2020 Honda Civic Si

What Is the 2020 Honda Civic?

The Honda Civic is a front-drive compact car available in sedan, coupe and four-door hatchback body styles. It competes with the Hyundai Elantra, Nissan Sentra and Toyota Corolla. The sedan and coupe have a standard 158-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine or an available 174-hp, turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder. The regular hatchback comes only with the 1.5-liter engine.

For performance-minded drivers, Honda sells Si and Type R versions of the Civic. The Si model is available in sedan and coupe form and features a 205-hp version of the turbo 1.5-liter engine. The ultra-performance Type R comes only as a hatchback with four seats and is powered by a 306-hp, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder. A six-speed manual is the only transmission offered for the Si and Type R, but regular Civics can also have a continuously variable automatic transmission.

What’s New on the 2020 Honda Civic?

The Civic hatchback gets updated front and rear styling as well as revised dashboard trim and extra sound insulation. Sport versions of the hatchback get push-button start and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, while EX versions add a power-adjustable driver’s seat, leather-wrapped steering wheel and leather shift knob. The high-end Sport Touring version is now available with a six-speed manual transmission.

The Civic Si, meanwhile, also gets exterior styling updates as well as a revised final-drive ratio for quicker responses. There are also new 18-inch matte-black wheels and red interior accents on the seats and instrument panel. The Honda Sensing suite of active safety features is also standard for the Si. Honda has not announced any changes to the Type R as of this writing.

What Features in the 2020 Honda Civic Are Most Important?

Standard Honda Sensing adds a lot of worthwhile active safety features, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane keep assist and automatic high-beam headlights. Stepping up to the Sport trim brings the Display Audio touchscreen multimedia system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity. Moving to the EX trim brings Honda’s useful LaneWatch system, which uses a camera in the passenger-side mirror to help you keep an eye on things on the right side of the car, such as cyclists in a bike lane.

2020 Honda Civic Vs. 2020 Toyota Corolla: How Do They Compare?

Though both compact cars offer room for up to five people, the Civic and Corolla have different strengths. Both offer a lot of standard safety features and excellent fuel economy. The Civic is more fun to drive with better performance and handling, though the gap isn’t as wide as it once was. It also comes in three body styles to the Corolla’s two. If you’re looking for ultimate efficiency, however, the Corolla is available in hybrid form, and this version returns an impressive 52 mpg combined, according to the EPA.

Should I Buy the 2020 Honda Civic?

Even lower trim levels of the Civic deliver an engaging driving experience, and the high-output Type R ratchets the driving fun up considerably. It’s worth looking at the turbo 1.5-liter engine over the base 2.0-liter because it offers better performance and gas mileage.