2021 Hyundai Sonata vs 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata, redesigned for the 2020 model year, presented a bold and distinctive look that was immediately recognizable. The N Line version further enhanced this design with functional and stylistic changes, such as a restyled front fascia with larger air intakes, gloss black side mirrors, and bold 19-inch aluminum alloy wheels. The rear featured a subtle gloss black lip spoiler and a reworked bumper with a four-outlet exhaust system, giving the car a stealthy yet appealing appearance. Inside, the Sonata N Line boasted sport front seats with premium Nappa leather bolsters, Dinamica suede inserts, red stitching, aluminum pedal covers, and dark chrome accents, along with a standard panoramic sunroof that added to the car's spacious feel.

In contrast, the 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback aimed to capture a significant share of the hatchback market, which had seen a decline in popularity. The new Civic hatchback, produced in an Indiana factory, shared its front design with the Civic sedan but featured a unique grille pattern and wheel designs. The rear-quarter view suggested a balanced visual weight, though the car still exhibited a "stubby butt syndrome" from certain angles. Inside, the Civic hatchback's Sport Touring trim offered sophisticated digital instrumentation and infotainment displays, with handsome metal honeycomb dashboard detailing and high-quality controls. However, the CVT shifter operation was slightly janky, detracting from the overall sense of sophistication.

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line was powered by a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 290 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 311 pound-feet of torque from 1,650 rpm to 4,000 rpm. This engine was paired with an eight-speed wet dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT) with paddle shifters, rev-matching, and a launch control system. The car offered Normal, Sport, Sport+, and Custom driving modes, along with an Active Sound Design (ASD) engine note enhancement system. The Sonata N Line featured significant improvements in engine and transmission mount stiffness, faster rack-mounted electric steering, larger front and rear brakes, and a sport-tuned suspension. It rode on 19-inch wheels with 245/40 all-season or summer performance tires. During testing in the Santa Monica Mountains, the Sonata N Line demonstrated impressive handling, responsive steering, and stout brakes, with minimal understeer and excellent suspension tuning. The EPA estimated fuel economy at 27 mpg combined, but real-world testing averaged 23.7 mpg.

The 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback offered two engine options. 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 CVT or a six-speed manual transmission in the Sport trim. The EX-L and Sport Touring trims came with 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 had a CVT, while the Sport Touring offered both transmission types. The Civic hatchback's suspension used MacPherson struts in front and a multi-link independent design in the rear, with 18-inch wheels on the Sport and Sport Touring trims. The CVT worked well with the turbo engine, and the six-speed manual transmission was praised for its short throws and fluid gear engagement. The Civic hatchback provided a firm yet comfortable ride, with good steering and braking performance. Fuel economy was impressive, with the CVT achieving 33 mpg combined and the manual transmission averaging 30.2 mpg.

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line featured heated front sport seats with Dinamica suede inserts, offering a balance of comfort and lateral support. The front passenger seat had a manual height adjuster, making it comfortable for both front-seat occupants. The rear seat was less accommodating, with limited legroom and thigh support, but it did include rear air conditioning vents and a USB port. The Sonata's interior storage was generous, though the center console design was somewhat inelegant. The trunk offered 16 cubic feet of space, with a 60/40-split folding rear seat for added utility. The Smart Trunk hands-free release feature was convenient, though the lack of an interior handle for closing the trunk was a drawback.

The 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback excelled in functionality, with a trunk measuring 24.5 cubic feet and an innovative two-piece cargo shade. The back seat featured 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 seat lacked a height adjuster, and there were no rear air conditioning vents. The driver enjoyed an eight-way power-adjustable seat, and both front seats were heated. The Civic hatchback's interior materials included black fabric seats in the LX and Sport trims, and black leather upholstery in the EX-L and Sport Touring trims. Automatic climate control was standard, with a dual-zone system in the higher trims.

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line came with a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Standard features included navigation, wireless smartphone charging, a Bose premium sound system, HD Radio, SiriusXM satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a three-year subscription to Blue Link connected services. However, it lacked a WiFi hotspot and a tuning knob, which made radio operation less user-friendly. The infotainment system's touch-sensitive controls were occasionally problematic, and the voice recognition technology was not always accurate. The Sonata N Line also offered Hyundai Digital Key, which worked only with Android devices, and the Sounds of Nature feature for ambient noise tracks.

The 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback featured a new infotainment system with a 7-inch touchscreen display, physical power/volume and tuning knobs, and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in the LX, Sport, and EX-L trims. 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 addressed previous criticisms of Honda's infotainment systems, and a small shelf at the bottom of the display provided a place to steady your hand while operating the touchscreen. The voice recognition system worked well, and the digital instrumentation included a 7-inch screen with an analog speedometer in lower trims, and a 10.2-inch display in the Sport Touring trim.

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line was equipped with Hyundai’s SmartSense collection of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS), including adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, forward-collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, lane-centering assistance, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, driver-attention warning, and automatic high-beam headlights. Additional features included Rear Occupant Alert, Safe Exit Warning, and Highway Drive Assist. The Sonata N Line's ADAS performed smoothly and accurately, reducing driver stress. The standard Sonata rated high for occupant protection, though specific ratings for the N Line were not available from the NHTSA or IIHS at the time of review.

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 exclusive to the EX-L and Sport Touring trims. All Civics had a rear-seat reminder system, rear seatbelt reminder, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Civic hatchback earned a "Top Safety Pick+" rating from the IIHS, thanks to its upgraded structure and new frontal-impact airbags. The Honda Sensing system worked well, though it sometimes braked too hard and the lane-keeping technologies were occasionally intrusive.