2023 Toyota Prius vs 2024 Honda Civic

Toyota had given the 2023 Toyota Prius a complete makeover, finally delivering the hybrid a head-turning style that had long been missing from the lineup. After years of prioritizing efficiency over appearance, increasing competition from cheaper electric vehicles and other hybrids spurred Toyota to make the Prius both efficient and visually appealing.

The new Prius was undeniably sleeker with a savvy blend of curves and edges that imbued the model with a futuristic look without alienating conservative buyers. Toyota pushed the wheels further into the corners for improved handling, which also made the Prius look more planted and athletic. Additionally, the car was longer, lower, and wider than its predecessor.

Riding on an excellent platform, the Prius felt solid and sturdy over rough surfaces. It wasn't a lightweight-feeling hybrid; the doors closed with a reassuring ‘thunk,’ and the interior materials and fit and finish were top-notch, far from cut-rate. The car featured dual screens: an instrument panel in front of the driver and a dashboard-mounted infotainment screen—a welcome departure from the previous center-mounted display.

Despite the cabin’s functional rather than decorative design, with few trim pieces or innovative materials, it was still a comfortable place to spend time.

Meanwhile, the 2024 Honda Civic Si remained true to its "stealth-mode" styling formula. Compact, quick, fun, and affordable, the Civic Si's design honored its roots while offering modern updates. Featuring LED headlights, a different upper grille insert, a gloss-black lip spoiler on the trunk lid, dual exhaust outlets, and 18-inch wheels with a matte-black finish, the Civic Si maintained a balanced appearance.

Inside, the Civic Si was more expressive with red seat and door panel inserts accented by matching stitching throughout the cabin. The metal mesh strip of trim hiding the dashboard air vents, gloss black surfaces, and polished metal detailing, paired with simple yet effective digital instrumentation and a touchscreen infotainment system, created an appealing interior setup. Enhancements like metal pedal covers and an aluminum shift knob provided a finishing touch on this high-quality interior.

The 2023 Prius featured a new 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, an upgrade from the older 1.8-liter unit. This engine, combined with a more powerful electric motor and lithium-ion battery, produced 194 horsepower in front-wheel-drive models and 196 horsepower in all-wheel-drive variants—a significant boost from the 121 horsepower of the outgoing model. Coupled with a continuously variable automatic transmission, the new powertrain delivered ample acceleration with a 0-60 time dropping to 7.1 seconds from the previous 10.5 seconds.

The Prius felt more athletic and eager, though it's not designed as a sports car. Road and wind noise were nicely isolated except during hard acceleration, when the engine’s loud droning was briefly intrusive. The longer wheelbase and revised suspension gave the Prius agile handling, and even harsh roads or unexpected bumps did little to upset the car or its passengers. The brakes exhibited minor squishiness typical of hybrids but were generally effective.

Conversely, the 2024 Honda Civic Si came equipped with a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 200 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque. This engine paired exclusively with a close-ratio six-speed manual transmission featuring a downshift rev-matching feature, which drivers could turn off to showcase their heel-and-toe shifting skills.

The Civic Si's drivetrain, complemented by a single-mass lightweight flywheel and a helical limited-slip differential, controlled wheelspin effectively. Larger brakes, thicker suspension stabilizer bars, and an Si-exclusive dual-pinion variable-ratio steering system were standard, and the 18-inch wheels wore 235/50 Goodyear Eagle F1 summer tires.

Turbocharged power, responsive handling, and sound-enhancing software made the Civic Si an exciting daily driver capable of slicing through urban traffic or whipping around corners. It provided good highway passing power, though cabin noise could be excessive depending on the pavement.

On demanding routes like Southern California’s Mulholland Highway, the Civic Si demonstrated its driving prowess with excellent visibility, tenacious grip from the Goodyear tires, and a responsive engine and transmission combo. However, a problem with the braking system, likely due to overheating, highlighted a potential area for improvement.

The EPA estimated the Civic Si’s fuel efficiency at 31 mpg combined, and during testing, it averaged 29.5 mpg, largely driven in Normal mode.

The 2023 Prius, despite its larger exterior, had a slightly smaller interior in some dimensions. Headroom suffered in both front and rear seats compared to the previous model, though legroom increased throughout. Taller passengers found the rear seats comfortable, particularly when opting for the fixed glass roof available on the mid-grade XLE trim and standard on the Limited trim.

Cargo space decreased, with XLE and Limited models offering 20 cubic feet and the LE providing 24 cubic feet. Forward visibility was good, though rear visibility was hampered due to the loss of the split rear window. Interior storage included numerous cupholders, a slick center console pocket for wireless smartphone charging, and USB-C ports for front and rear passengers. The cargo section featured underfloor storage compartments, enhancing practicality.

For the 2024 Honda Civic Si, practicality was as prioritized as performance. Despite its sport-bolstered front seats and manual transmission, the Civic Si remained sensible, featuring cloth seats with manual height adjustment, single-zone automatic climate control, heated exterior mirrors, and a power sunroof.

Rear-seat passengers enjoyed a supportive cushion and generous legroom, though the absence of air conditioning vents and USB charging ports were notable omissions. Front storage was generous, while rear storage was adequate. Trunk space was impressive at 14.4 cubic feet, with the ability to stow full-size suitcases on their sides—unusual for a compact sedan. The standard 60/40-split folding back seat added versatility, but the trunk lacked a handle for easy closing.

The 2023 Prius came equipped with either an 8-inch or an optional 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The larger screen, standard on the top Limited trim, was responsive with intuitive menus. However, cloud navigation required a $160 annual subscription to Toyota’s Drive Connect system.

A 7-inch digital instrument cluster in front of the driver packed too much information into a small space. The Prius boasted six USB-C charge ports, wireless smartphone charging on mid and top trims, and an AT&T Wi-Fi hotspot, though a subscription was required. Subscription-based connectivity bundles allowed for remote access via Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, offering features like vehicle monitoring and collision notification.

By comparison, the 2024 Civic Si’s 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system included wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, HD Radio, and basic HondaLink connected services. It offered ease of use with a mix of buttons, knobs, and steering wheel controls, along with an impressive 12-speaker Bose Centerpoint audio system, ensuring superior sound quality through proper speaker placement and favorable acoustics.

The 2023 Prius included Toyota’s latest active safety features bundled as Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, featuring radar-based adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-departure alerts, lane-tracing assist, and Proactive Driving Assist using the car's radar and cameras to detect road conditions, slowing the Prius accordingly. The system’s minimal intrusion was easy to adapt to, and all driver assistance features were standard across all trims. Eight airbags, stability control, traction control, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alerts enhanced safety further. However, IIHS and NHTSA ratings were pending.

On the safety front, the 2024 Civic Si featured the Honda Sensing suite, including forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, automatic high-beam headlights, driver monitoring system, traffic sign recognition, and a rear seat reminder system. However, during testing, the assistance systems sometimes proved intrusive and less responsive in dynamic traffic conditions, prompting us to disable many of them for an improved driving experience.

The 2023 Civic sedan earned a Top Safety Pick rating from IIHS, though some crashworthiness tests were rated Acceptable rather than Good. NHTSA gave it an overall five-star rating, with a slight dip in the front passenger protection score for frontal impact collisions.