2021 Nissan Altima vs 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback

The 2021 Nissan Altima showcased a strong family identity with its bold V-Motion grille, available in chrome or dark chrome, and adorned with the Nissan logo. Its overall shape was attractive, featuring a sloping "coupe-like" roofline that contributed to a sleek, aerodynamic profile. The body design leaned more towards folds than curves, giving it a taut and trim essence. However, the Altima's stance appeared mildly ungainly due to its extended overhangs and short dash-to-axle distance, which lent it a slightly old-fashioned look. Despite this, modern features like standard LED lighting and a range of wheel options kept its appearance contemporary. The Altima boasted exceptional fit and finish, with deep lustrous paint and rich chrome details, available in nine exterior colors with some premium options.

Inside, the Altima's dashboard was uncluttered and intelligently laid out, featuring a standard 8-inch touchscreen display positioned for optimal safety and convenience. The instrument panel was designed to minimize glare, enhancing readability. While the base model felt somewhat stripped-down, higher trims offered improved interior materials, including stitching on the dash and seats, providing a better tactile experience. The Altima exemplified the principle of getting what you pay for, with higher trims offering more luxurious features.

The 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback aimed to capture a significant share of the hatchback market, despite the declining popularity of this body style. Honda saw an opportunity to fill the void left by other automakers and produced the Civic hatchback in the U.S., making it one of the few compact cars still manufactured domestically. The redesigned Civic hatchback shared its front-end design with the sedan but featured unique elements from the front doors to the rear. While it attempted to address the visual weight distribution common in small hatchbacks, it still suffered from a "stubby butt" appearance. Inside, the Civic hatchback mirrored the sedan's design, with Sport Touring trim offering advanced digital instrumentation and infotainment displays. The overall interior quality was high, though the CVT shifter operation detracted slightly from the sense of sophistication.

The 2021 Nissan Altima offered a dual personality with its powertrains. Most configurations featured a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 182 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, paired with Nissan's Xtronic CVT. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available on most trims. The AWD system was front-biased but could send up to 50% of torque to the rear wheels. Fuel economy for the FWD model was rated at 28 mpg city/39 mpg highway/32 mpg combined, while the AWD version achieved 25 mpg city/35 mpg highway/29 mpg combined. The standout was the VC-Turbo engine, exclusive to the Altima SR VC-Turbo trim, offering 248 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque. This turbocharged 2.0-liter engine featured variable compression technology, providing power on demand while maintaining efficiency. The VC-Turbo model, available only with FWD, delivered a lively performance and was rated at 25 mpg city/34 mpg highway/29 mpg combined. All Altima models featured four-wheel independent suspension, with the VC-Turbo's suspension sport-tuned for enhanced driving dynamics.

The 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback offered two engine options. The LX and Sport trims came with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque. The LX was available only with a CVT, while the Sport offered a choice between the CVT and a six-speed manual transmission. The EX-L and Sport Touring trims featured a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, generating 180 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque, with peak torque available from 1,700 to 4,500 rpm. The EX-L came with a CVT, while the Sport Touring offered both transmission options. All Civic hatchbacks were front-wheel drive, with no AWD option. The CVT worked well with the turbocharged engine, providing smooth operation and paddle shifters for a more engaging experience. The Sport Touring's six-speed manual transmission was praised for its short throws and fluid gear engagement. The Civic hatchback delivered a satisfying driving experience, with firm suspension tuning and responsive steering, though it was not designed for aggressive driving on winding roads.

The 2021 Nissan Altima featured Nissan's acclaimed Zero Gravity front seats, providing exceptional comfort for long drives. Upper trims offered power adjustment, position memory, leather appointments, and heated seats. The front cabin included ample storage options, such as a large glovebox, center console storage bin, cupholders, and door pockets. The second row was spacious enough for two adults or three for short trips, with a 60/40 split-folding design for trunk access. The trunk offered 15.4 cubic feet of cargo space.

The 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback prioritized functionality, with a generous 24.5 cubic feet of trunk space and an innovative two-piece cargo shade. The back seat featured a 60/40-split folding design, though the load floor was not flat. All seating positions were comfortable, with sufficient legroom, though some passengers noted the lack of a seat-height adjuster for the front passenger seat and rear air conditioning vents. The driver enjoyed an eight-way power-adjustable seat, with both front seats heated. The Civic hatchback offered black fabric seats in LX and Sport trims, while EX-L and Sport Touring featured black leather upholstery. Automatic climate control was standard, with a dual-zone system in higher trims.

The 2021 Nissan Altima came equipped with a range of standard tech features, including Nissan Intelligent Key with pushbutton start, remote engine start, Bluetooth, cruise control, and more. Most models featured an 8-inch NissanConnect touchscreen display, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard on all but the base S model. Higher trims offered additional USB ports, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a Bose audio system. The VC-Turbo model included Active Noise Cancellation for a quieter cabin. Nissan Door to Door Navigation was available on upper trims, along with NissanConnect Services for enhanced connectivity.

The 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback introduced a new infotainment system, with a 7-inch touchscreen display standard on most trims. The Sport Touring trim featured a 9-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, wireless smartphone charging, and a 12-speaker Bose audio system. The inclusion of physical knobs for sound system controls addressed previous criticisms of Honda's infotainment interfaces. The Civic hatchback also featured digital instrumentation, with a 10.2-inch display panel in the Sport Touring trim. The voice recognition system was praised for its accuracy and responsiveness.

The 2021 Nissan Altima featured Nissan Safety Shield 360, a comprehensive suite of active and passive safety features standard on SV and above trims. This included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, rear automatic braking, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, and high-beam assist. ProPilot Assist was available for highway driving assistance, and an Intelligent Around View Monitor was offered on upper trims. The Altima received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS.

The 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback was equipped with Honda Sensing, an improved safety suite offering adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-departure warning. New features included low-speed following and Traffic Jam Assist, available only with the CVT. Blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic warning were available on higher trims. The Civic hatchback also featured a rear-seat reminder system, automatic high-beam headlights, and advanced frontal-impact airbags. The Civic hatchback earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS.