2020 Honda Civic

Most shoppers will enjoy the 2020 Honda Civic Sport that comes with a 158 horsepower engine paired to either a six-speed manual or a continuously variable automatic transmission. With the Sport trim, you will get upgrades such as 18-inch alloy wheels, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, and an eight-speaker audio system. Those who want more power should consider the EX trim which gets the standard 174 hp turbo-four with the CVT. 

The 2020 Honda Civic sedan has five trims: LX, Sport, EX, EX-L, and Touring. Prices for the base Civic has an MSRP range between $20,995 and $28,845 for the top-spec Touring trim. Honda offers a wide range of varied comfortable and practical features at an affordable price point with both a manual and automatic transmissions available. 

The Civic LX and Sport trims get a 2.0L four-cylinder engine configuration, while the higher trims get a zippier 1.5 L turbocharged engine. All the Civic models from EX trim onwards only get the CVT transmission as standard.  As standard, the 2020 Civic gets the Honda Sensing safety suite right from the base trim and also gets the 5-inch touchscreen, rear-view camera, and keyless entry.

The Sport trim gets larger infotainment screen, alloy wheels, satellite radio while the Honda Civic EX adds dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, and remote engine start as standard. The EX-L adds smartphone integration and leather upholstery while Touring trim gets you LED headlights, navigation, premium audio system and heated rear seat for the added price. 

We've been giving this generation Civic top marks since its debut three years ago, and there's nothing else out this year that's going to steal the car's title belt. -Edmunds

The 2020 Honda Civic gets its power from either a 158-horsepower naturally-aspirated 2.0-liter or a peppier 174 hp turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine. The Civic's base engine is adequate but the turbocharged engines offer swifter acceleration. Transmission duties are handled by a smooth and precise 6-speed manual standard on the Sport trim while a CVT automatic is an available option. The CVT pairs well with this engine to simulate precise, smooth shifts. If you’re the type who loves control, you’ll love the standard 6-speed manual transmission more engaging on the sedan. 

The 2020 Civic strikes a perfect balance between comfort and driving dynamics. The ride is smooth with responsive steering in any driving situation. There is a controlled body roll and quick transitions are handled nicely. Ride quality is awe-inspiring and the car feels playful on the roads. The suspension is highly capable of keeping the car planted to the tarmac on cornering in the default driving mode. The available steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters make driving a truly hands-on experience. 

Push the Sport button on the center console, and the dampers firm up slightly, throttle response sharpens, and the computers subtract some power assist from the steering, requiring the driver to use more effort when making inputs. The 2020 Civic surges ahead with a linear acceleration when you step on the gas pedal due to a hefty low-end torque which is quite useful for city traffic and highway passes. The base Civic model reaches 60 mph from a dead stop in 8.2 seconds with the manual and covers the quarter-mile in 16.2 seconds. The turbocharged Civic does the same run in 6.7 seconds with its standard CVT.

The turbocharged engine has a very un-Honda-like growl to it and the CVT causes a light drone when accelerating hard. The Hyundai Elantra is as quick as the Corolla but the driving dynamics of the Honda are unmatchable. The 2020 Mazda 3 offers the quickest acceleration and precise handling for you to have fun around the corners. 

The 2020 Civic gets the best fuel economy with the 174-horsepower 1.5-litre turbo engine paired with a CVT automatic. EPA estimates the turbo-four sedan at 32 MPG in the city and 42 MPG on the highway while the Touring sedan drops the ratings to 30 MPG in the city and 38 MPG on the highway. The base engine is also frugal in comparison to the rivals. The Civic LX with manual gets 25 MPG in the city and 36 MPG on the highway while with the CVT the ratings improve to 30/38 MPG.

The Hyundai Elantra has the best fuel economy in this segment and also features a larger gas tank. Thanks to Eco Assist with ECON mode, the Civic is designed to help keep you on the road longer, and at gas stations less frequently. The Corolla and Civic return similar numbers while Mazda 3 is the least fuel-efficient.

The interior of the 2020 Civic looks conservative and is full of premium material and high-grade plastic components. The center console is wide with numerous pockets and bins for small articles. All but LX trims come with a 7.0-inch touchscreen while the base trim comes fitted with a 5.0-inch infotainment system. Ergonomics are well suited for an average size individual and it has a more substantial amount of interior space than most of the rivals. The legroom is also generous for a compact size sedan but the sills are wide which hinders entry and exit.

Interior space is nearly the same in all the cars in this rivalry, although the Corolla and the Mazda 3 feels cramped at times. As always, there are up to 3 interior upholstery color options available for buyers to choose from. Despite being an entry-level compact, the 2020 Civic provides ample cargo space. Its low liftover height makes it easy to load and unload large items. The utilitarian sedan provides 15.1 cubic feet of trunk space and it can be increased to 46.2 with the rear folding seat for loading large cargo.

Easily the rival of the Hyundai Elantra and Toyota Corolla, the Civic’s interior is a great place to be in. In the Civic sedan, the rear legroom measures 37.4 inches. The Civic offers the most spacious cabin and trunk space in this comparison. The Elantra too is pretty spacious as compared to others while both the Mazda 3 and Corolla offer similar space and have a tight rear seat. The infotainment system on offer with the Civic 2020 is one of the best in the segment. 

The Honda's touchscreen interface is much-improved thanks to the addition of a long-awaited volume knob for the audio system and hard buttons for certain functions. The base Civic also gets a four-speaker stereo, Bluetooth, and a USB port. A 7-inch touch screen is available, as are Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, a navigation system, an eight, 10, or 12-speaker stereo, wireless phone charging, an additional USB port, satellite radio, HD Radio, and a moonroof.

• Heated front & rear seats w/leather upholstery
• Remote keyless entry, Remote engine starts, and HomeLink garage door transmitter
• Dual-zone climate control
• 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system w/10-speaker premium audio system
• HondaLink smartphone integration and Bluetooth HandsfreeLink
• Honda satellite navigation w/voice commands & Real-time traffic
• HD radio and SiriusXM satellite radio  

From mild to wild, the 2020 Honda Civic has a look and a body style for everyone - TheCarConnection.

The 2020 Civic looks very aggressive from every angle with a sleek silhouette, the stance is wide with dynamic sporty lines running through the length of the car. The bumper is restyled with a lower grille and a piano black deckled spoiler accounts for a sporty look. The Civic sedan can be easily mistaken for a hatchback from the front view.   Its wide stance with sloping rooflines looks daring but innovative.

Unique C-shaped tail-lights look menacing. The competition is heavier than the Civic but also smaller, with all the cars having less length, ground clearance, and wheelbase than the Honda. The reworked front end lends the car a sleeker and slender look. The Honda Civic's exterior is highly aerodynamic, lending the car the ability to cut through the air while sipping the least amount of fuel. There are 8 paint color options available for buyers to choose from. 

While the Mazda 3 has a longer wheelbase, it does not particularly translate to a spacious cabin and trunk. The Civic is the lightest of them all which helps it to handle better around the corners. The high stance also helps it go comfortably over curbs and bumps. While all the sedans look striking, the Mazda 3 is the best looking in our opinion. Some of the most eye-catching exterior features of the Honda Civic Sedan include:

• Smart Entry
• Capless Fuel Filler
• Rain-sensing Auto Wipers
• Efficient Aerodynamics
• LED headlights
• 17-inch alloy wheels
• Rear lip spoiler
• Bodyside molding

The NHTSA gave the 2020 Civic a perfect five-star overall safety rating. The sedan received the highest score of Good in all six crash tests conducted by IIHS, and it received the highest score of Superior for the front crash prevention. However, the Civic earned the lowest possible score of Poor for the illumination of the standard headlights. As for advanced driver-assistance features, the Honda Sensing Suite is now standard across the 2020 lineup. Manual models do not include low-speed follow and will deactivate around 20 mph if the driver doesn’t downshift to avoid stalling. 

The Active Safety Features include:

• Forward-collision warning
• Lane-keeping assist
• Adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow
• Road-departure mitigation
• Low-speed collision avoidance with emergency braking

2020 Honda Civic vs 2020 Toyota Corolla

The Toyota Corolla is a solid car but the overall performance is timid. On the other hand, Honda Civic has several potent engine choices and exceptional ride quality. You will get a nicer interior, more cargo space, and better fuel economy with the Civic as well.

The handling of Toyota is snooze-worthy and there is no support for Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. You get both of these smartphone integration features in the Civic.

2020 Honda Civic vs 2020 Mazda 3

The Mazda 3 is the most powerful sedan in the segment with its standard 186 hp engine. It is also quicker and is an agile handler in the corners. 

The Civic is more comfortable and has a higher MPG rating. It is also more affordable and has a more spacious interior and trunk to offer. While the Honda has a sharp and rather quirky exterior design, the Mazda looks sharper and sleeker. 

2020 Honda Civic vs 2020 Hyundai Elantra

Hyundai Elantra is a pretty good car in terms of safety and reliability. It has decent handling with decent engine power. The Civic is way ahead in terms of overall performance.

Elantra is priced way lower than the Civic and the infotainment system is more straightforward and easy for us than the Honda’s. The cabin is much more impressive in the Civic and the Elantra doesn’t have enough reasons to sway you away from the compelling Honda.

Though the 2020 Honda Civic costs more than the rivals its hands down a better car than the Toyota Corolla and Hyundai Elantra. It is the best compact car for performance, quality, space, and efficiency. It is an appealing package with multiple variants and lots of tech and features. You should definitely consider buying the 2020 Civic.