Honda Civic Hatchback: Which Should You Buy, 2020 or 2021?

Most significant changes: Unchanged, though there won’t be an EX-L model available right away

Price change: $250 increase; destination unchanged at $955

On sale: Now (except for the EX-L)

Which should you buy, 2020 or 2021? 2020, especially if you want an EX-L right now. Otherwise, with the lack of changes, saving $250 is worth it (and maybe a dealer will give you even more of a discount to move a 2020 off the lot to make room for a 2021).

When Honda announced the demise of the Civic coupe for the 2021 model year, it was quick to point out that the hatchback version of the Civic had grown to almost a quarter of all Civic sales while the coupe had dipped to only 6%. Now, for 2021, the Civic hatch gets a $250 price increase but no updates, and Honda is also holding off on including the EX-L, at least right away.

Related: What’s the Best Compact Sedan?

I See No Changes

According to a Honda spokesperson, “With the current market conditions and manufacturing challenges resulting from the pandemic, we have made some temporary moves to streamline certain product offerings, including hatch EX-L. The hatch EX-L is not discontinued, and once we see demand come back up we can offer it back into our lineup.”

Other than that, there are no changes to the Civic hatchback, which is still powered by a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine. In the LX and EX, it makes 174 horsepower, while in the Sport and Sport Touring it makes 180 hp (though both of the latter recommend premium gas instead of regular). The LX and EX use a continuously variable automatic transmission, while the Sport and Sport Touring come standard with a six-speed manual (the CVT is an $800 option). The Honda Sensing suite of advanced safety features is also standard on all Civics.

Pricing

The Civic hatch increases in price by $250 across the lineup. All prices below include an unchanged $955 destination fee.

• LX (CVT only): $22,955
• Sport (six-speed manual): $24,055
• Sport (CVT): $24,855
• EX (CVT only): $25,455
• Sport Touring (six-speed manual): $29,355
• Sport Touring (CVT): $30,155

If the EX-L does return to the 2021 lineup, expect it to cost approximately $1,200 more than the EX.

Release Date

You can find the 2021 Civic hatchback on sale now, but without any changes, we think you should be on the lookout for 2020s that should be a bit more affordable.

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