The Honda Civic is back in the country in an all-new avatar and the D-segment sedan looks sharper, packs in a tonne of more features and gets a diesel engine this time. The all-new Honda Civic is priced from Rs. 17.70 lakh (ex-showroom) and is a complete overhaul over the eighth generation that was sold here over a decade ago. The overall segment though has shrunk over the years in terms of volumes, but the sedans remain a choice for several buyers. With the Japanese sedan back to shake things up, here's a look at how the new Honda Civic matches up to its rivals including the Toyota Corolla, Skoda Octavia and the Hyundai Elantra.
Also Read: 2019 Honda Civic Launched In India
The Skoda Octavia gets the largest proportions but gets the smallest wheelbase
Dimensions
The Skoda Octavia is the largest car here in terms of dimensions and also gets the biggest boot capacity at 590 litres. However, the Octavia sports the smallest wheelbase at 2688 mm, while all other models share the same wheelbase length at 2700 mm. That said, Corolla Altis is known for its clever use of space in the cabin for a roomier feel, which should also be the case with the Honda offering. The Honda Civic is the second longest car followed by Toyota Corolla Altis and the Hyundai Elantra. In terms of boot capacity, the Corolla is a distant second at 470 litres, while the Civic's boot stands at 430 litres, only slightly larger than the Elantra's 420-litre boot.
| Dimensions | Honda Civic | Skoda Octavia | Hyundai Elantra | Toyota Corolla Altis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 4656 mm | 4670 mm | 4570 mm | 4620 mm |
| Width | 1799 mm | 1814 mm | 1800 mm | 1775 mm |
| Height | 1433 mm | 1476 mm | 1465 mm | 1475 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2700 mm | 2688 mm | 2700 mm | 2700 mm |
| Boot Capacity | 430 litres | 590 litres | 420 litres | 470 litres |
Also Read: 10th Generation Honda Civic Review
The Toyota Corolla Altis is the oldest offering in this segment
Powertrain
The 2019 Honda Civic is offered in both petrol and diesel engine options. The petrol version is powered by the 1.8-litre i-VTEC motor tuned for 139 bhp and 174 Nm of peak torque and is only offered with a 7-step CVT automatic. Factoring only the automatic versions in this space, the Toyota Corolla Altis offers identical figures with a 1.8-litre petrol engine that belts out 138 bhp and 173 Nm of peak torque. The Corolla also uses a 7-step CVT, much like the Civic.
| Specifications | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Petrol) | Honda Civic | Skoda Octavia | Hyundai Elantra | Toyota Corolla Altis |
| Displacement | 1.8-litre | 1.4-litre/1.8-litre | 2.0-litre | 1.8-litre |
| Max Power | 139 bhp | 177 bhp/227 bhp | 150 bhp | 138 bhp |
| Peak Torque | 174 Nm | 250 Nm/350 Nm | 192 Nm | 173 Nm |
| Transmission | 7-Step CVT | 7-speed DCT/6-speed DCT/6-speed MT | 6-speed MT/6-speed AT | 6-speed MT/7-Step CVT |
The Hyundai Elantra's 2.0-litre that churns out 150 bhp and 192 Nm of torque, while paired with a 6-speed torque converter, but it is the Skoda Octavia that gets the segment best figures with the 1.8-litre motor producing 177 bhp and 250 Nm of peak torque, paired with a 7-speed DSG automatic transmission. There is, of course, the power-packed, Octavia RS as well with 227 bhp and 350 Nm, offered with a 6-speed automatic transmission, along with the 1.4-litre turbo petrol and is offered only with a manual gearbox. Barring the Civic though, all offerings in this comparison do have a manual transmission with the petrol engine as optional.
| Specifications | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Diesel) | Honda Civic | Skoda Octavia | Hyundai Elantra | Toyota Corolla Altis |
| Displacement | 1.6-litre | 2.0-litre | 1.6-litre | 1.4-litre |
| Max Power | 118 bhp | 141 bhp | 125 bhp | 87 bhp |
| Peak Torque | 300 Nm | 320 Nm | 260 Nm | 205 Nm |
| Transmission | 6-speed MT | 6-speed DCT/7-speed MT | 6-speed MT/6-speed AT | 6-speed MT |
The Honda Civic diesel, meanwhile, is offered with only a manual transmission and uses the 1.6-litre i-DTEC four-cylinder oil burner with 118 bhp and 300 Nm of peak torque. Those are appreciable numbers when compared to the 1.4-litre diesel motor on the Corolla Altis that produces 87 bhp and 205 Nm. The Octavia leads on power figures with the diesel engine as well. The 2.0-litre oil burner produces 141 bhp and 320 Nm of peak torque; while the Elantra's 1.6-litre unit belts out 125 bhp and 260 Nm of torque. All cars get a 6-speed manual transmission as standard, while the Octavia and the Elantra diesel versions are also offered with an automatic option.
The Hyundai Elantra is a well packaged model and also gets novel features like wireless charging
Features
With respect to features, the Honda Civic isn't too dramatically different from the rest of the rivals in this comparison. The car comes loaded with a 7-inch MID unit and a touchscreen infotainment system that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, multi-angle view camera, remote engine start, dual-zone climate control and the crowd favourite - electric sunroof. The Skoda Octavia is equally loaded on the feature front with a digital instrument cluster, panoramic sunroof, 12-way electrically adjustable front seats, touchscreen infotainment system with MirrorLink and a 10-speaker surround sound system.
Also Read: Honda Civic vs Rivals: Price Comparison
The Hyundai Elantra is identical on the feature front but also comes with additional tech like wireless charging and ventilated seats. Other features like climate control, touchscreen system, and leather seats remain the same. Lastly, the Toyota Corolla Altis is the oldest offering in this segment and manages to match the competition with 10-way electrically adjustable driver's seat, rear parking sensors and reverse camera, automatic climate control and six speakers.
The 2019 Honda Civic is power packed and loaded on features on par with the competition
Safety
All cars are packed with active and passive features to keep the occupants safe. The new Civic gets six airbags, ABS with EBD, lane-watch camera and more on its top-spec trims, while the Skoda Octavia comes loaded with eight airbags, traction control, tyre pressure monitoring system on offer. The Elantra gets six airbags and traction control. The Toyota Corolla Altis also gets seven airbags and comes with vehicle stability control and rear parking sensors, over and above the standard safety features on the car.
