2022 Honda Civic Hatchback vs 2023 Mercedes-Benz S-Class

The 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback aimed to capitalize on the declining popularity of hatchbacks by offering a redesigned model that was both practical and enjoyable to drive. Honda produced this new Civic hatchback in an Indiana factory, making it one of the few compact cars still manufactured in the U.S. The car was available in four trim levels: LX, Sport, EX-L, and Sport Touring, with prices ranging from $22,900 to $29,400, plus a $1,015 destination charge. The Sport Touring trim, which was the focus of the review, featured sophisticated digital instrumentation and infotainment displays, giving it a modern appearance. However, the car's design still suffered from what was described as "stubby butt syndrome," and the CVT shifter operation detracted from the overall sense of sophistication.

In contrast, the 2023 Mercedes-Benz S-Class exuded calm sophistication with its clean lines and sculpted front end. The S 580e plug-in hybrid model, which was the focus of the review, featured optional high-gloss black trim, 20-inch AMG wheels, and AMG-style front and rear bumpers and side skirts. The interior was a highlight, offering eight different colors of sumptuous leather upholstery and five different trim materials. The Sienna Brown and Black leather in the test car cost an extra $3,110. The car also featured a panoramic sunroof, superb fit and finish, and ridiculously soft headrests. The S-Class was designed to provide a luxurious and comfortable experience, with features like massaging seats, heated and ventilated seats, and a heated steering wheel and armrests.

The 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback offered two engine options. The LX and Sport trims came with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 158 horsepower and 138 lb-ft of torque. The LX was only available with a CVT, while the Sport offered a choice between the CVT and a six-speed manual transmission. The EX-L and Sport Touring trims featured a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 180 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque, with peak torque available from 1,700 to 4,500 rpm. The EX-L came only with the CVT, while the Sport Touring offered both transmission types. The Civic hatchback was front-wheel drive, with no AWD option. The suspension used MacPherson struts in front and a multi-link independent design in the back. The Sport and Sport Touring versions rode on 18-inch aluminum wheels with 235/40 Continental all-season tires. The CVT worked well with the turbocharged engine, and the manual transmission was praised for its short throws and fluid gear engagement. The car was enjoyable to drive, with good fuel economy, but it was not designed for aggressive driving on winding roads.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz S 580e paired a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six-cylinder engine with a 28.6-kWh battery and an electric motor, providing 56 miles of all-electric range. The car could be charged at home at 11 kW, filling the battery in about two hours and 20 minutes at a cost of $8.93. The S 580e also offered DC fast charging at 60 kW. The EPA rated the car at 51 MPGe combined, but the test achieved 53.9 mpg. The car produced 510 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque, managed by a nine-speed automatic transmission, allowing it to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in about 4.4 seconds. The S 580e featured a buttery soft air suspension, rear-wheel steering, and a smooth transition between electric and gas power. The nine-speed automatic transmission offered seamless gear shifts, although there was a slight jerk when downshifting into first gear at lights. The car also allowed drivers to dial in their preferred amount of brake regeneration and offered a creep function for one-pedal driving.

The 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback was designed for functionality, with a trunk measuring 24.5 cubic feet and a two-piece cargo shade. The back seat was a 60/40-split folding design, but the load floor was not flat. The car offered comfortable seating positions with sufficient legroom, although the front passenger seat lacked a seat-height adjuster, and there were no rear air conditioning vents. The driver’s seat had eight-way power adjustment, and both front seats were heated. The car featured black fabric seats in LX and Sport trims, while the EX-L and Sport Touring had black leather upholstery. Automatic climate control was standard, with a dual-zone system in EX-L and Sport Touring trims.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz S-Class was packed with standard features, including massaging seats, heated and ventilated seats, a heated steering wheel and armrests, and power sunshades on the rear and side-rear windows. The car also featured soft-closing doors and 64-color ambient lighting. The Energizing Comfort wellness program combined interior lighting, massage, audio, fragrance, and climate controls to boost mood and spirit. The car offered plenty of small storage cubbies and a spacious center armrest. However, the trunk space was limited to 8.1 cubic feet, compared to 12.9 cubic feet in the standard S-Class. For more cargo space, the Porsche Panamera plug-in hybrid with its hatchback lift gate offered just over 14 cubic feet.

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 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 system included a power/volume knob and tuning buttons. The Civic also featured digital instrumentation, with a 7-inch screen and traditional analog speedometer in standard models, and a 10.2-inch display panel in the Sport Touring trim.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz S-Class featured a reconfigurable 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a 12.8-inch OLED touchscreen center display with the latest MBUX infotainment system. The system included a variety of games, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a native navigation system with augmented reality. The car also featured a large color head-up display, wireless charging, and USB-C outlets. The standard Burmester sound system provided excellent audio quality.

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. The EX-L and Sport Touring trims added a blind-spot warning system and rear cross-traffic warning system. All Civics included a rear-seat reminder system, rear seatbelt reminder, automatic high-beam headlights, new frontal-impact airbags, and next-generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE). The Civic hatchback earned a "Top Safety Pick+" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz S-Class offered a comprehensive suite of ADAS safety features, including lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, and a hands-on highway driver-assist system. The car also featured Crosswind Assist, Speed Limit Assist, and a variety of other advanced safety technologies. The S 580e and other S-Class variants had not yet been rated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).