine was available with either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, achieving fuel economy ratings of 28 mpg city/39 mpg highway/32 mpg combined with FWD, and 25 mpg city/35 mpg highway/29 mpg combined with AWD. The standout was the VC-Turbo engine, available only in the SR VC-Turbo trim. This 2.0-liter turbocharged engine produced 248 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque, offering a lively performance. The VC-Turbo achieved 25 mpg city/34 mpg highway/29 mpg combined. All Altima models featured four-wheel independent suspension, with the VC-Turbo's suspension being sport-tuned. The electric-powered steering provided decent feedback and feel.

The 2020 Honda Civic offered practical interior features, including a volume knob and better cupholders. The hatchback had additional 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. The Civic felt roomy for rear passengers, though it lacked rear air vents. Cargo space was generous, with the sedan offering 15 cubic feet, the coupe 12 cubic feet, and the hatchback 26 cubic feet behind the rear seats, expanding to 46 cubic feet with the seats folded down.

The 2021 Nissan Altima featured Nissan’s Zero Gravity front seats, praised for their comfort on long drives. Upper trims offered power adjustment, position memory, leather appointments, and heated seats. The front cabin had ample storage, including a big glovebox, center console storage bin, and door pockets. The second row was roomy for two adults and could accommodate three for short rides. The rear seats folded flat in a 60/40 split, providing access to the trunk, which offered 15.4 cubic feet of cargo space.

The 2020 Honda Civic's infotainment system was outdated, 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 featured Active Sound Control, push-button start, keyless entry, power moonroof, and heated front seats. LaneWatch, a camera system for blind-spot monitoring, was also included. Automatic climate control was standard, and Honda Sensing, with features like adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist, was available on all trims.

The 2021 Nissan Altima came with a robust set of standard tech features, including Nissan Intelligent Key with pushbutton start, remote engine start, Bluetooth, and more. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard on all but the base S model. The base touchscreen was 7 inches, while other models featured an 8-inch NissanConnect touchscreen. Higher trims included additional USB ports, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a Bose audio system. The VC-Turbo model featured Active Noise Cancellation. Nissan Door to Door Navigation was standard on the Platinum trim and optional on others.

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 and received five stars from the NHTSA in all categories except the passenger frontal crash rating on the coupe, which received four stars.

The 2021 Nissan Altima featured Nissan Safety Shield 360, standard on SV and above trims. This suite included automatic emergency braking, rear automatic braking, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, and high-beam assist. ProPilot Assist was available for highway driving assistance, and an Intelligent Around View Monitor was offered on upper trims. The Altima received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick + rating from the IIHS.