2020 Honda Civic Price, Value, Ratings & Reviews | Kelley Blue Book (2024)

#1 in Best Small Cars of 2020

In the world of compact sedans, the 2020 Honda Civic is just one of a number of excellent choices. Buyers in this segment can opt for a sporty Mazda3, inexpensive Kia Forte, frugal Toyota Corolla, or European-flavored VW Golf and Jetta. With such close competition, why should buyers choose a 2020 Civic? Read on.

To begin, there’s the Civic’s impressive resale value, which consistently tops the field. Then there’s the Civic’s low maintenance cost and first-class reliability rating. So good is the Honda that it has managed to snag KBB.com’s Small Car Best Buy award five years running. Don’t forget the safety aspect. Along with its numerous standard driver assists, the Honda Civic remains a Top Safety Pick by the independent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Finally, there are plenty of Honda Civic choices. Whether it’s the roomy LX sedan, versatile EX hatchback, or sporty Si coupe, the Civic line offers more body styles than any competitor. And they’re all great fun to drive, especially the 306-horsepower Type R.

Which Model is Right for Me?

Driving the Used 2020 Honda Civic

Even the most basic Honda Civic delivers ride and handling characteristics we’d classify as more than acceptable. Base models with the 2.0-liter engine are reassuringly quick, made all the more fun when combined with the available 6-speed manual transmission.

Stepping up to models equipped with the turbocharged 1.5-liter engine brings more excitement without a noticeable penalty in fuel economy. Regrettably, many Civic models pair this engine with a CVT transmission, which, while efficient, just isn’t as engaging as driving a manual. However, given that less than 5 percent of vehicles sold in the U.S. have manual transmissions, the CVT is a fine substitute for most driving conditions.

Thankfully, the most potent Honda Civics only come with a 6-speed manual transmission. Those would be the 205-horsepower Si and 306-horsepower Type R. Both models also see significant changes to the suspension, differentials, brakes, and wheel/tire combo.

Any enthusiast looking for something sane yet engaging should also check out the sublime Mazda3. But the 2020 Civic range in general has an advantage over the rest of its rivals.

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Interior Comfort

Climb inside a 2020 Honda Civic, and you’ll be hard-pressed to believe this a compact car. Beyond the immense roominess, the Civic has numerous windows to let in light and help make the cabin feel less claustrophobic. Is the Civic’s interior as nice as the Mazda3’s? Not in a sophisticated way, but it certainly feels less closed in and dark, and the Civic’s touchscreen is larger and easier to operate.

Occupants of most sizes will find the Civic’s front seats to be wide and comfortable, and there’s good headroom even in the rear seat. The sedan and hatchback are the best choices for those who regularly carry more than one passenger, but once you squeeze past the front seat, even the Civic coupe offers a comfortable rear seat, although the sloping rear window severely curtails headroom. There’s lots of storage space in the deep center console, but the dual-level shelf at the front can be a bit awkward when trying to reach the 12-volt outlet or HDMI port.

Easily the rival of the Hyundai Elantra and Toyota Corolla, the Civic’s interior is a great place to relax. In the Civic sedan, rear legroom measures 37.4 inches, while the trunk can swallow up to 15.1 cubic feet of stuff. In the Civic hatchback, space behind the rear seat measures 25.7 cubic feet, and with the rear seats folded, a generous 46.2 cubic feet.

Exterior Styling

If you’re looking for the old play-it-safe styling that used to be the hallmark of the Honda Civic, you’re going to either be bitterly disappointed or pleasantly surprised. The styling is definitely youth-oriented, with numerous creases and sloping lines punctuated by bold colors and big wheels. How does the 2020 Civic compare to the Hyundai Elantra or Toyota Corolla? The styling is more drastic, meaning the Toyota and Hyundai might be a better choice for those with more subdued taste.

The Civic hatchback is more versatile, but its bulbous rear end seems out of sorts compared to the sedan. Of course, the Si gets more blacked-out bits and more aggressive styling, whereas the Type R reminds us of the kind of car we all drew as kids: big exhaust pipes, a hood scoop, and an oversized rear spoiler.

