Compare the2023 Hyundai ElantraVS 2023 Honda Civic

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Elantra has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Civic Touring/Sport Touring has a rear cross-path warning system.

The Elantra SEL/Limited 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 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 and the Civic 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, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available rear parking sensors.

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

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 is safer than the Honda Civic:

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

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

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Elantra 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Honda covers the Civic. 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 ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

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

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Elantra for 1 year and 12000 miles longer than Honda pays for maintenance for the Civic (3/36,000 vs. 2/24,000).

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Elantra has a standard 760-amp battery. The Civic’s 500-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

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.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Hyundai Elantra is faster than the Civic Sport 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder:

On the EPA test cycle the Elantra gets better mileage than the Civic Sedan:

On the EPA test cycle the Elantra gets better mileage than the Civic Hatchback:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Hyundai Elantra uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Civic EX/EX-L/Touring requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Elantra stops shorter than the Civic:

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

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Elantra is 1.7 inches wider in the front and 1 inch wider in the rear than the average track on the Civic.

The Elantra Limited handles at .88 G’s, while the Civic Touring Sedan pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Elantra Limited executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Civic Sport Sedan (27 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 27.9 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Elantra’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the Civic EX/EX-L’s (35.4 feet vs. 36.1 feet). The Elantra’s turning circle is 2.7 feet tighter than the Civic Sport/Touring’s (35.4 feet vs. 38.1 feet).

The Hyundai Elantra may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 200 to 250 pounds less than the Honda Civic.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Elantra Limited is quieter than the Civic Sport Sedan:

The Elantra has 1.3 inches more front headroom, .2 inches more rear headroom, .6 inches more rear legroom and 1.6 inches more rear hip room than the Civic.

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

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

The Elantra’s variable intermittent wipers have an adjustable delay to allow the driver to choose a setting that best clears the windshield during light rain or mist. The Civic Sport’s standard fixed intermittent wipers only have one fixed delay setting, so the driver will have to manually switch them between slow and intermittent.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Hyundai Elantra will be $1468 to $2818 less than for the Honda Civic.