2019 Honda Civic Sedan vs Hatchback

Most car consumers across the United States understand that the 2019 Honda Civic is one of the best and most reliable compact cars available in the market today. If anyone is on the lookout for a new vehicle, the Honda Civic is a stellar choice because of its value for money, without sacrificing on the style and product capability.

However, finding the right model of the Honda Civic will require some serious thinking and brain flexing. With the Coupe, Hatchback, and Sedan body types to choose from, along with different trim, it can get pretty confusing for any prospective client to decide which Honda Civic to opt for. After all, these models are all great choices that offer style, comfort, and safety.

The Civic is the only compact car that is able to provide such diversity in its body styles, trim levels, and power trains that can range from basic to top of the line, yet still manage to offer great pricing and terrific value. The Sedan and Hatchback have been the most popular, so here is a comparison of these two hot-selling Civic body types. The most glaring difference between the two is a slight variation in price. The Honda Civic Sedan hast a suggested starting price $19,450 MSRP, while the Hatchback version starts at $21,450 MSRP.

Size and Styling

The Honda Civic has always been a benchmark of class and style in the compact car market category because it has remained consistent through out the years in terms of its look, ride, comfort, and performance. The 2019 Honda Civic model is no exception, and it follows its predecessors in giving its loyal clients a great value for money. Whether Hatchback or Sedan, the Honda Civic is built with quality materials and precision craftsmanship to ensure the safety and comfort of the driver and its passengers.

Exterior Size and Styling

The 2019 Honda Civic is the third generation for this look. All the current changes to the 2019 model have something to do with slight tweaks in style and the addition of some trims and features. There are is also a new sports trim version for both the Sedan and Hatchback. All of these body styles, regardless of trim, now possess black grilles. This is the replacement to the very flashy and sparkly chrome version that was installed in all the past models. The lower fascia, however, still gets chrome accents, except for the new sports trim.

Both the 2019 Sedan and Hatchback share understated, but classic and fluid profiles. Both models welcome their onlookers with narrow and long headlights. Those headlights flank the familiar looking Honda logo that is centered on the upper grille of the hood. That being said, the Hatchback comes with a slightly narrower and thinner nose face when compared with the Sedan.

The Hatchback naturally displays a shorter, curved back with its rear door that opens up. It possess an overall rear length of 177.9 inches. On the other hand, the typical design of the Sedan gives it a much longer trunk. This comes with a total length of 182.3 inches. The new exterior colors that supplement the old color palette of all the Honda Civic body types include Platinum White Pearl, Lave Pearl, and Tonic Yellow Pearl.

Interior Room Space

The Sedan and the Hatchback share large and airy interiors that feels even bigger thanks to its low dashboard and thinner pillars. Both come with similar front headroom and legroom at 39.3 inches and 42.3 inches, respectively. The same holds true when it comes to clearance and legroom in the second row. The seats in the basic models of the Civic feature stylish and modern upholstery. It also comes with a great amount of cushion that can easily support both passengers and drivers.

Every 2019 Honda Civic has been updated with better sound proofing, better steering, larger cup holders, and a new infotainment system. All the Civic models get a digital display with readout under deep cowls. This display includes the following: tachometer, speedometer, and other additional driving information.

Infotainment Capabilities

There are two infotaiment systems available for the 2019 Civic. The basic Civic comes with touchscreen capabilities, along with the addition of the requested volume knob for the audio equipment. On top of that, there are now hard buttons that provide shortcuts to the driver’s most accessed features.

The higher trim version comes with a bigger 7 inch touchscreen that includes a simple navigation system, a high tech satellite radio, and bluetooth connectivity, Apple Car or Google Android for ease of access with a mobile device.

In addition to those details, the front console panel of all Civic models comes with two USB port pockets and a 12 voltage outlet. Those in the back would have to use the provisions upfront because there are none in the rear. The Civic provides several storage cubbyholes through out the body of the vehicle to hold passenger essentials if needed. There is a center console features a deep bin for any personal belongings, a sliding cup holder, and a large textured area for a smart phone.

Cargo Storage Space

Of course, the big difference between the two types of Honda Civics lies in terms of the storage capabilities of each car. The Hatchback has an expandable storage space of 25.7 cubic feet, which can accommodates relatively long items. On the other hand, the Sedan is only able to offer the standard traditional 15.1 cubic feet trunk. That trunk size, thought comparably small with the Hatchback, is still so much better when compared with the trunk space of other car brand competitors.

Rear Seats Specifications

Another significant difference between the Sedan and the Hatchback is the folding seats. The Civic Hatchback offers the standard 60/40 split folding rear seat. In contrast, the the base Civic Sedan does not offer this feature. The implication of this is that Hatchback interior can be easily configured to become bigger. When the rear seats have been folded, it can haul as much as 46.2 cubic feet of cargo. And that’s a fairly big space for a compact car.

Drivability

Comparing the 2019 Honda Civic Sedan versus Hatchback reveals that one major difference is the baseline engine the cars are built with. The Hatchback is slightly more expensive than the Sedan because it is able to offer crucial advantages in terms of performance. The Hatchback comes with an inline 1.5L turbocharged engine, while the Sedan only offers a 2.0L standard inline engine.

