2019 Honda Civic vs 2020 Nissan Altima

The 2019 Honda Civic brought its own brand of upscale style, featuring a new gloss-black upper grille, a revised lower bumper, and larger 18-inch wheels. The sedan's silhouette was graceful, with a long hood balancing a sizable cabin and short tail, which featured unique wraparound LED lights. The Touring-trim test car came with chrome door handles and LED headlights that resembled hundreds of tiny crystals. For 2019, Honda introduced a new Sport trim with a center-mounted exhaust and some exterior flash of the performance-oriented Si trim for a lower price.

The Civic Hatchback, listed as a separate model, had a tall and aggressive rear end, while the Coupe model offered a more balanced alternative. The max-attack Civic Type R, available only in hatchback form, was essentially a race car with little in common with other Civics besides the H logo. Unique paint options like lime green or flat bluish gray made the Civic stand out in traffic. The interior maintained a high-tech yet simplified theme, with a central LCD screen for the tachometer and speedometer, a thin center stack with minimal buttons, and clean, linear lines. Despite a starting price under $20,000, the Civic's switchgear, buttons, and fabrics felt built to last.

The 2020 Nissan Altima, available in S, SR, SV, SL, and Platinum trims, featured a clean and contemporary design. The Platinum trim, equipped with 19-inch machined-finish aluminum wheels, looked terrific. The redesign cleaned up the car's styling, though some details like the door handles' visual planes and the body-color lower diffuser panel could have been better. The interior design was ergonomic, with a high-mounted touchscreen infotainment system, stereo knobs, and clearly legible climate controls. The materials quality was on par with the midsize sedan segment, with matte chrome detailing and striated simulated wood trim adding a touch of elegance. However, the interior color options were limited to black or gray.

The 2019 Honda Civic offered a range of engines. The LX and Sport sedans and coupes came with a 2.0-liter inline 4-cylinder engine producing 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque. The sedans had a standard 6-speed manual transmission, while the coupe's manual was standard only on the Sport. The EX and above trims, like the Touring, received a turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-4 with 174 hp and 162 lb-ft, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The hatchback exclusively featured the turbo engine, making 180 hp in the Hatchback Sport with a standard manual transmission. The Si and Type R models offered more power, with the Si's 1.5-liter engine producing 205 hp and 192 lb-ft, and the Type R's 2.0-liter engine delivering 306 hp and 295 lb-ft. Both the Si and Type R came with a stick shift.

The Civic's engines were smooth and refined, with the turbo engine offering better mid-range acceleration. The CVT was impressive, simulating gear ratios without straining the engine. The Civic's handling was superb, with excellent steering feel, a well-tuned suspension, and strong brakes. The car was set up for sporty driving but remained comfortable and reliable for daily commutes.

The 2020 Nissan Altima featured a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine making up to 188 horsepower, paired with a CVT and front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive was an option with this engine. The optional turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine, available only with SR and Platinum trims, produced 248 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque on premium fuel. The EPA estimated 29 mpg in combined driving, though real-world testing averaged 26.2 mpg.

The Altima's ride and handling were impressive, thanks to standard Active Ride Control and Intelligent Trace Control. The VC-Turbo engine was quick and responsive, with the CVT programmed to feel more like a traditional automatic. The Altima's ride quality was smooth, and the car handled well in various driving conditions.

The 2019 Honda Civic's interior featured a touchscreen with a volume knob and five shortcut buttons, making it easier to use than previous models. The three-spoke steering wheel controlled the central display, providing quick access to various functions. The rear seat offered ample head- and legroom, with optional heated outboard seats. Cargo space was significant, with the sedan offering 15.1 cubic feet (14.7 in the Touring trim), the coupe 11.9 to 12.1 cubic feet, and the hatchback up to 46.2 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The center console provided ample storage, and visibility was good in all directions.

The 2020 Nissan Altima's seats were designed for superior comfort, though the front passenger's seat lacked height adjustment, and ventilated front seats were unavailable. Heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a remote engine starter with climate control were available. The rear seats did not offer heating but had air conditioning vents. In-cabin storage was substantial, though a wireless smartphone charging pad was missing. The trunk offered 15.4 cubic feet of space, with optional grocery bag hooks and an interior grab handle.

The 2019 Honda Civic's infotainment system, while good in 2016, felt dated compared to newer Honda models. The Garmin-based navigation was a standout, with better graphics and quick, accurate voice input. Standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were redeeming features. The 450-watt, 10-speaker stereo on the Touring trim was improved, and Honda's LaneWatch provided a live feed of the blind spot.

The 2020 Nissan Altima's infotainment system was nearly perfect, with an 8-inch display, stereo volume and tuning knobs, and physical and virtual buttons for easy use. Standard features included Bluetooth, a text-messaging assistant, Siri Eyes Free, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Available features included satellite radio, navigation, a 9-speaker Bose audio system, and NissanConnect Services. The door-to-door navigation function was especially helpful, though the voice recognition technology could be improved.

The 2019 Honda Civic came standard with Honda Sensing on all trims except the Si and Type R. This included forward-collision alert with emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control. The IIHS rated the Civic with its top Good rating in all six crash tests and Superior for crash-prevention features. The NHTSA awarded the 2019 Civic five stars in all categories, except for four stars for the coupe's passenger-side frontal crash rating.

The 2020 Nissan Altima included Nissan Safety Shield 360 on all trims, with the base S trim offering forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking. Higher trims added pedestrian detection, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, lane departure warning, rear automatic braking, and automatic high-beam assistance. Additional safety systems included a driver monitoring system, road-sign recognition, and a surround-view camera. ProPilot Assist, a Level 2 semi-autonomous driving aid, was available but proved hard to trust. The NHTSA gave the Altima an overall rating of 5 stars, and the IIHS assigned it a Top Safety Pick with the automatic high-beam LED headlights.