In the world of turbocharged, non-premium C-segment models, trying to decide between a Honda Civic in Touring spec and a Hyundai Elantra Sport, basically comes down to expectations.
It’s understandable if you expect the new Civic to woo you with its practicality, on-board gadgets and active safety tech. And while the Civic also has a sportier pedigree than the Elantra, the latter is packing more of a punch in this specific comparison test.
So, if you just want to go fast and the new Civic in its current trim offerings isn’t quite “there for you” in terms of performance, perhaps its rival from Hyundai could earn your business.
On paper, the Civic packs a 1.5-liter turbocharged 174 HP (176 PS) engine, whereas the Elantra Sport is using a 1.6-liter turbocharged 201 HP (204 PS) unit. The Elantra Sport also comes with a 6-speed manual, whereas the Civic Touring tested here, uses a CVT gearbox, so not exactly what we’d call a fair comparison, though you can get the Honda with a manual in EX-T trim.
On top of that, the two particular models tested here by Auto Guide don’t match up all that well in terms of specs either. In Touring trim, which is the most expensive in the US starting from $26,600, the Civic boasts all sorts of high-tech goodies, from Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (so does the Elantra Sport to be fair), to adaptive cruise control, lane watch camera and forward collision warning – which the Hyundai does not offer.
In the end, the Civic Touring scored well in terms of how easy it was to drive, gas mileage and interior room, whereas the Elantra Sport turned out to be more fun to drive, thanks to having better steering and a superior soundtrack compared to its rival.
Moving forward, we’ll be very curious to see how well the Elantra Sport does once it will come face to face with a true sporty Civic, like the upcoming “Si” version, set to debut sometime this year.