2022 Volkswagen Jetta vs 2022 Honda Civic

The 2022 Honda Civic was available in familiar LX, Sport, EX, and Touring trim levels, with prices starting at $21,700 for the Civic LX and going up to $28,300 for the Civic Touring, excluding a $995 destination charge. A new five-door Honda Civic hatchback was also set to return to the lineup later in the year, but the two-door coupe was no longer available. The primary evaluation vehicle was a Civic Touring in extra-cost Morning Mist Blue, bringing the test vehicle’s price to $29,690, including destination charges. A Civic Sport with extra-charge Platinum White Pearl paint and the new Honda Performance Development (HPD) appearance package was also sampled, estimated at just under $25,880.

The redesigned 2022 Civic had a more conservative and plain appearance compared to the previous model year. It resembled the larger, longer-wheelbase Accord sedan and featured a more tailored and grown-up look. The interior aimed for simplicity, with a minimalistic approach to controls and layout. A span of metal honeycomb mesh ran the dashboard’s width to hide the air vents elegantly. The interior materials were improved, especially in the Touring trim, reflecting a maturity the previous Civic lacked.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta, a best-seller for the automaker for three decades, received a mild makeover that included an engine update, exterior styling tweaks, improved infotainment, more features, and a new Sport trim. The Jetta Sport replaced the outgoing R-Line model, and the SEL Premium was dropped from the lineup. The regular Jetta was simplified to four trims: S, Sport, SE, and SEL. The exterior updates were subtle, with changes to the front fascia, bumper, and grille, mostly with more chrome. The rear bumper was less squatty and more square, with full-length chrome extending from deflector to deflector. New wheel designs and metallic colors like Kings Red, Oryx White, and Rising Blue were added.

The Jetta’s design changes were subtle, requiring a few blinks to notice. The lower front fascia resembled an angry Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle’s smirk, giving it a more aggressive profile. The interior received equally subtle but appealing updates, with a new rhombus pattern on the standard cloth seats and contrast stitching on all interiors. Leather options included a new two-tone in Volcano Brown and black. The 8-inch Digital Cockpit instrument cluster was standard across the lineup, with the Jetta SEL receiving the 10-inch Digital Cockpit Pro and an 8-inch touchscreen-navigation system.

The 2022 Honda Civic offered two engines in the redesigned sedan. The LX and Sport trims had a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 158 horsepower and 138 lb-ft of torque. The EX and Touring trims featured a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, more powerful for 2022, delivering 180 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque. Both engines paired with a continuously variable transmission (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 structural rigidity, revised suspension tuning, and improved steering feel made it fun to drive, with the Touring trim being quicker to accelerate. The Civic Touring returned 30.4 mpg on a 95-mile driving loop, falling short of the EPA’s estimate of 34 mpg.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta was offered with a single engine: a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, replacing the previous model year’s 1.4-liter turbo-four. The engine produced 158 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque, with transmission choices of a standard six-speed manual or an optional eight-speed automatic. The Jetta’s fuel economy was impressive, with the stick-shift Jetta estimated at 29 mpg city, 43 mpg highway, and 34 mpg combined. Automatic transmissions had two ratings: S and Sport models at 31 mpg city, 41 mpg highway, and 35 mpg combined, while SE and SEL models were rated at 29 mpg city, 40 mpg highway, and 33 mpg combined. On an 800-mile tour, the Jetta averaged 46.9 highway mpg. The Jetta’s powertrain had a touchy throttle, turbo lag, and surge, with tepid dynamics. The Jetta offered Eco, Normal, Sport, and Custom drive modes, with Sport mode providing a flicker of life.

The 2022 Honda Civic offered redesigned front seats with better support, especially in the leather-lined Touring trim. The power driver’s seat adjusted to create 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, with excellent thigh support but a slightly reclined backrest angle. The Civic lacked air conditioning vents for rear passengers and lost heated rear cushions in the Touring trim. The new center console had less storage space and flexibility, with more accessible cupholders and trim designed to resist fingerprints. Trunk volume was generous at 14.8 cubic feet, or 14.4 cubes with Touring trim, with a split-folding backseat adding utility.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta offered ample passenger space for four adults, with comfortable seats. The front seats’ bottom cushion inclined slightly for thigh support, which might not be appreciated by those with shorter legs. The cabin was driver-centric, with buttons for climate control, audio, and heated and ventilated seats. There was usable space for stowing things, including door pockets, a center console bin, a slot next to the cupholders, and a sunglass holder. The center storage bin was usable but lacked a latch. The Jetta’s interior was practical and well-organized, with driving-related controls in intuitive locations.

The 2022 Honda Civic featured digital instrumentation, with the Touring trim having a 10-inch display offering 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 display with volume and tuning knobs, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Touring trim offered 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 Touring trim also featured a 12-speaker Bose Centerpoint 2 premium surround-sound audio system.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta received an upgrade in technology, with all models equipped with the Digital Cockpit digital instrument cluster. The Jetta SEL had the Digital Cockpit Pro version with a 10.25-inch display. Standard infotainment in Jetta S, Sport, and SE trims was a 6.5-inch Volkswagen MIB2 system, with capacitive-touch sensor, App-Connect, Bluetooth, two USB-C ports, and an SD card multimedia interface. The Jetta SEL had the 8-inch MIB3 system with navigation, wireless App-Connect, wireless device charging, multi-phone pairing, and enhanced voice recognition. The Jetta SEL also featured premium Beats Audio sound and a remote start system.

The 2022 Honda Civic featured the upgraded Honda Sensing collection of advanced driver assistance systems, including Traffic Jam Assist, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and Lane Keeping Assist. The Civic EX and Touring trims had a proper blind-spot warning system with rear cross-traffic alert. 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.

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta came standard with IQ.Drive, Volkswagen's driver-assistance tech. The Jetta S and Sport had blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and forward-collision warning with automatic braking and pedestrian recognition. The Driver Assistance package added adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, Travel Assist, and Emergency Assist. The full IQ.DRIVE safety list was standard on Jetta SE and SEL trims. The 2021 Jetta received a five-star rating from the NHTSA and mostly “Good” grades from the IIHS, with shortcomings in headlights tests and LATCH use.