Power Train Offered

The turbocharged engine of the Hatchback is able to give more horsepower and torque when compared to the base engine of the Sedan. The Hatchback is able to deliver 174 horsepower at 5500rpm and a 162 lb-ft of torque at 1800-5500Rpm. This means it can accelerate a lot faster and has better rotational or twisting force than the Sedan with lower figures, clocking in at only 158 horsepower at 6500Rpm and 138 lb-ft of torque at 4200 Rpm.

Fuel Efficiency Ratings

Though the Sedan is equipped with the tinier engine, it actually has lesser fuel economy ratings than the Hatchback. It means the Hatchback, in spite of its bigger engine, is actually more fuel efficient. In the standard 6-speed manual transmission of the Sedan, driver’s get to enjoy an EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) estimated rating of 30 miles per gallon (MPGe) city driving or 38 MPGe in the highway.

Only a tad higher, the Hatchback version gets a higher rating of 31 MPGe for the city and 40 MPGe for the highway. Take note that for fuel efficiency, the higher the value the better the fuel economy. The Hatchback wins by a very small margin over the Sedan, in spite of having a larger engine that supposedly consumes more fuel.

Ride Comfort Provided

Both models are true work horses that give quite an awesome balance between comfort and driver engagement. Both the Sedan and Hatchback offers a smooth ride, responsive re-designed steering capabilities, and great driving dynamics that make the vehicle a pleasure to maneuver under any driving condition. The Civic Hatchback and Sedan’s ride feels just right; neither too cushy or harsh.

The difference between the two lies in the fact that the Sedan offers a stiffer suspension as opposed to the Hatchback. The two offer well-weighted and tractable steering powers, but those that want sportier capabilities should choose the Hatchback version because it offers quicker steering and sharper handling feels. It must be noted that both models possess a firm brake pedal with good feel and traction.

The Noise Factor

Road noise will always be present but it is well managed in both models, especially with the newly improved sound insulation across all the models. Wind noise is also barely detectable because both models come with good seals and barriers. However, in extreme cases, such as driving on course asphalt or a dirt road, it can get more noisy in the Hatchback model because of the resonant quality in the Hatchback layout with it’s lowered curved back end. Moreover, sport touring models of both Sedan and the Hatchback offer bigger 18 inch tires that make the ride a lot more firm and noisy.

Comfort, Options, and Performance

One of the most important details to remember when shopping is that manual transmission is not available for the Honda Civic 2019 Hatchbak model. Only the Sedan comes with the manual transmission option. The other models have the standard CVT.

It is also vital to mention that there is an optional upgrade to a turbocharged engine, at an added cost, for the Sedan if drivers are unhappy with the standard inline engine. In the same toke, the Hatchback buyers have an option to upgrade form 174 hp to 180 horsepower with a additional purchase of dual exhaust pipes that shall be mounted in the center.

The two come with a Sport trim version that is lowered and has bigger 18 inch wheels. This trim has a lux leather-wrapped steering wheel and shit knob. It also offers automatic climate control, which comes in handy when the weather outside is nasty. Its high tech infotainment system has physical shortcut tabs, along with a volume know. Red backlights are used for the gauges. To take things up a notch, the pedals are made of aluminum.

Safety

Safety Features

The 2019 Honda Civic aimed to ace all the crash test categories that the NHTSA has put in place, along with all the categories from the IIHS. The Civic’s solid crash test scores is proof that they were able to achieve these goals. They garnered the perfect score of 5 in all possible categories from front, side, to rollover types of collisions.

This is great news for everyone because the Honda Civic is ready in case a nasty accident were to occur. Safety, apart from comfort and performance, is a primary consideration that the manufacturers have painstakingly considered. For most models, there is a built-in Honda Sensing suite that provides even better safety features such as warning when there is an impending frontal collision. This comes with automatic braking to keep the passengers safe.

There is also a warning system in case the car veers out of its lane, which alerts the drive and the passengers to prevent accidents from ever occurring in the first place. Other driver-assistance features of the Honda Civic include automatic high-beams. The company has grouped their safety features into three categories. These are:

Which Model to Choose?

• Standard automated emergency braking
• Standard adaptive cruise control
• Standard lane-keeping assist

Now, this remains as still a tough question to answer. Actually, when people begin shopping for their Civic and comparing the Sedan versus the Hatchback, they are already well on their path to picking a great car. Make no mistake about it, both Civics are awesome and offer drivers a great vehicle that will keep them in style, make them feel comfortable, and ensure their safety.

The only person that can really decide, which among the Sedan and Hatchback is the best, is the person who will be using the vehicle on a daily basis. Clients must pick the body type, the color, the trim, and the features that best encapsulates the driver’s personality and lifestyle. On top of that, the client has to pick the car that fits the budget.

That being said, the price difference between the Sedan and Hatchback is only slight, and when staggered through long-term payment, it doesn’t make much of a variation in terms of the monthly payment amount. After doing careful research online and reading up on reviews, any interested buyer must go to a dealership to see the Sedan and Hatchback for themselves.

Clients have to see how their model of choice can handle the roads by scheduling a test drive. This is only the ultimate way to get the feel of the vehicle. Drivers can check something basic like seat comfort and leg room feels, especially for tall people. This is also the time to test the cars various features and experience them first hand.

Bottom Line

The 2019 Honda Sedan and Hatchback models have many similarities like the high quality, reliable craftsmanship, fuel efficiency, safety, and the like. Their differences are mainly in slight variation in price, the look, the engine, the trims, and the storage space. Now, all that anyone can do is to try these Civic models out at their nearest Honda dealership.