2021 Honda Civic vs 2022 Kia K5

Looking back at the Civic's history, the car's segment-defining versions arrived every ten years or so. After the 1973 original, Honda released the dramatic 1984 model, the segment-defining 1992 model, the futuristic 2006 model, and the polarizing 2016 model. Honda seemed to expend so much energy setting new compact car standards that it needed breaks in between those watershed moments.

For the 2021 model year, Honda continued to sell the excellent Civic in four-door sedan, five-door hatchback, and performance-tuned Type R formats. They canceled the two-door coupe and paused the sporty Civic Si until the next generation. Consequently, the manual transmission vanished from the sedan lineup. Examining the sedan, the Civic was offered in LX, Sport, EX, EX-L, and Touring trims, with prices starting at $21,250 and topping out at $28,300, excluding a $995 destination charge. The test car was a Touring sedan in Cosmic Blue Metallic, priced at $29,690, including destination.

Despite competing in the compact car segment, the Civic was almost as roomy as a decade-old midsize car inside. The Cosmic Blue paint and Touring trim’s 18-inch wheels imparted a handsome and sophisticated look. However, like its daring 2016 debut, the styling often polarized opinions, depending on the light or angle. Inside, the Civic’s quality materials, adventurous design, and thoughtful details complemented its role as a trendsetter. Although the interior was starting to show its age, especially with the infotainment screen capped at seven inches, it remained a quality cabin.

The 2022 Kia K5 offered a different visual appeal, available in LX, LXS, GT-Line, EX, and GT trims. Every model featured a turbocharged engine, with the LXS and GT-Line offering optional all-wheel-drive (AWD). Prices spanned from $23,790 to $31,190 before the destination charge. The test car was a K5 EX with front-wheel drive (FWD) and several extras like premium paint and the EX Premium package, bringing the MSRP to $33,945, including destination.

The K5's sleek, low, and long design suggested a luxury sports sedan rather than a family car. Our test car paired Glacial White Pearl paint with Ash Blue synthetic leather, black interior, matte-finish wood trim, and polished metallic accents. Despite some hard plastic surfaces, the interior exuded an upscale ambience. Quality was evident in the controls’ solidity, from the transmission shifter to the door release handles and steering wheel stalks, imbuing the K5 with a sense of being bargain-priced yet not bargain-sourced.

The 2021 Honda Civic provided two engine choices. The LX and Sport trims featured a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) driving the front wheels. However, the turbocharged 1.5-liter engine, available in EX, EX-L, and Touring trims, delivered 174 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque at 1,700-5,500 rpm. Though the CVT had its limitations, including drone and an unsophisticated gear lever feel, the turbocharged engine's spunk and the four-wheel independent suspension made the Civic a delight to drive. The Touring trim's 18-inch wheels contributed to a composed, quick, and gratifying driving experience, helped by the Touring trim's precise steering and suspension setup. The Civic excelled in fuel economy, averaging 34.8 mpg on a 140-mile driving loop, outpacing the EPA estimate of 33 mpg.

Conversely, the 2022 Kia K5 GT boasted a powerful turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 290 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, transmitted through an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. While the GT promised maximum performance, it was also the priciest and least efficient K5 variant and lacked AWD. Most buyers would likely opt for the standard 1.6-liter turbo-four with 180 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, available in the other trims. This engine provided linear power delivery from 1,500-4,500 rpm, ensuring sufficient torque for daily driving. The Drive Mode Select system allowed calibration of the powertrain, enhanced by Active Sound Control for a customizable simulated engine note.

During the week-long test drive in Southern California, the 1.6-liter turbo demonstrated adequate performance with good acceleration for freeway merging and enough torque for most driving scenarios. Road noise was a minor issue, particularly on coarse roads, and the suspension struggled with minor imperfections. However, wind noise was minimal, thanks to a 0.27 coefficient of drag. The K5 returned a fuel economy of 29.1 mpg during testing, slightly below the EPA estimate of 31 mpg.

The 2021 Honda Civic sedan sat low, and the seating position felt nearly floor-level, making it challenging to enter and exit. Once inside, the driver's seat offered eight-way power adjustments, but the front passenger seat lacked height adjustment. Leather upholstery was standard from the EX-L trim onwards. The rear seats provided ample space for adults, despite the absence of rear air conditioning vents. The center console was highly practical, featuring storage bins, large cupholders, and a sliding, padded armrest. The Civic sedan boasted a sizable trunk with 15.1 cubic feet of cargo space, though this reduced slightly to 14.7 cubic feet in the Touring trim due to the premium sound system.

On the other hand, the 2022 Kia K5 provided dual-zone automatic climate control across all trims. Front seats offered comfort, with a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and rear air conditioning vents. A panoramic sunroof added to the airy feel of the interior. Entry and exit posed the same challenges as with sedans generally due to the low stance. Rear passengers enjoyed ample room, though the hard plastic front seatback panels could become an issue if the front seats were reclined too much. Storage solutions included a spacious center armrest bin, a dedicated smartphone charging slot, and hidden trays in the door panel armrests. The K5 had a slightly larger trunk than the Civic, offering 16 cubic feet of cargo space, expandable by lowering the 60/40-split rear seat. However, the lack of a trunk lid handle was a minor inconvenience.

In the technology department, the 2021 Honda Civic showed its age. The entry-level LX trim came with a 5-inch LCD screen, Bluetooth, and a 1.0-amp USB port. The Sport trim improved upon this with a 7-inch high-definition touchscreen, an eight-speaker sound system, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, text-messaging support, 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. Despite these upgrades, the voice recognition system in the Touring trim was unsophisticated and required specific prompts, making Apple CarPlay and Android Auto the preferred options.

In contrast, the 2022 Kia K5 offered more advanced technology. The base LX and LXS trims featured an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Starting from the GT-Line trim, the K5 gained a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen but sacrificed the tuning knob and required a wired connection for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Additional features included satellite radio, Kia Connect subscription services, a Wi-Fi hotspot, navigation, and ambient noise tracks. Higher trims added a wireless smartphone charger, a 12-speaker Bose audio system, and Active Sound Design. However, the K5's voice recognition lagged behind, often failing standard commands, making third-party smartphone integrations preferable.

Every 2021 Honda Civic came equipped with Honda Sensing, a suite of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). This included adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, Road Departure Mitigation, and Lane Keeping Assist. Additional features included automatic high-beam headlights and a multi-angle reversing camera. However, LaneWatch, available from the EX trim, only provided right-side blind-spot monitoring, requiring drivers to use their mirrors for the left side. The Civic did not offer a traditional radar-based blind-spot warning system or rear cross-traffic warning. Despite these shortcomings, the 2021 Civic earned a Top Safety Pick designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and five-star ratings in all assessments from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The 2022 Kia K5 excelled in safety with its Kia Drive Wise suite. This included forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-following assist. Additional features included automatic high-beam headlights, a driver monitoring system, a rear-seat reminder, and Safe Exit Assist. The EX Premium package added cyclist detection, Junction Turning Assist, navigation-based adaptive cruise control, Highway Driving Assist, parking sensors, automatic rear braking, a surround-view camera, and power rear child locks. These advanced systems contributed to the K5 achieving the highest possible safety rating from the IIHS—Top Safety Pick+. It also earned a five-star crash-test rating from the NHTSA.