2020 Honda Civic vs 2021 Toyota Prius

The 2020 Honda Civic was a standout in Honda's lineup, offering a range of choices and engineering excellence typically found in higher-end brands. It came in three body styles—sedan, coupe, and 4-door hatchback—each showcasing a sharp design. The sedan featured a sleek 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 other stylish updates. The interior was simple yet high-quality, with soft-touch materials and pleasing design elements.

In contrast, the 2021 Toyota Prius retained its iconic boomerang-shaped hood and roofline, a design choice that had become ingrained in its identity. However, this styling was not universally praised. The interior was unconventional, with a strip of displays mounted in the center of the dashboard and a toggle lever for transmission controls. The infotainment pod was thrust toward the front seat occupants, and the gloss-black trim attracted dust and fingerprints. The Prius was available in multiple trims, including an AWD option, but its design and interior layout were not as universally appealing as the Civic's.

The 2020 Honda Civic offered a variety of engines and transmissions, 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 CVT was optional. Higher trims 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. The Civic Si and Type R models offered even more power, with the Si boasting 205 hp and the Type R an impressive 306 hp. The Civic's engines were smooth and responsive, making it a joy to drive. Fuel economy was also commendable, with most models achieving at least 30 mpg city and up to 42 mpg highway.

The 2021 Toyota Prius focused on fuel efficiency, with the L Eco version achieving an impressive 56 mpg combined according to the EPA. Other front-drive models earned a 52 mpg combined rating, while AWD-e models managed 49 mpg. The Prius paired a 1.8-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with a 53-kilowatt electric motor, producing a total system output of 121 horsepower. While this wasn't much power, the electric motor's torque made the Prius feel lively off the line. The car offered various driving modes to maximize efficiency, and its TNGA platform provided a lower center of gravity for better handling. However, the Prius was not particularly fun to drive, with hard acceleration producing a droning noise and the steering lacking road feel.

The 2020 Honda Civic offered a well-thought-out interior with practical features. The 2019 updates included a volume knob and better cupholders, and the hatchback received more sound insulation. The driver's seat on EX hatchback models was eight-way power adjustable. 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, although 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 and 46 cubic feet with them folded down.

The 2021 Toyota Prius, often perceived as a small car, offered more interior space than expected. It could seat up to five people, with comfortable seats covered in SofTex synthetic leather. The test vehicle had an eight-way power driver’s seat, heated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. However, the low seating position made entry and exit more difficult. The rear seats provided adequate space but lacked air-conditioning vents. Cargo space varied by trim, ranging from 24.6 to 27.4 cubic feet behind the back seat and 47.9 to 50.7 cubic feet with the seats folded down.

The 2020 Honda Civic featured an outdated 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, standard on all models except the base LX. It included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but the interface was slow and complex. The Civic Si introduced Active Sound Control, which could be turned off, and came with a 450-watt, 10-speaker stereo. Other features included push-button start, keyless entry, a power moonroof, and heated front seats. Honda Sensing was standard on all trims, offering active lane centering, adaptive cruise control, and auto high beams.

The 2021 Toyota Prius had a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with stereo-volume and tuning knobs, and shortcut buttons. Standard features included Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa compatibility. Higher trims offered a 10-speaker JBL premium sound system, navigation, and a natural voice recognition system. The Limited trim featured an 11.6-inch portrait-style touchscreen, but it lacked the Android Auto upgrade. The digital instrumentation was dated and lacked sophistication.

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. 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 Toyota Prius featured Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 (TSS 2.0) as standard on all trims. This included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, lane-centering assist, automatic high-beam headlights, and a road-sign recognition system. Higher trims included a blind-spot monitoring system with rear cross-traffic alert. Safety Connect services were also standard, offering automatic collision notification, emergency assistance, roadside assistance, and a stolen vehicle locator. The NHTSA had not rated the 2021 Prius, but the IIHS gave it favorable marks.