2020 Honda Civic vs 2020 Toyota Prius

The 2020 Toyota Prius had a recognizable shape that persisted since its second generation, mainly influenced by aerodynamic efficiency derived from wind tunnel tests. This jellybean-like design was retained through the years, with styling cues evolving within those constraints. For the current generation, Toyota employed visual tricks to make it appear more sedan-like, although it still remained a hatchback. The car had a futuristic style that stayed contemporary despite the industry catching up with many of its original cues. One of the most revolutionary design elements of the Prius was its cabin, defined by a central location of instrumentation and gauges. This unorthodox design had been embraced since its introduction over 20 years ago.

The Prius came in several trim levels: L Eco, LE, XLE, and Limited. The entry-level L Eco featured 15-inch alloy wheels, automatic climate control, cloth upholstery, push-button start, three USB ports, Bluetooth connectivity, and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system compatible with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa. Stepping up to the LE trim added features like a rear windshield wiper, parking sensors, seat-back pockets, and a tonneau cover for the cargo area. The XLE brought in synthetic leather upholstery, eight-way power-adjustable seats, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and rain-sensing wipers. A special 2020 Edition featured unique dark exterior accents. The range-topping Limited trim included adaptive self-leveling headlights, a head-up display (HUD), satellite radio, HD Radio, and an 11.6-inch touchscreen, although it lost Android Auto support.

The 2020 Honda Civic, on the other hand, was the epitome of Honda's lineup, offering a $20,000 compact car that catered to a broad range of buyers. Available in three body styles—sedan, coupe, and 4-door hatchback—the Civic directed attention to its sharp design rather than its compact size. The sedan featured a sleek roofline similar to the coupe but elongated and elegant, with body panel creases and sweeping headlights accentuating its low and wide stance. The Civic hatchback had a taller rear, giving it a quirky appearance. For 2020, the Civic Si sedan had new matte-black 18-inch wheels, LED fog lights, standard LED headlights, an updated grille, and a rear bumper with more body-color and gloss-black trim. The simple interior featured high-quality materials and ergonomically pleasing design elements, such as more gloss-black trim, a metal shift knob, and a red glow start button.

Interior styling changes for the 2020 Civic included new dash accents and sport seats with red bands for the Si. Overall, the Civic's exterior was visually stimulating and devoid of any cheap aesthetics.

For the 2020 Toyota Prius, all trims came with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an electric motor and battery power, producing a combined 121 horsepower and 105 pound-feet of torque with front-wheel drive. The Prius also offered an all-wheel-drive variant known as the Prius AWD-e, which employed a second electric motor for powering the rear wheels and operated at speeds up to 43 mph. The Prius delivered smooth and confident acceleration, especially at lower speeds, with a seamless handoff between electric and conventional power. Three driving modes were available: EV, Eco, and Power. The latter provided quicker acceleration but came with increased engine noise.

The car featured a unique shifter design that could be confusing for first-time Prius owners, with Reverse, Drive, Neutral, and Park having specific placements and movements. The "B" mode stood for Engine Braking, mimicking a downshift to take some load off the brakes. Handling was impressive for a vehicle aimed at efficiency, with a low center of gravity giving it sharper handling than expected. The ride was smooth and excelled at soaking up bumps, making it ideal for commutes.

In contrast, the 2020 Honda Civic offered a range of engines and transmissions, all front-wheel drive. The base LX and uplevel Sport were equipped with a 2.0-liter inline 4-cylinder engine producing 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque. A 6-speed manual transmission was standard on these trims, with a CVT available for extra cost. EX and higher trims featured a turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-4 making 174 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque. Hatchbacks in Sport or Sport Touring made 180 hp, with the manual transmission now standard on the Sport Touring trim.

The Si variants saw the 1.5-liter engine boosted to 205 hp and 192 lb-ft, and the Type R boasted 306 hp and 295 lb-ft. The Type R exhibited remarkable composure despite its power, while the Si was a delight to drive daily, with adaptive dampers and a great suspension. The reduced final-drive ratio for 2020 improved acceleration but slightly affected fuel economy, with the Si rated at 26 mpg city and 36 mpg highway. Most Civic models with the CVT achieved at least 30 mpg city and up to 42 mpg highway.

The 2020 Toyota Prius made efficient use of its space, offering deep door pockets, a large tray area between the front seats, and sub-trays around the center console for added storage. The front seats were spacious and comfortable, with ample headroom and legroom. Rear seats also provided plenty of space, though taller passengers needed to be cautious when getting in and out. The Prius boasted 50.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 24.6 to 27.4 cubic feet with them up, making it a highly versatile option among hybrid and electric vehicles. Despite its sedan-like design cues, the Prius remained a hatchback, facilitating easy loading of large items.

The 2020 Honda Civic, in comparison, emphasized user-friendly enhancements like a volume knob and improved cupholders. The hatchback featured better sound insulation, and EX hatchback models offered an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat. The Civic's interior was designed with ease of use in mind, featuring a conventional PRNDL shifter, a deep center console storage bin, and configurable cupholders. The Civic's rear passenger space was notable, with generous room in all directions, and two-stage heated outboard seats added extra luxury. However, the absence of rear air vents was a notable oversight.

Cargo space in the Civic varied by body style. Sedans offered 15 cubic feet of trunk space, while coupes provided 12 cubic feet. The hatchback was the most spacious, with 26 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 46 cubic feet with them folded down, making it a practical choice for carrying larger items.

The 2020 Toyota Prius came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen, offering a sensible menu layout and easy navigation. Standard features included Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth connectivity, a WiFi hotspot, and three USB ports. The Limited trim upgraded the infotainment system to an 11.6-inch screen with a portrait layout, customizable segments, and split screens for climate and entertainment controls. Notably, this larger screen came with Apple CarPlay but lacked Android Auto. Optional features across the lineup included satellite radio, HD Radio, a head-up display (HUD), and a 10-speaker JBL premium audio system. The top-center instrument panel, a hallmark of Prius design, displayed hybrid drivetrain status and other critical readouts.

In contrast, the 2020 Honda Civic used an outdated infotainment system that ran slower and appeared graphically dated. This 7-inch touchscreen was standard on all models except the base LX and came with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to bypass the factory interface. The navigation on top-end trims was Garmin-based, offering quick and accurate directions. The Civic Si featured Active Sound Control to pump fake engine sounds through the speakers, which could be turned off, and a 450-watt, 10-speaker stereo. Other features included push-button start, keyless entry, power moonroof, heated front seats, and the effective LaneWatch camera that displayed a live feed of the right-side blind spot.

Honda Sensing, standard on all models, included automatic climate control, active lane centering, adaptive cruise control, and auto high beams. Higher trims offered leather upholstery, rain-sensing wipers, and LED headlights.

The 2020 Toyota Prius came equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, which featured automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. Optional safety features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, parking sensors, and active park assist. Notable was the available lane-tracing assist, which helped keep the vehicle centered in its lane. The Prius earned a five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a "Top Safety Pick" accolade from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), although it fell short of the highest "Top Safety Pick+" rating due to some average scores.

The 2020 Honda Civic’s safety suite, Honda Sensing, included forward collision warning, emergency forward braking, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. Honda improved the optional LED headlights, allowing the Civic to earn a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS for all body styles, except the Type R, which wasn't tested. The Civic received a top "Good" rating in all six crash tests and a five-star rating from the NHTSA, except for a four-star rating in the passenger frontal crash test on the coupe.