2020 Honda Civic vs 2019 MINI Cooper

The 2019 MINI Cooper retained the charm that made the original Cooper a sensation, but it had grown in size and sophistication. The latest model featured larger headlights and taillights, a longer front overhang, and a more complex interior with a rectangular infotainment screen replacing the iconic pie-plate-size speedometer. Despite these changes, the car still conveyed a sense of individuality, especially in the limited Knight’s Edition with its unique Melting Silver paint and gloss black trim.

In contrast, the 2020 Honda Civic was a compact car that offered a sharp design across its three body styles: sedan, coupe, and hatchback. The Civic's exterior was visually stimulating, with body panel creases, wide arcing headlights, and sweeping LED taillights. The 2020 model year brought updates like new matte-black 18-inch wheels and LED fog lights for the Si sedan, enhancing its already appealing look. The Civic hatchback also received new bumper and light changes, plus new wheels in gray or black.

The 2019 MINI Cooper John Cooper Works version was the pinnacle of performance for the model, featuring a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine that produced 228 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. This power allowed the car to accelerate to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds with the optional 6-speed automatic transmission, or 6.1 seconds with the 6-speed manual. The car's handling was sharp, but torque steer and occasional braking issues in corners detracted from the overall driving experience.

The 2020 Honda Civic offered a range of engines and transmissions, all front-wheel drive. The base LX and Sport trims had a 2.0-liter inline 4-cylinder engine with 158 horsepower, while the EX and above trims featured a turbocharged 1.5-liter engine making 174 horsepower. The Civic Si boosted this to 205 horsepower, and the Type R reached an impressive 306 horsepower. The Si and Type R came exclusively with a manual transmission, providing a thrilling driving experience. The Civic's adaptive dampers and precise steering made it a joy to drive, with minimal turbo lag and excellent fuel efficiency.

The 2019 MINI Cooper, even in its 2-door hardtop form, was surprisingly practical. The back seat could accommodate passengers if the front seats were adjusted, and the trunk offered 8.7 cubic feet of space, expandable to 34 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The front seats were highly adjustable, and the interior featured unique design elements like chrome toggle switches and unconventional door release handles.

The 2020 Honda Civic excelled in interior space and practicality. The sedan's trunk offered 15 cubic feet of cargo space, while the coupe had 12 cubic feet. The hatchback was the most spacious, with 26 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 46 cubic feet with them folded down. The interior featured a three-spoke steering wheel with easy-to-use controls, a deep center console storage bin, and comfortable rear seats. However, the lack of rear air vents was a notable oversight.

The 2019 MINI Cooper's infotainment system, based on BMW iDrive technology, featured an 8.8-inch display screen, navigation, and MINI Connected Services. It offered three methods of operation: voice control, touchscreen, and physical controls. However, the physical controls were difficult to access, and the system sometimes behaved unpredictably. Wireless charging and Apple CarPlay were available, but Android Auto was not. The car also featured a head-up display and Parking Assistant.

The 2020 Honda Civic's infotainment system was outdated, with a 7-inch touchscreen that was slow and complex. However, it included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the navigation on top-end trims was Garmin-based and accurate. The Civic Si featured Active Sound Control, push-button start, keyless entry, and a power moonroof. Honda Sensing, standard on all trims, included active lane centering, adaptive cruise control, and auto high beams.

The 2019 MINI Cooper offered a limited set of safety features, including eight airbags, a reversing camera, and an Active Driving Assistant with forward-collision warning and automatic emergency braking. However, it lacked blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist. The car received a 4-star overall rating from the NHTSA and was a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS in 2018.

The 2020 Honda Civic came with Honda Sensing, which included forward collision warning, emergency forward braking, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. The Civic earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS and a 5-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with the exception of a 4-star rating in the passenger frontal crash test for the coupe.