2021 Honda Civic

For an MSRP of $21,250 the Civic faces stiff competition from the likes of the Hyundai Elantra, the Mazda 3, and the Toyota Corolla. All of these sedans have a lot of popularity and have garnered lots of love from people in the country. Let’s see how the competition actually stacks up.

The 2021 Honda Civic is available in 5 trims; LX, Sport, EX, EX-L, and Touring. The LX is the base trim with a price tag of $21,250. LX offers the 2.0L standard engine and a 5-inch touchscreen display. Being the base trim, it misses out on most of the features and options.The Sport trim gets a center placed sporty exhaust and also experiences an upgrade in the infotainment system. The EX and the EX-L are where it starts getting interesting while the Touring is the top-tier trim and is equipped with all the fancy features. 

The feature list on the Civic is vast and caters to a very wide variety of people but if the specific trim doesn't fit with something as standard, fret not because the carmaker provides various packages to make up for it. Some of the most commonly equipped packages in the Civic are the Protection Package, and the All-Season Protection Package I which add features like a splash guard set, trunk tray, wheel locks, trunk tray, etc.

Which trim should you buy?

Our recommendation is the EX trim priced at $24,400. It has the more powerful 1.5L Turbocharged Inline-4 engine. In addition to the base trim, the EX offers heated seats, a power Moonroof, Honda LaneWatch (Honda’s safety assist system), etc. Even the infotainment system experiences an upgrade, which is a 7-inch touchscreen display. It has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility which the LX doesn’t. Instead of the 16-inch wheels, the EX trim offers 18-inch alloy wheels.

The LX and the Sport trims of the 2021 Honda Civic are equipped with a naturally aspirated 2.0L Inline-4 engine which produces 158 hp @ 6,500 RPM and 138 lb-ft @ 4,200 rpm of torque.The higher trims EX, EX-L, and Touring have a more powerful and torquey 1.5L Turbocharged Inline-4 engine which produces 174 hp @ 6,500 RPM and 162 lb-ft @ 4,200 rpm of torque. Both these engines are terrific and offer great fuel economy as well.

The numbers for 0-60 and quarter-mile timings are very close between the 4 cars mentioned above. The 2021 Honda Civic reaches 60 from a standstill in 8.2 seconds and reaches the quarter-mile mark in 16.3 seconds. The engine is also the most powerful but does get behind the Mazda’s when it comes to torque.

How well does the 2021 Honda Civic handle?

The ride quality and comfort level of the 2021 Honda Civic is exceptional. The driver gets a good view of the road from his/her seat in spite of the low roof. The steering is well-weighted, very responsive and there is just the right amount of body roll in tight corners which makes the ride enjoyable. 

Neither cushy nor too harsh, the suspension system which is independent strut suspension for the front and multi-link for the rear, plays an important role to make the ride quality pleasant and smooth. Considering all factors, the Civic is a fun car to drive and is capable of comfortable all-day driving.

2021 Honda Civic Braking Performance

As you’ll find out after going through the following table, the 2021 Honda Civic covers the least distance to get from 60-0 MPH, which is conclusive enough to say that it has the best braking performance in its class. Electronic brake distribution, brake assist, ABS and forward collision alert are driver assist features offered on the Civic to make you stop the vehicle safely. It has an 11.1-inch front brake rotor and 10.2-inch rear brake rotors. 

The Civic has the lowest curb weight which aids it massively in stopping in the shortest distance while the others take way more distance, irrespective of the weight they carry. The Corolla also stops well but is still 7 feet in front of the Civic. 

The two different engines offered by Honda on the Civic which are 2.0L Inline-4 and a 1.5L turbocharged Inline-4 have marginal differences in terms of fuel economy. Both these engines are economically terrific and outperform their competition. The 2.0L manages 30/38/33 (city/highway/combined) MPG which is excellent but the 1.5L produces even better numbers, which are; 32/42/36 (city/highway/combined). With a fuel tank capacity of 12.4 gallons, you can expect to do an impressive 400 miles until the tank runs dry.

2021 Honda Civic matches its fuel economy with the Toyota Corolla which also has a bigger fuel tank than the Civic. The car with the best numbers is the 2021 Hyundai Elantra managing a combined fuel economy of 36 MPG. Talking of the range on offer, the Hyundai takes the lead again and will be the most ideal car of all to take on long drives. 

If the interior has to be described in four adjectives then those would be spacious, practical, modern, and adequate. The center console and dashboard design are practical and simplistic. The buttons and knobs have been labeled well and are of good quality hard plastic.The base trim LX misses out on most of the convenience features but it is still not a bad package for the price. Features like heated and 8-way power-adjustable driver seat, leather upholstery, and dual-zone climate control can only be found in the EX trim and above.

Overall, there’s plenty of headroom and legroom in both the front and rear seats even though the 2021 Honda Civic has a low roof. The seating comfort of the seats is admirable thanks to the multiple seat adjustment features. Its trunk storage is the best when compared to its rivals but guess what! The Hatchback has even better numbers.

The front row of the Civic is rather compact in terms of headroom but for the rest, it has a lot of space to accommodate the occupants comfortably. In the second row, the space is rather compact but is still one of the roomiest cabins in the comparison. That being said, some of the standout interior features are:

• 7-inch touchscreen display
• Leather upholstered seats (EX trim and higher)
• Dual-Zone Automatic climate control
• Heated front and rear seats
• 8-speaker audio system

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The base trim LX is equipped with a 5-inch touchscreen screen which has improved from its earlier versions but it is not good enough as the 7-inch touchscreen display featured in all the other trims. This system is much more responsive than the former. The knobs and buttons are gloss black and have a good feel to them. 

The standard audio system is a 4-speaker audio system which is mediocre, to say the least. The Sport, EX, and EX-L get a better audio system with 8 speakers while the Touring trim gets a 10-speaker audio system with superior sound quality and it is also the only trim with Navigation. Some of the highlights of the infotainment system are:

• 7-inch touchscreen
• Eight-speaker audio system
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
• Satellite and HD radio
• 2 USB ports
• Navigation 
• Voice recognition 

This 10thgeneration of the Honda Civic has some bold but stylish-looking exteriors which make it look far better than just a typical compact car. This year the exterior has seen some subtle redesigns. The grille gets a blacked-out effect as well as the LED headlights. The sloping hood and chrome accents to the fog light housing adds personality to the front fascia of the car.

The stance of the 2021 Honda Civic is sporty and aggressive thanks to the low ground clearance, body lines, and low roofline. The LX trim gets 16-inch wheels but other trims get 18-inch alloy wheels which add more character.Coming to the rear end of the car, the design is a fastback-like outline which is quite mesmerizing. LED taillights and subtle spoilers are instantly noticeable.

Compared to other cars, the Civic stands tallest with 6.3-inc ground clearance but it is the shortest in length. The shorter length, however, doesn’t cause a problem for cargo space or interior space.Some of the standout exterior features are as follows:

• 17-inch or 18-inch alloy wheels
• LED daytime running headlights
• Fog lights (optional)
• Lip spoiler (optional)
• LED brake lights

The 2021 Honda Civic excels in terms of safety as well. A 5-star rating from the NHTSA and an overall score of “Good” from the IIHS in crash test analysis, which are the highest ratings/scores possible from the respective associations prove that the Civic is an extremely safe car. Honda has not skimped on the safety features on offer, along with the necessary driving aids that are a requirement in the segment nowadays. Speaking of which, some of the driver aids on offer are:

• Multi-angle Rearview camera
• Adaptive cruise control
• Lane keep assist system
• Forward collision warning
• Honda LaneWatch

2021 Honda Civic vs 2021 Hyundai Elantra

Overall, the Civic is a much better package than the Hyundai Elantra. It outperforms the Elantra in safety and performance. The only class in which the 2021 Hyundai Elantra is a clear winner is fuel economy.Although the Civic has excellent fuel economy, Hyundai has somehow managed to beat it. In terms of exterior and interior looks, the Elantra has seen some major upgrades from its previous version and makes a bold statement on the road with its presence.

2021 Honda Civic vs 2021 Mazda 3

The Mazda 3 has also seen some upgrades from its previous version but it can’t simply match the 2021 Honda Civic’s practical approach. The Civic excels in reliability, space, and comfort in which the Mazda 3 still needs some improvement. The 2021 Mazda 3 offers an AWD option which the Civic doesn’t. This might be a factor worth considering before choosing between the two cars.

2021 Honda Civic vs 2021 Toyota Corolla

Both the cars are at par when it comes to interior features and options, but the Civic’s exterior design makes it a winner. In terms of numbers and competition, the Toyota Corolla is the closest to the Civic, both living up to their Japanese roots. The factor in which Corolla has an upper hand is that it offers a hybrid version as well. With an estimated mileage of 52 MPG, it is by far the most fuel-efficient car in the class.

The new Honda Civic is a practical buy. Its attractive price tag, excellent performance, great fuel economy, best-in-class safety, and plethora of features and options make it a car that goes unnoticed from a buyer’s point of view.You’ll get a car that goes above and beyond the standards of the average compact Sedan. Spacious and modern interior and classy exterior look standout among its competition as well.