2021 Subaru Impreza vs 2022 Honda Civic

The 2021 Subaru Impreza adopted a more conservative design compared to its predecessors, which had featured large round headlights and box fender flares. Both the sedan and hatchback versions sported sleek headlights and taillights, giving an impression of width, along with a nicely-tapered front end. The body sides had some scalloping for visual flair, and the awkward wheel arch sheetmetal from the previous generation was toned down. The Impreza Sport models had specific styling touches, including 18-inch alloy wheels, while base models came with 16-inch steel wheels. The interior design was typical for compact cars, with the infotainment touchscreen splitting the dashboard in two and various forms of plastic throughout. The Impreza Sport featured contrast stitching, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and aluminum pedals, while the range-topping Impreza Limited had standard leather upholstery and LED headlights.

The 2022 Honda Civic, available in LX, Sport, EX, and Touring trims, started at $21,700 and went up to $28,300, excluding a $995 destination charge. The Civic Touring in Morning Mist Blue, with an extra-cost paint color, brought the test vehicle’s price to $29,690. The Civic Sport, with Platinum White Pearl paint and the new Honda Performance Development (HPD) appearance package, was estimated at just under $25,880. The redesigned 2022 Civic resembled the larger Accord sedan and had a more conservative and plain appearance compared to the previous model. The interior featured a minimalistic approach with a span of metal honeycomb mesh running the dashboard’s width to hide the air vents. The materials were improved, especially in the Touring trim, reflecting a maturity the previous Civic lacked.

The 2021 Subaru Impreza was equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 152 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque. This Subaru-signature boxer engine allowed for a lower center of gravity. Most Impreza models had a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), with a five-speed manual transmission available only on the base Impreza sedan and hatchback, and the Impreza Sport hatchback. The Sport model also featured specific suspension tuning and a torque vectoring feature for the AWD system. The Impreza was an agreeable daily driver, providing a nice ride but lacking the engagement of a Honda Civic or Mazda 3. The Impreza Sport’s suspension tuning balanced ride quality and handling, but noncommunicative steering and the engine’s relative lack of power kept it from being a true driver’s car.

The 2022 Honda Civic offered two engines: a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 158 horsepower and 138 lb-ft of torque for the LX and Sport trims, and a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 180 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque for the EX and Touring trims. Both engines paired with a CVT, with different CVTs for each engine. The Sport and Touring trims included a Sport transmission mode, enhancing the car’s responsiveness. The Civic’s improved structural rigidity, revised suspension tuning, and better steering feel made it fun to drive. The Civic Touring returned 30.4 mpg on a 95-mile driving loop, falling short of the EPA’s estimate of 34 mpg. The Civic’s predictable and trustworthy demeanor made it a satisfying compact sedan for various driving scenarios.

The 2021 Subaru Impreza sedan offered 12.3 cubic feet of trunk space, the least among current compact sedans, but had a standard 60/40 split-folding rear seat. The Impreza hatchback had 20.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place, more than a Mazda 3 or Toyota Corolla hatchback but less than the 2021 Honda Civic hatchback. With the rear seats folded, the Impreza offered 55.3 cubic feet of cargo space. All hatch trim levels except the base model had standard roof rails. The Impreza Premium and higher trims included an All-Weather Package with heated front seats, a heated windshield, and heated exterior mirrors. The Sport trim added keyless entry with pushbutton start, while the Limited had a standard six-way power driver’s seat and automatic climate control. A power moonroof was available as an option on most trims.

The 2022 Honda Civic featured redesigned front seats offering better support, especially in the leather-lined Touring trim. The power driver’s seat created a perfect position behind the steering wheel, though it was heated but not ventilated. The back seat had more legroom than most in the segment, aiding entry and exit, but the backrest angle might feel too reclined for some. The Civic lacked air conditioning vents for rear passengers, and the Touring trim lost its heated rear cushions for 2022. The new center console had less storage space and flexibility but gained more accessible cupholders and trim designed to resist fingerprints. Trunk volume was 14.8 cubic feet, or 14.4 cubes with Touring trim, which was smaller due to the premium sound system components. The split-folding backseat added utility, and a small handle on the inside of the lid helped with closing the trunk.

The 2021 Subaru Impreza’s base and Premium trims had a 6.5-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity and Bluetooth, while higher trims had an 8-inch touchscreen. An option package for the Limited trim added TomTom-based navigation and a Harman Kardon audio system. A secondary display housed in a hood over the main touchscreen showed information like estimated range but seemed redundant with the small LCD display in the gauge cluster. The infotainment system was easy to use, with large touchscreen icons and no need to dig into menus for important functions. However, it didn’t offer much for tech-savvy car shoppers.

The 2022 Honda Civic had digital instrumentation, with the display panel growing from seven inches to ten inches in the Touring trim. The larger panel offered greater customization and driving environment data. The Vehicle Activity display showed when the LED headlights, taillights, brake lights, and turn signals were on. The standard infotainment setup had a 7-inch touchscreen with volume and tuning knobs, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Sport and EX trims had eight stereo speakers, while the Touring trim had a 12-speaker Bose Centerpoint 2 premium surround-sound audio system. The Touring trim also featured a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment display with wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging, HD radio, satellite radio, and a navigation system. The system performed well, especially the voice recognition technology.

The 2021 Subaru Impreza sedan and hatchback received an IIHS “Top Safety Pick” award, with the highest “Good” score in all crash tests. They missed out on a “Top Safety Pick+” award due to the standard headlights’ “Marginal” rating, though the Limited trim’s headlights received a “Good” score. The NHTSA gave both body styles a five-star overall safety rating. The Impreza’s EyeSight safety tech was standard on CVT-equipped models, including automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, and lead vehicle start alert. A rear-seat reminder was standard, while blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rear automatic braking, and steering-responsive headlights were available as options.

The 2022 Honda Civic’s upgraded Honda Sensing collection included Traffic Jam Assist, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and Lane Keeping Assist. The new wide-view front camera and eight ultrasonic sonar sensors improved the system’s performance. The Civic replaced its LaneWatch system with a proper blind-spot warning system with rear cross-traffic alert in the EX and Touring trims. The Civic’s underlying vehicle architecture was stronger, with new front airbag designs and rear side-impact airbags. A standard rear-seat reminder system was also included.