Volkswagen Passat vs Honda Civic

Honda offered the 2022 Civic sedan in familiar LX, Sport, EX, and Touring trim levels, with prices starting at $21,700 for the Civic LX and reaching 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 remained a fading memory. 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 resembled the larger, longer-wheelbase Accord sedan and appeared more conservative and plain compared to the previous year's model. The interior aimed for simplicity, featuring a minimalistic approach to controls and layout, with a span of metal honeycomb mesh running the dashboard’s width to hide the air vents. Honda improved the car’s interior materials, especially in the Touring trim, reflecting a maturity the previous Civic lacked.

Volkswagen rolled out a Limited Edition for the 2022 Passat to memorialize its passing, slotting above the base SE and sporty R-Line trim levels with an MSRP of $31,570, including destination. Only 1,973 examples of the Limited Edition exited the Chattanooga factory, commemorating the first year the Passat went on sale in Europe. The Limited Edition featured exclusive 18-inch alloy wheels, black mirror caps, and special badges, and was the only 2022 Passat available in Racing Green paint. Other hues included white, gray, and red.

The test car's interior featured Mauro Brown leather upholstery, matching the fake wood trim on the dashboard and contrasting with the dark dashboard, carpets, and door panels. Special seat tags read "VW Chattanooga Since 2011" and "One of 1,973," while the rubber cupholder inserts had a relief map of the Tennessee city molded into them. The Passat looked upscale inside and out, with a design that aged well. However, the interior was a mix of inexpensive plastics and outdated technologies, such as the 6.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system and small driver information display.

The 2022 Honda Civic offered two engines in its redesigned sedan, both improved versions from the previous generation. The LX and Sport trims featured a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 158 horsepower and 138 lb-ft of torque. The EX and Touring trims came with a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, 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 offering quicker acceleration. However, 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 Passat featured a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine generating 174 horsepower and 206 lb-ft of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission powering the front wheels. The turbo engine's torque curve made the Passat acceptably powerful for commuting, running errands, or cruising on the highway. The transmission's Sport mode held engine revs longer, making the Passat feel more responsive without significantly affecting fuel efficiency. The Passat returned 30.7 mpg on a mountainous Southern California testing loop, exceeding the EPA’s combined driving estimate of 28 mpg. The Passat prioritized ride quality, feeling like it floated down the road, but could feel jittery on city streets and conveyed impacts through its elderly vehicle architecture. The Passat's handling on twisty mountain roads revealed traditional Germanic traits, making it enjoyable to drive.

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 front passenger’s seat lacked a seat-height adjuster but provided excellent thigh support. The back seat had more legroom than most in the segment, with excellent thigh support but a slightly reclined backrest angle. The Civic lacked rear air conditioning vents and heated rear cushions in the Touring trim. The redesigned interior featured a new center console with less storage space and flexibility but 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 Volkswagen Passat's hallmark was its huge cabin, offering plenty of room for five adults. The Limited Edition's front seats had eight-way power adjustment but lacked separate bottom cushion angle adjustment, affecting comfort. The back seat provided cross-your-legs levels of comfort, with more legroom than needed, excellent leg support, and a comfortable backrest angle. The rear seat also had air conditioning vents and USB ports. Storage space was good, with many locations lined with rubber to quell noise, vibration, and harshness. The Passat’s 15.9 cubic feet of trunk space was not class-leading but adequate, though it lacked underfloor trays or side bins.

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 display with volume and tuning knobs, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Touring trim offered a 12-speaker Bose Centerpoint 2 premium surround-sound audio system and 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 voice recognition technology performed well, representing a significant improvement over the previous generation.

The Volkswagen Passat's infotainment system featured a 6.3-inch screen with standard App-Connect smartphone connectivity, SiriusXM satellite radio, and Bluetooth supporting two paired devices simultaneously. The R-Line and Limited Edition trims added HD Radio, a navigation system with improved voice recognition, and a Fender premium audio system. The Fender system offered excellent clarity and range, making it one of the best features of the 2022 Passat.

The 2022 Honda Civic featured an 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 also had a new wide-view front camera and eight ultrasonic sonar sensors in the front and rear bumpers. The Civic EX and Touring trims included a proper blind-spot warning system with rear cross-traffic alert. The Civic’s 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 Passat SE included standard forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic rear braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, and adaptive cruise control. The R-Line trim added automatic high-beam headlights, while the Limited Edition had adaptive headlights, front and rear parking sensors, and a park-assist system. The Passat's lane-keeping assistance system was inconsistent, and the reverse automatic braking system was overly sensitive. The Passat received a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with a three-star rating for frontal-impact collision protection for the driver and front passenger.