2021 Honda Civic vs 2022 Lexus ES

The 2021 Honda Civic had a history of setting new standards in the compact car segment every decade or so. The 10th-generation Civic, introduced in 2016, continued this tradition with its bold design, available in sedan, hatchback, and performance-tuned Type R formats. For 2021, Honda discontinued the two-door coupe and put the sporty Civic Si on hiatus. The Civic sedan came in various trims, starting at $21,250 and reaching up to $28,300, excluding destination charges. The Touring trim, with its Cosmic Blue Metallic paint, added a touch of elegance, though opinions on its styling were mixed.

Inside, the Civic's interior, once considered daring, showed signs of aging, particularly with its 7-inch infotainment screen. However, the cabin still featured quality materials and thoughtful design. The Touring trim's 18-inch wheels and Cosmic Blue paint enhanced its appeal, though the car's looks could be polarizing depending on the angle and lighting. Despite its age, the Civic remained a trendsetter in the compact car segment.

The 2022 Lexus ES, a staple in the Lexus lineup since 1990, had evolved over seven generations. The latest generation, launched in 2018, used the Global Architecture-K (GA-K) platform, shared with models like the Lexus RX and Toyota Camry. The ES featured elegant proportions, a sleek roofline, and the distinctive Lexus "spindle" grille. It offered 17-inch wheels as standard, with 18-inch and 19-inch options. The interior, while well-assembled, had an asymmetrical dashboard and bold two-tone leather seating in the F Sport model. The ES aimed to balance attracting younger buyers while retaining its loyal, older demographic.

The 2021 Honda Civic offered two engine options. The base LX and Sport trims came with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). While adequate, the turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, available in EX, EX-L, and Touring trims, was the preferred choice. It delivered 174 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque, providing a more spirited driving experience. The Civic's sophisticated suspension and steering made it enjoyable to drive, especially with the Touring trim's 18-inch wheels. However, the CVT's droning and lack of responsiveness were drawbacks. Despite this, the Civic achieved impressive fuel economy, averaging 34.8 mpg on a 140-mile loop, surpassing the EPA estimate of 33 mpg combined.

The 2022 Lexus ES came in three models, each with distinct powertrains. The ES 250 AWD featured a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 203 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, achieving 25 mpg city/34 mpg highway/28 mpg combined. The ES 350, with a 3.5-liter V6 engine, produced 307 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque, offering a 0-60 mph time of 6.6 seconds and 22 mpg city/32 mpg highway/26 mpg combined. The ES 300h hybrid combined a 176-hp four-cylinder engine with a 39-hp electric motor, delivering 215 horsepower and 43 mpg city/44 mpg highway/44 mpg combined. The ES 250 AWD, while smooth and predictable, felt underpowered for a luxury sedan, making the V6-powered ES 350 a more engaging choice. The hybrid ES 300h excelled in fuel economy but had modest performance.

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, while the front passenger seat lacked height adjustment. Leather upholstery was standard from the EX-L trim. The rear seats provided ample space and comfort, though the absence of rear air conditioning vents was a drawback. The center console offered impressive storage, and the trunk provided 15.1 cubic feet of space, slightly reduced to 14.7 cubic feet in the Touring trim due to the premium sound system.

The 2022 Lexus ES, despite the popularity of SUVs, offered practical advantages with its 13.9 cubic feet of trunk space, unaffected by the hybrid battery. The rear seats in the ES 250 and ES 350 folded flat, allowing for larger cargo items. The ES's lower center of gravity and ground clearance contributed to better handling and fuel economy compared to its SUV counterpart, the Lexus RX. Inside, the ES featured ample storage, including big bottle pockets, cupholders, and a spacious center console. The dashboard layout, while functional, lacked aesthetic appeal, but the prominent volume knob was a practical feature for mature drivers.

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 Touring's voice recognition system was unsophisticated, and the premium sound system was nice but not essential.

The 2022 Lexus ES featured an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa+Lexus compatibility as standard. The base model included a 10-speaker Pioneer sound system, USB audio input connections, Bluetooth, a CD player, HD radio, and SiriusXM satellite radio. Upper trims upgraded to a 12.3-inch touchscreen, Mark Levinson 17-speaker, 1,800-watt surround sound audio, and navigation. The ES used a center console touchpad interface, which, while improved, remained challenging to use on rough roads. Upper trims also offered a 10-inch head-up display and a Panoramic View Monitor with Intuitive Parking Assist.

The 2021 Honda Civic came standard with Honda Sensing, a suite of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) that included 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. The Civic lacked a traditional radar-based blind-spot warning system and rear cross-traffic warning. Despite these shortcomings, the 2021 Civic earned a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS and a five-star rating from the NHTSA.

The 2022 Lexus ES excelled in safety, earning a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and a five-star rating from the NHTSA. The Lexus Safety System+ 2.5 included a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning with steering assist, road-sign assist, Enhanced Lane-Tracing Assist, adaptive cruise control, and Intelligent High Beam Control. The ES also featured standard blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, 10 airbags, and three years of Lexus Enform Safety Connect service.