Favorite Features

HONDA SENSING
This standard feature appears on every model in the 2020 Honda Civic lineup, the one exception being the Type R. Honda Sensing is an impressive suite of driver assists that include low-speed automatic emergency braking, forward-collision mitigation, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and road departure mitigation plus automatic high beams. CVT equipped cars include a low-speed follow feature for the adaptive cruise.

APPLE CARPLAY/ANDROID AUTO SMARTPHONE INTEGRATION
With the integration of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, you‘ll never have to worry about your Civic’s infotainment system becoming obsolete. By mirroring the user’s smartphone, the Civic can access music, text messages, navigation, and apps such as Waze, Pandora, and Spotify, all without the driver having to reach for and operate the phone.

Standard Features

The simplest Civic is the LX trim, which also happens to be the most affordable. For your money, you get the Honda Sensing suite of driver assists (forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, auto high beam headlights, and lane-keeping assist), a 6-speed manual transmission, 16-inch wheel covers, automatic climate control, 5-inch infotainment display, power windows, remote keyless entry and Bluetooth. The LX hatchback gets the turbocharged 1.5-liter engine.

We think for the few extra dollars, the Sport trim is a better place to start. Using the same 2.0-liter engine, the Sport adds proximity key fob entry with push-button start, fog lights, a 7-inch touchscreen with 8-speaker audio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus a 60/40 split-folding rear seat.

Factory Options

Unlike most other manufacturers, Honda doesn’t offer a long list of option packages for each trim. Instead, equipment is added as the trims go up in price. If you want leather seating, for example, you have to go to the EX-L. The EX will get you Honda’s LaneWatch video blind-spot mirror, a CVT transmission, dual-zone automatic climate control, a power driver’s seat, heated front seats, and satellite radio.

The Touring trim brings the full luxury treatment, with such upscale touches as rain-sensing wipers, a 450-watt audio system with 10 speakers, a power passenger seat, and on the sedan, heated rear seats.

Summer tires are the only option for the sporty Si and Type R.

Engine & Transmission

The 2020 Honda Civic’s engine choices are as wide and varied as the car itself. For most trims and models, power comes from either a 158-horsepower normally-aspirated 2.0-liter or a more robust turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine. Horsepower for the turbo depends on the model, split between 174 or 180 hp. Gear changes are handled by a smooth and precise 6-speed manual, which regrettably gives way to a CVT automatic once on higher trims.

The 1.5-liter gets a big jump in power when paired with the Civic Si. Here a healthy 205 horsepower is matted to the aforementioned 6-speed manual. Lastly, there’s the raucous Type R that employs a 306-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, one of the most powerful 4-cylinders in its class. Both of these engines require premium fuel to achieve their full potential, whereas the less-powerful versions do just fine on regular unleaded. The front-drive Civics share many mechanical parts, but only the Si and Type R have a limited-slip differential for better power distribution.

2.0-liter inline-4 (LX, Sport Sedan, Sport Coupe)
158 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
138 lb-ft of torque @ 4,200 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 25/36 mpg (manual, sedan), 25/35 mpg (manual, Sport coupe), 30/38 mpg (automatic, sedan/LX coupe), 29/36 mpg (automatic, Sport coupe), 29/37 mpg (automatic, Sport Sedan)

1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4 (LX hatchback, EX, EX-L, Touring sedan, and coupe)
174 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
162 lb-ft of torque @ 1,700-5,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 32/42 mpg (sedan), 31/40 mpg (coupe), 30/38 mpg (Touring sedan), 30/37 mpg (Touring coupe), 29/37 mpg (hatchback, manual), 31/40 mpg (hatchback, automatic)

1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4 (Sport, Sport Touring hatchback)
180 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
177 lb-ft of torque @ 1,900-5,000 rpm (6-speed manual)
162 lb-ft of torque @ 1,700-5,500 rpm (CVT automatic)
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 29/37 mpg (manual), 29/35 mpg (automatic)

1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4 (Si)
205 horsepower @ 5,700 rpm
192 lb-ft of torque @2,100-5,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 26/36 mpg (6-speed manual transmission only)

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (Type R)
306 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
295 lb-ft of torque @ 2,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 22/28 mpg (6-speed manual transmission only)

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