2021 Honda Civic vs 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid

The 2021 Honda Civic, a segment-defining model, continued to impress with its bold design and versatile formats. Available as a four-door sedan, five-door hatchback, and performance-tuned Type R, the Civic offered a range of options for different tastes. However, the two-door coupe was discontinued, and the sporty Civic Si was on hiatus. The Civic sedan came in LX, Sport, EX, EX-L, and Touring trims, with prices starting at $21,250 and reaching $28,300, excluding a $995 destination charge. The Touring trim, with its Cosmic Blue Metallic paint, added a touch of elegance, bringing the total to $29,690.

Despite its polarizing design, the 10th-generation Civic remained a familiar sight on the roads. The Touring trim's 18-inch wheels and Cosmic Blue paint made it stand out, though opinions on its aesthetics varied. Inside, the Civic's cabin, while not as dramatic as when first introduced, still featured quality materials and thoughtful detailing. The infotainment system, however, showed its age with a maximum screen size of 7 inches. Overall, the Civic maintained its role as a trendsetter in the compact car segment.

The 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid, available in standard, EX, EX-L, and Touring trims, ranged 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's design was praised for its proportion, stance, and style, 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 Sonic Gray Pearl paint color.

Our test vehicle, an Accord Touring in Lunar Silver, showcased a dark undertone that avoided the typical brightness of silver metallic paint. The new wheels, while attractive, required extra effort to keep clean. Inside, the Accord's cabin exuded an upscale feel with quality materials, robust controls, and polished metallic accents. The simulated matte-finish wood trim added a touch of class, though the hard plastic upper rear door trim was a minor disappointment. The logically arranged controls and excellent outward visibility made the Accord Hybrid a pleasure to drive.

The 2021 Honda Civic offered two engine options. The LX and Sport trims featured a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) driving the front wheels. While adequate, the real excitement came with the turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine available in EX, EX-L, and Touring trims. This engine delivered 174 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque, providing a more spirited driving experience.

The Civic's sophisticated four-wheel independent suspension and responsive steering made it a joy to drive, especially with the Touring trim's 18-inch wheels. However, the CVT was a drawback, with its droning noise and unsatisfactory paddle shifters. Despite this, the Civic's fuel economy was impressive, averaging 34.8 mpg on a 140-mile driving loop, surpassing the EPA estimate of 33 mpg in combined driving.

The 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid featured a two-motor hybrid system combining 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 setup produced a combined 212 horsepower and 232 pound-feet of torque, providing quick acceleration and a 0-60 mph time of 6.5 seconds. Most trims achieved 48 mpg in combined driving, while the Touring trim, with its larger wheels, earned a 43-mpg rating.

The Accord Hybrid's powertrain operated in three modes: EV Drive, Hybrid Drive, and Engine Drive, with drivers able to select EV Mode, Econ Mode, and Sport mode. Honda refined the powertrain for 2021, improving throttle response and reducing noise. The Touring trim's 19-inch wheels and 235/40 tires enhanced handling, and the brake-by-wire regenerative braking system offered excellent feel and response. The Accord Hybrid averaged 42.8 mpg, matching the EPA's rating.

The 2021 Honda Civic sedan sat low to the ground, making entry and exit a bit of a workout. Once inside, the driver's seat offered eight-way power adjustment, but the front passenger seat lacked a height adjuster. Leather upholstery was standard from the EX-L trim. The rear seats provided good thigh support and a comfortable backrest angle, though the absence of rear air conditioning vents was a drawback.

The Civic's center console was highly practical, with ample storage space, including trays, cupholders, and a deep center bin. The sedan's trunk was spacious, offering 15.1 cubic feet of cargo space, reduced to 14.7 cubic feet in the Touring trim due to the premium sound system.

The 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid impressed with its spacious interior, competing as a midsize sedan but offering full-size sedan roominess. The 12-way power-adjustable driver's seat and enormous back seat provided excellent leg support. The Touring trim added heated and ventilated front seats and heated rear seats. Interior storage was generous, with a large center console bin, a covered compartment with wireless smartphone charging, and large door panel bins.

The Accord Hybrid's trunk was enormous, offering 16.7 cubic feet of space, the largest in its segment. The trunk's depth allowed for full-size suitcases to be stored on their sides, and the 60/40 split-folding rear seats added to the car's utility.

The 2021 Honda Civic's technology showed its age. The base LX trim offered a 5-inch LCD screen, Bluetooth, and a 1.0-amp USB port. The Sport trim upgraded to a 7-inch high-definition touchscreen, an eight-speaker sound system, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a more powerful 1.5-amp USB port. The EX trim added HD Radio and SiriusXM satellite radio, while the Touring trim included navigation, digital traffic, and a 10-speaker premium audio system.

The Civic's voice recognition system was unsophisticated, requiring specific prompts, and the premium sound system was nice but not essential. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were preferable for their familiar interface and navigation capabilities.

For 2021, the Honda Accord Hybrid made its 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system standard, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The EX trim added wireless connectivity for these platforms, improved USB port access, and quick-charge USB ports for rear-seat passengers. Wireless smartphone charging was also standard from the EX trim up.

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 the navigation system struggled to locate the nearest hospital, highlighting a need for improvement.

The 2021 Honda Civic came standard with Honda Sensing, a suite of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, Road Departure Mitigation, and Lane Keeping Assist. The Civic also featured automatic high-beam headlights and a multi-angle reversing camera.

LaneWatch, available from the EX trim, used a camera to monitor the right lane but had limitations, including susceptibility to damage and lack of coverage for the left side. The Civic lacked a traditional radar-based blind-spot warning system and rear cross-traffic warning but had a 180-degree reversing camera view. The 2021 Civic earned a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS for the Touring trim and five-star ratings from the NHTSA.

The 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid aimed for a Top Safety Pick+ rating by redesigning its LED headlights and making them standard. The car also included a rear-seat reminder, rear seatbelt reminder, and low-speed braking control for the Touring trim. Honda Sensing received refinements for smoother operation, and a new button made accessing the system's settings easier.

While the changes improved Honda Sensing, the system remained intrusive, and the lane departure warning's steering wheel wobble was less effective than a vibration. The low-speed automatic braking system also needed recalibration, as it was overly sensitive with a full load. Despite these issues, the Accord Hybrid's safety features were comprehensive and effective.