2022 Hyundai Elantra vs 2022 Honda Civic

The 2022 Honda Civic was available in LX, Sport, EX, and Touring trims, with prices starting at $21,700 and reaching up to $28,300 for the Touring model, excluding a $995 destination charge. A new five-door hatchback was also set to join the lineup later in the year. The Civic Touring, tested in Morning Mist Blue, had a sticker price of $29,690, including destination charges. Another test model, the Civic Sport, featured Platinum White Pearl paint and the Honda Performance Development (HPD) appearance package, estimated at just under $25,880.

The redesigned 2022 Civic had a more conservative and plain appearance compared to its predecessor, resembling the larger Accord sedan. The interior aimed for simplicity, with a minimalistic control layout and a metal honeycomb mesh running across the dashboard to hide the air vents. The Touring trim featured improved interior materials, reflecting a maturity that the previous Civic lacked.

The 2022 Hyundai Elantra underwent a significant transformation with its 2021 redesign, featuring a longer wheelbase, wider stance, and lower roofline, resulting in a dramatic four-door-coupe silhouette. The Elantra's exterior styling had its own unique personality, with a "Z" shape created by the creases and folds on the doors, differentiating it from the Sonata and other compact sedans.

The Elantra's interior was much improved over the previous generation, with material quality slightly above the norm for the compact car class. Despite some hard plastic, the overall look and feel were commendable. The 2022 Elantra was available in SE, SEL, N Line, and Limited trims, with the Elantra Hybrid offered in Blue and Limited trims. The test car, a Scarlet Red Pearl Elantra N Line, featured sporty styling elements, including N Line design front and rear fascias, chrome twin-tip exhaust, and 18-inch alloy wheels. Inside, it had N Line sport seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and aluminum pedals.

The 2022 Honda Civic offered two engine options: 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 were paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), with different CVTs for each engine. The turbocharged engine provided a satisfying blend of performance and efficiency, with a broad torque range from 1,700 to 4,500 rpm. The Civic's handling was enjoyable, with improved structural rigidity, revised suspension tuning, and better steering feel. However, the Civic Touring's fuel economy fell short of the EPA estimate, returning 30.4 mpg on a 95-mile driving loop.

The 2022 Hyundai Elantra offered multiple powertrain options. The SE, SEL, and Limited trims came with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque, paired with a CVT. The Elantra Hybrid featured a 1.6-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine, a 32-kilowatt electric motor, and a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT), delivering 139 horsepower and up to 195 lb-ft of torque. The N Line trim had a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with 201 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque, available with either a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed DCT. The N Line's DCT provided crisp shifts and a more engaging driving experience, with Drive Mode Select offering Normal, Sport, and Smart modes. The N Line also featured sport-tuned suspension, steering, and larger front brake rotors, enhancing its ride and handling dynamics.

The 2022 Honda Civic's redesigned front seats offered better support, with the leather-lined Touring trim featuring a power driver's seat and heated front seats. The back seat had more legroom than most in the segment, but the lack of air conditioning vents and heated rear cushions was a drawback. The new center console had less storage space and flexibility, but the trunk volume remained generous at 14.8 cubic feet (14.4 cubic feet for the Touring trim).

The 2022 Hyundai Elantra was easy to live with, offering excellent outward visibility and plenty of storage options. The back seat could accommodate three children comfortably, though taller adults would prefer the front seats due to the sloped roofline. The Elantra's trunk had 14.2 cubic feet of cargo space, with a narrow trunk opening making it a bit challenging to reach the area closest to the seatbacks. The power tilt-and-slide moonroof produced a noticeable droning noise when fully open, and the lack of USB ports and air conditioning vents in the rear were sources of irritation for back-seat passengers.

The 2022 Honda Civic featured digital instrumentation, with the Touring trim offering a 10-inch display panel with 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 system had a 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while the Touring trim had a 9-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging, and a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system.

The 2022 Hyundai Elantra came with an 8-inch display audio touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, and four speakers as standard on the SE trim. The SEL, Hybrid Blue, and N Line trims added two additional speakers and satellite radio. The Limited and Hybrid Limited trims featured a 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation, an eight-speaker Bose premium audio system, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, and wireless device charging. Hyundai Digital Key was standard on the N Line and Limited trims, allowing keyless entry and start via an Android-compatible smartphone.

The 2022 Honda Civic's upgraded Honda Sensing suite included Traffic Jam Assist, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and Lane Keeping Assist. The Civic EX and Touring trims featured a proper blind-spot warning system with rear cross-traffic alert, while the base LX and Sport trims did not. The Civic's new vehicle architecture provided better protection in collisions, and new front airbag designs offered improved head protection. The Civic also had a standard rear-seat reminder system.

The 2022 Hyundai Elantra's standard SmartSense suite included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot warning, lane-keeping assistance, lane-departure warning, and lane-centering assistance. Additional features available on higher trims included intersection turn assistance, adaptive cruise control, rear automatic braking, and Highway Drive Assist. The Elantra received five stars from the NHTSA for overall crash protection and top "Good" ratings from the IIHS in all six individual crash tests.