2021 Honda Accord Hybrid vs 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback

The 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid was available in standard, EX, EX-L, and Touring trims, with prices ranging from $26,370 to $36,240. The hybrid powertrain added a $1,600 premium, except for the Touring trim, where it represented a $460 savings. The Accord Hybrid was never available in Sport trim. The car's design was praised for its proportion, stance, style, and detailing, with minor front styling changes for 2021, including a new grille, revised bumper, and new headlights. The Touring trim featured new 19-inch aluminum wheels and a new paint color, Sonic Gray Pearl. The test vehicle, an Accord Touring in Lunar Silver, had a dark undertone that avoided the drab brightness of typical silver metallic paint. The new wheels looked great but were difficult to clean due to gloss black inserts.

Inside, the Accord's cabin looked upscale, with plastic lower panels that didn't feel cheap, simulated matte-finish wood trim, robust controls, and polished metallic accents. The hard plastic upper rear door trim was a disappointment. The controls were logically arranged and easy to use, with both a volume knob and a tuning knob for the 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display. Outward visibility was excellent, and the driver could see plenty of the sculpted hood, making parking and maneuvering easier.

The 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback aimed to capture a significant market share for hatchbacks, with production in an Indiana factory. The new Civic hatchback was expected to serve as the foundation for the revived 2023 Acura Integra. The Civic hatchback was available in LX, Sport, EX-L, and Sport Touring trims, with prices ranging from $22,900 to $29,400, plus a $1,015 destination charge. The test cars were Sport Touring trims, one with a CVT and the other with a six-speed manual transmission. The new hatchback resembled the Civic sedan from the front doors forward, with a different grille pattern and unique wheel designs. However, from the front doors to the rear, it was a different vehicle. The Civic hatchback still had a stubby rear end, but it looked more balanced from a rear-quarter vantage point.

Inside, the Civic hatchback's cabin resembled the Civic sedan, with Sport Touring trim adding sophisticated digital instrumentation and infotainment displays. The dashboard featured handsome metal honeycomb detailing that hid the air vents, and the controls looked and felt high-quality. The CVT shifter operation was slightly janky, but overall, the interior was modern and appealing.

The 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid featured a two-motor hybrid system pairing a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with a generator/starter motor and a separate electric drive motor powered by a lithium-ion battery pack. This system produced a combined 212 horsepower and 232 pound-feet of torque, with torque available immediately and remaining constant to 2,000 rpm. The Accord Hybrid accelerated to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds and returned 48 mpg in combined driving for most trims, with the Touring trim earning a 43-mpg rating due to its larger wheels and tires.

The powertrain control module determined which of three operational modes was appropriate: EV Drive, Hybrid Drive, and Engine Drive. Drivers could also select EV Mode, Econ Mode, and Sport Mode to tailor drivetrain characteristics. Honda refined the two-motor hybrid powertrain for 2021, improving throttle response and making the car's acceleration sound and feel more natural. The Accord Hybrid Touring averaged 42.8 mpg, matching the EPA's official rating of 43 mpg. The car's suspension was tuned for athletic handling and a compliant ride, and the brake-by-wire regenerative braking system was excellent in terms of feel, modulation, and response.

The 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback offered two engine options. The LX and Sport trims had a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque. The LX came only with a CVT, while the Sport offered a choice between the CVT and a six-speed manual transmission. The EX-L and Sport Touring trims featured a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 180 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque, with peak torque available from 1,700 rpm to 4,500 rpm. The EX-L came only with the CVT, while the Sport Touring offered both transmission types.

Every Civic hatchback was front-wheel drive, with a variable-ratio electric steering system and ventilated front and solid rear disc brakes. The suspension used MacPherson struts in front and a multi-link independent design in back. The Sport and Sport Touring versions rode on 18-inch aluminum wheels with 235/40 Continental all-season tires, while the LX had 16-inch wheels and the EX-L had 17s. The CVT worked well with the turbocharged engine, with paddle shifters on the Sport and Sport Touring models providing a more traditional transmission feel. The six-speed manual transmission in the Sport Touring was praised for its short throws, fluid gear engagement, and excellent clutch modulation.

The Civic hatchback's suspension tuning was firm and satisfying around town but soft enough to handle poorly maintained pavement. The steering felt good, and the brakes were effective, though they faded under repeated hard use. The Sport Touring trim emphasized touring rather than sport, but the car was enjoyable to drive and delivered good fuel economy, with real-world testing nearly matching the EPA estimates.

The 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid offered impressive interior space, competing as a midsize sedan but actually being a full-size sedan. The 12-way power-adjustable driver's seat and enormous back seat provided ample room, though the front passenger's seat lacked a height adjuster. The Touring trim featured heated and ventilated front seats and heated rear seats. Interior storage was generous, with a large center console bin, a covered compartment with hidden storage and an available wireless smartphone charger, and large door panel bins. The Accord Hybrid's trunk measured 16.7 cubic feet, the same as other Accords, and larger than any competitor in the segment. The trunk was deep enough to store full-size suitcases on their sides, and the 60/40 split-folding rear seats expanded the car's utility.

The 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback prioritized function, with a trunk measuring 24.5 cubic feet and an innovative two-piece cargo shade. The back seat was a 60/40-split folding design, though the load floor was not flat. All seating positions were comfortable, with sufficient legroom, but the front passenger's seat lacked a height adjuster, and there were no rear air conditioning vents. The driver had the best seat, with eight-way power adjustment, and both front seats were heated. The Civic hatchback featured black fabric seats in LX and Sport trims, while the EX-L and Sport Touring had black leather upholstery. Automatic climate control was standard, with a dual-zone system in EX-L and Sport Touring trims.

For 2021, the Honda Accord Hybrid included an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system as standard, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The EX trim and higher offered wireless connectivity for these platforms, improved USB port access, and standard 2.5-amp quick-charge USB ports for rear-seat passengers. Wireless smartphone charging was standard with EX trim and higher. The EX-L trim featured a premium sound system, while the Touring trim included navigation, HondaLink subscription services, and a WiFi hotspot. The voice command system required specific prompts and pathways, and the navigation system struggled to locate the closest hospital.

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 inclusion of physical knobs for sound system controls addressed a long-standing criticism of recent Honda infotainment systems. The voice recognition system worked well, and the digital instrumentation included a 7-inch screen with a traditional analog speedometer in lower trims, and a 10.2-inch display panel in the Sport Touring trim.

In 2020, the Honda Accord did not receive a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS due to its headlights. For 2021, Honda redesigned the LED headlights and made them standard for every trim, aiming to earn the Top Safety Pick+ rating. The 2021 Accord Hybrid included a standard rear-seat reminder and rear seatbelt reminder system, with the Touring model gaining low-speed braking control. The Honda Sensing collection of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) was refined for smoother and more accurate operation, with improvements to adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist. However, the system's operation was still noticeable, and the lane departure warning used a steering wheel wobble instead of a vibration. The low-speed automatic braking system needed recalibration, as it sometimes identified the street as an obstacle when exiting a driveway with a full payload.

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 standard features included low-speed following capability and Traffic Jam Assist, available only with the CVT. The EX-L and Sport Touring trims included a blind-spot warning system, and the Sport Touring trim added a rear cross-traffic warning system and Low-Speed Braking Control. All Civics featured a rear-seat reminder system, rear seatbelt reminder, automatic high-beam headlights, new frontal-impact airbags, and next-generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) for better crash energy absorption. The Civic hatchback earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS. The Honda Sensing system worked better than previous versions but still had some issues, such as braking too hard when other motorists cut in and the lane-keeping technologies being too noticeable.