Engine and Components

The 2020 Honda Civic has one of the strongest bases engines among compact four-doors. With its 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 158 horsepower, passing sluggish drivers on the highway is easier than it is with some of the other vehicles. In contrast, the Toyota Corolla (138 hp) and Hyundai Elantra (147 hp) have less hp with their base engines, and while the Subaru Impreza and Mazda3 get a slight boost in power, they both lack a rear stabilizer bar (as does the Elantra). The function of a rear stabilizer bar is to reduce body roll at the rear; during cornering this bar acts as a lever that presses the inside wheel towards the ground to reduce excess movement and keep the tires well grounded.

Spaciousness, Standard Features, and Fuel Economy

The Civic is one of the most spacious vehicles in its class for the 2020 model year. While it’s considered a compact sedan, its generous 15.1 cubic feet of trunk space begs to differ. The Impreza (12.3 cu. ft.), Corolla (13.1 cu. ft.), Mazda3 (13.2 cu. ft.), and Elantra (14.4 cu. ft.) are all less accommodating. Plus, passengers will have more room to spread out thanks to the Civic’s 97.8 cu. ft. of passenger volume. The Mazda3 (92.8 cu. ft.) and Elantra (95.8 cu. ft.) list smaller dimensions overall.

While the Impreza has slightly more total cabin space at 99.8 cu. ft., it lacks some useful features that come standard on the base Civic, such as automatic climate control and fog lights (which the base Corolla and Mazda3 both lack as well). On top of that, the Civic gets better fuel economy, achieving an EPA-estimated 30 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway. Drivers of the Impreza (23 city/31 highway) and Mazda3 (26 city/35 highway) have to stop by the gas station more often.