Subaru Impreza vs Honda Civic Hatchback

The 2024 Subaru Impreza embraced a more aggressive and sporty design compared to its previous-generation model. The sixth-generation Impreza featured a larger, more angular grille and narrower LED headlights that exuded a squinting, serious demeanor. Unlike other Subaru models, it retained body-colored wheel arches, giving it a street-oriented flair. The RS trim added side skirts for a low-slung appearance, and its flared rear haunches suggested a wide and athletic stance, rivaling the sporty look of vehicles like the Honda Civic or Mazda 3 hatchback. Still, the Impreza maintained a touch of ruggedness that its competitors missed.

Inside, the 2024 Impreza featured a more modern vibe, especially in the Sport and RS trims, which came standard with an imposing 11.6-inch vertical infotainment touchscreen. In contrast, the Base model sported dual 7-inch displays. The interior layout, dash, and steering wheel remained closely aligned with the prior generation, with upgrades like racy red stitching and red seat upholstery accents in the RS trim. The materials used were commendable for the class, with soft-touch surfaces in areas prone to frequent contact. However, the rear seats opted for hard plastics for better durability, making them more family-friendly.

In comparison, the 2024 Honda Civic Hatchback could be a chameleon depending on its trim and styling choices. For example, in Sport Touring trim with 18-inch alloy wheels and Boost Blue color, it looked attractive and sporty, although its stubby rear end could be off-putting to some. The Civic Hatchback's lineup consisted of the base LX, Sport, EX-L with leather interior, and the top-tier Sport Touring. Prices ranged from $24,950 to $31,450, excluding the $1,095 destination charge and additional costs for premium color options.

Entering the Civic Sport Touring meant stepping into a cabin with high-quality materials, elegant detailing, and a mix of modern technology, such as metal honeycomb mesh on the dashboard and knurled knobs. The 10.2-inch digital instrumentation display and a 9-inch touchscreen added sophistication with superior graphics. These trims also included extras like dual-zone automatic climate control, a power sunroof, heated front seats, and leather upholstery, giving it an edge in luxury over the Impreza.

The 2024 Subaru Impreza offered two engine choices. The Base and Sport trims came equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, yielding 152 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque. For those seeking the sportiest ride, the RS model upgraded to a 2.5-liter engine that produced 182 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), with the Sport and RS versions featuring steering-wheel-mounted paddles. All Impreza trims boasted standard all-wheel-drive (AWD).

The Impreza RS stood out for its sporty attributes. The car was responsive right from the start, albeit the acceleration was adequate but not mind-blowing, raising questions about the smaller engine's performance. The CVT was generally quiet, but harder acceleration amplified engine noise, interrupted by simulated gear shifts. Handling was sporty, bolstered by AWD and a sport-tuned suspension, making the Impreza RS more fun on winding roads without sacrificing ride comfort. The added sound insulation muted road noise, enhancing long-distance comfort. The driving experience compared well with the Honda Civic Si sedan and Mazda 3 hatchback, with Subaru's AWD offering a distinct traction advantage in corners.

The 2024 Honda Civic Hatchback featured a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine in LX and Sport trims, producing 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque. The sportier EX-L and Sport Touring trims upgraded to a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, generating 180 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque. Sport and Sport Touring trims offered a choice between a six-speed manual gearbox or a CVT with paddle shifters and a Sport mode, while the EX-L came exclusively with a CVT.

Our test Civic Sport Touring exhibited lively performance despite being equipped with a CVT. While the manual transmission might offer more fun, the CVT advantageously used the turbo engine's torque, with occasional high-rpm groaning being the only downside. The Civic felt light, agile, and engaging whether on daily commutes, errand runs, or twisty roads. Its zippy nature made it one of the most enjoyable drives in its class. However, highway noise was an issue, suggesting a need for earplugs on less-than-perfect roads. Fuel efficiency ranged between 29 mpg to 35 mpg combined, with our test car achieving 30.2 mpg on mixed routes.

The 2024 Subaru Impreza prioritized practicality with its spacious and functional interior. Controls were logically placed, and visibility was excellent thanks to narrow front roof pillars and a large rear hatch glass. The RS trim featured ample storage options, accommodating larger bottles and flasks, though the wireless charging pad's hard plastic surface needed improvement. The rear seats offered generous headroom and legroom, with enough space under the front seats for occupants' feet. The Impreza's cargo area provided 20.4 cubic feet of space, expandable to 56 cubic feet with the rear seats down, making it comparable to the Mazda 3 but slightly smaller than the Civic. Subaru also integrated clever design elements for roof rack compatibility, enhancing its appeal to outdoor enthusiasts.

In contrast, the 2024 Honda Civic Hatchback offered more luxury features in higher trims such as EX-L and Sport Touring. These included dual-zone automatic climate control, heated exterior mirrors, heated front seats, leather upholstery, a power sunroof, and an adjustable driver’s seat. The tilting and telescoping steering wheel allowed for a perfect driving position, though the passenger’s seat lacked height adjustment. The rear seat was roomy for two adults or three children, and the trim added perks like quick-charge USB ports but missed air conditioning vents, which was disappointing for a vehicle in this price range.

The Civic’s cargo area offered 24.5 cubic feet behind the rear seats, nearly 10 cubic feet more than the sedan. Although Honda did not provide a total cargo volume with rear seats folded down, it was reasonable to assume a significant increase, making it more versatile for carrying larger loads than the Impreza.

The 2024 Subaru Impreza stood out with its 11.6-inch touchscreen on the Sport and RS trims, offering an easy-to-use interface with large, intuitive on-screen buttons and physical controls for volume, tuning, and temperature. The Base model came with smaller 7-inch displays. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard across trims, with wireless connectivity in higher trims. While a native navigation system was missing, smartphone integration compensated for it. Additional features included the Starlink system with a Wi-Fi hotspot, favoring usability over novelty with a smartly organized, intuitive menu system.

On the other hand, the 2024 Honda Civic Hatchback varied its tech offerings by trim. The LX, Sport, and EX-L had basic 7-inch digital instrumentation and touchscreen systems, lagging behind competitors like the Mazda3 and Toyota Corolla Hatchback. The Civic Sport Touring, however, featured a 10.2-inch digital instrumentation display and a 9-inch touchscreen, elevating the cabin’s sophistication. This trim included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, HD Radio, navigation, wireless charging, and a 12-speaker Bose premium sound system. Pairing a smartphone and using the voice-recognition system was straightforward, user-friendly, and responsive.

The 2024 Subaru Impreza carried over the strengths of its predecessor with an improved chassis, aiming for top safety scores from NHTSA and IIHS, including a potential Top Safety Pick award. Every Impreza came equipped with Subaru’s EyeSight driver assist suite, offering features like frontal collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, and lane-centering. The Sport trim added Starlink communications features with enhanced roadside assistance and SOS, while the RS trim added advanced features like a blind-spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, and automatic emergency steering. These systems worked seamlessly, providing smooth and accurate assistance comparable to others in the class.

The 2024 Honda Civic Hatchback featured the Honda Sensing package as standard across trims. This included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, adaptive cruise control, traffic jam assist, automatic high-beam headlights, a driver monitoring system, and traffic sign recognition. However, critical features like a blind-spot warning system and rear cross-traffic alert were exclusive to higher trims. Despite some operational hiccups with adaptive cruise control and intermittent unnecessary emergency braking, the Honda Sensing tech performed reliably. The Civic earned high crash-test ratings, receiving an overall five-star rating from NHTSA and top marks from IIHS, except for an Acceptable rating in a new side-impact test.