2022 Honda Civic Hatchback vs 2021 BMW 5 Series

The 2021 BMW 5 Series had a restrained design, lacking the flourishes of the 3 Series and the imposing size of the 7 Series. It received a minor styling refresh, including sleeker LED headlights and a larger twin-kidney grille. The car also featured trapezoidal tailpipes, new L-shaped taillights, and updated bumpers for the M Sport Package. The interior maintained the familiar BMW layout, with specific design elements like the touchscreen positioning and the unusual-looking shifter. However, lower trim levels came with standard SensaTec upholstery, while higher trims offered Dakota and Nappa leather at an extra cost.

In contrast, the 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback aimed to capture a significant market share as other automakers phased out hatchbacks. The new Civic hatchback, produced in Indiana, shared its front design with the Civic sedan but had a unique rear. The interior featured sophisticated digital instrumentation and infotainment displays, especially in the Sport Touring trim. The car offered comfortable seating, although some passengers noted the lack of a seat-height adjuster for the front passenger seat and rear air conditioning vents. The driver’s seat had eight-way power adjustment, and the car came with black fabric or leather upholstery, depending on the trim.

The 2021 BMW 5 Series offered a range of powertrain options. The base 530i had a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 248 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, achieving 0-60 mph in 5.9 seconds. The 540i featured a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine with a 48-volt mild hybrid system, producing 335 hp and 362 lb-ft of torque, and reaching 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds with rear-wheel drive. The M550i xDrive had a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 with 532 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque, while the M5 boasted 617 hp in Competition spec, achieving 0-60 mph in just 3.1 seconds. The 530e plug-in hybrid combined a 2.0-liter engine with an electric motor, producing 288 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque, with a 0-60 mph time of 5.7 seconds.

The 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback offered two engine options. The LX and Sport trims had a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque. The EX-L and Sport Touring trims featured a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 180 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque. The Civic hatchback was front-wheel drive, with the Sport Touring trim offering a choice between a CVT and a six-speed manual transmission. The CVT worked well with the turbocharged engine, while the manual transmission provided a more engaging driving experience. The Civic hatchback delivered good fuel economy, with the Sport Touring achieving 33 mpg combined with the CVT and 31 mpg with the manual transmission.

The 2021 BMW 5 Series was available as a four-door, five-seat sedan in the U.S. The sedan offered spacious front seats and adequate rear-seat room. The trunk had a capacity of 14.0 cubic feet, with a 40/20/20 split-folding rear bench for longer items. The test car featured 16-way power front seats with heating and ventilation, although forward visibility was poor due to the long, high hood.

The 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback excelled in functionality, with a trunk measuring 24.5 cubic feet and a 60/40-split folding rear seat. The load floor was not flat, but the car maximized space behind the back seat. The driver’s seat had eight-way power adjustment, and both front seats were heated. The car featured black fabric or leather upholstery, depending on the trim, and automatic climate control, with a dual-zone system in the EX-L and Sport Touring trims.

The 2021 BMW 5 Series came with a standard 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen and a 12.3-inch Live Cockpit Professional digital instrument cluster. The iDrive 7 system included Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility, Bluetooth, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and a built-in WiFi hotspot. The rotary knob controller provided a tactile feel, and voice control was available. Gesture controls were also an option, although they were less precise than traditional volume knobs.

The 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback featured a new infotainment system. The LX, Sport, and EX-L trims had a 7-inch touchscreen display with physical power/volume and tuning knobs, and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Sport Touring trim added a 9-inch touchscreen display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, wireless smartphone charging, navigation, and a 12-speaker Bose Centerpoint 2 surround-sound audio system. The Civic also included digital instrumentation, with a 7-inch screen and analog speedometer in lower trims, and a 10.2-inch display panel in the Sport Touring trim.

The 2021 BMW 5 Series had not been crash-tested by the IIHS for 2021, but the 2020 model received a “Top Safety Pick+” award. Standard safety features included lane-departure warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and automatic high beams. The Driving Assistance Plus Package added adaptive cruise control, traffic-jam assist, lane-keep assist, and emergency stop assist. The driver-assist tech was sophisticated and smooth in operation.

The 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback came with the Honda Sensing collection of safety features, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, Road Departure Mitigation, and Lane Keeping Assist. New features included low-speed following capability and Traffic Jam Assist, available only with the CVT. Blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic warning were available in the EX-L and Sport Touring trims. The Civic hatchback earned a “Top Safety Pick+” rating from the IIHS.