Compare the2023 Hyundai Elantra NVS 2021 Honda Civic Type R

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Elantra N are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Civic Type R doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Elantra N Auto has standard Reverse Parking Collision Avoidance Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Civic Type R doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Elantra N’s standard rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Civic Type R doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

The Elantra N’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Civic Type R doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

The Elantra N has a standard Blue Link, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Civic Type R doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Elantra N and the Civic Type R have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems and rearview cameras.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Hyundai Elantra N is safer than the Honda Civic Type R:

	Elantra N	Civic Type R
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	142	201
Neck Compression	51 lbs.	53 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	66/48 lbs.	192/350 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Hyundai Elantra N is safer than the Honda Civic Type R:

	Elantra N	Civic Type R
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	83	204
Abdominal Force	239 lbs.	252 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	345	404
Hip Force	355 lbs.	356 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	11 inches	12 inches
HIC	184	260

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Elantra N the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 141 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Civic Type R has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

The Elantra N comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Civic Type R’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Elantra N 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Honda covers the Civic Type R. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Civic Type R ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Elantra N’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Civic Type R’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Elantra N for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Honda doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Civic Type R.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 82 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is ranked 24th.

Engine

As tested in Car and Driver the Hyundai Elantra N is faster than the Honda Civic Type R (manual transmissions tested):

	Elantra N	Civic Type R
Zero to 60 MPH	5.1 sec	5.2 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	12.5 sec	12.8 sec
Quarter Mile	13.8 sec	13.9 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	105 MPH	104 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Elantra N 6-speed Manual gets better fuel mileage than the Civic Type R (22 city/31 hwy vs. 22 city/28 hwy).

Transmission

The Elantra N offers an optional automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. The Civic Type R doesn’t offer an automatic transmission.

The Elantra N offers an optional sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Civic Type R doesn’t offer an SMG.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Elantra N’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Civic Type R:

	Elantra N	Civic Type R
Front Rotors	14.2 inches	13.8 inches
Rear Rotors	12.4 inches	12 inches

The Elantra N’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Civic Type R are solid, not vented.

Suspension and Handling

The Elantra N has standard rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Civic Type R’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

For better maneuverability, the Elantra N’s turning circle is 1.1 feet tighter than the Civic Type R’s (38.4 feet vs. 39.5 feet).

Chassis

To minimize engine movement during hard acceleration and transmission shifts, the Elantra N has solid engine mounts. The Civic Type R uses conventional rubber.

Passenger Space

The Elantra N has standard seating for 5 passengers; the Civic Type R can only carry 4.

The Elantra N has 2.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Civic Type R (99.4 vs. 97).

The Elantra N has 1.3 inches more front headroom, 2.1 inches more rear legroom, 1.7 inches more rear hip room and .6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Civic Type R.

Cargo Capacity

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, just waiting momentarily behind the back bumper can open the Elantra N’s trunk, leaving your hands completely free. The Civic Type R doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Ergonomics

The Elantra N Auto has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Civic Type R doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The power windows standard on both the Elantra N and the Civic Type R have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Elantra N is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Civic Type R prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Hyundai Elantra N has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Civic Type R doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

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