Head-to-head
2026 Honda Civic vs 2026 Hyundai Elantra
The Hyundai Elantra edges it, 96.2 to 93.3, on price, fuel & range, tech & comfort. The Honda Civic is ahead on safety and space & cargo.
A
2026 Honda Civic
The 2026 Honda Civic is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas midsize sedan with 7 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Civic 4Dr, is EPA-ra…
vs
D2026 Hyundai Elantra
The 2026 Hyundai Elantra is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas midsize sedan with 7 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Elantra Hybrid B…
Verdict · default weights
2026 Hyundai Elantra
Slight edgeThe Hyundai Elantra edges it, 96.2 to 93.3, on price, fuel & range, tech & comfort. The Honda Civic is ahead on safety and space & cargo.
Price 2026 Hyundai Elantra leads by 8.7
Fuel & range 2026 Hyundai Elantra leads by 8
Safety 2026 Honda Civic leads by 1.2
| Category · weight | 2026 Hyundai Elantraoverall 96.2 | 2026 Honda Civicoverall 93.3 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricew 4 | 100 | 91.3 | |||||||||||||||
Base MSRP of the trim (or the model's lowest trim). Lower is better. | |||||||||||||||||
| Fuel & rangew 3 | 100 | 92 | |||||||||||||||
EPA annual fuel cost and combined mpg / MPGe; EV range when both are electric. | |||||||||||||||||
| Safetyw 4 | 84.9 | 86.1 | |||||||||||||||
NHTSA 5-Star rating, WhichTrim Safety Signal (open recalls by severity), owner complaints, standard driver-assist features (from the press kit, or from what the manufacturer filed with NHTSA where there is none). Open park-outside / do-not-drive advisories cost 25 points. | |||||||||||||||||
| Space & cargow 2 | 97.3 | 100 | |||||||||||||||
Seats, cargo volume behind the 1st and 2nd rows, rear legroom. | |||||||||||||||||
| Performancew 2 | 98.8 | 99.2 | |||||||||||||||
Horsepower, torque and horsepower per ton. | |||||||||||||||||
| Tech & comfortw 3 | 100 | 98.4 | |||||||||||||||
Standard (1) and optional (0.5) infotainment, convenience, climate and interior features from the manufacturer's press kit. | |||||||||||||||||
| Warrantynot compared | No data | No data | |||||||||||||||
| Overall | 96.2 | 93.3 | |||||||||||||||
Trim vs trim · 6 of 7 categories compared
Hyundai Elantra: base trim SE FWD · Honda Civic: base trim LX FWD. Pick a trim in the tool to compare any other trim.
Change what matters to you →Scores are 0–100 per category from the data on this page. The weights are yours to set.
Where the gap is
the biggest differences, from the scorecard's own numbersWhere the 2026 Hyundai Elantra wins
- It has drawn fewer owner complaints (4 against 32 filed with NHTSA).
- It starts $2,170 lower ($22,825 against $24,995 base MSRP).
- It is rated 54 combined against 49 (EPA mpg or MPGe).
Where the 2026 Honda Civic answers
- It lists 28 standard driver-assist features against 21.
- It has the cleaner recall record (Safety Signal 92 against 68).
What they share
- 5 NHTSA stars.
- 5 seats.
Ranked by how far apart the two score on each measure, so a price gap and a horsepower gap are compared on the same scale. Every figure is on this page.
Specifications side by side
49 specs · manufacturer press kits| Spec | Hyundai ElantraSE FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Base MSRP (excludes destination) | $22,825 | $24,995 |
| Engine Basics | ||
| Aspiration | naturally aspirated | naturally aspirated |
| Cylinder count | 4 | 4 |
| Engine displacement | 1,999 cc | 1,993 cc |
| Engine type (full description) | 2.0L MPI Atkinson DOHC 16-valve Inline 4-cylinder | Atkinson In-Line 4-cylinder |
| Fuel injection system | gdi mpi | gdi mpi |
| Valve configuration | DOHC 16-Valve | DOHC 16-Valve |
| Engine Output | ||
| Horsepower | 147 hp | 150 hp |
| Torque | 132 lb-ft | 133 lb-ft |
| Fuel Economy | ||
| MPG (city) | — | 32 mpg |
| MPG (combined) | — | 36 mpg |
| MPG (highway) | — | 41 mpg |
| Transmission | ||
| Final drive ratio | 4.892 | 3.941 |
| Transmission type | Smartstream Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT) | Continuously Variable Transmission |
| Dimensions Exterior | ||
| Ground clearance | 5.3 in | — |
| Overall height | 55.7 in | 55.7 in |
| Overall length | 185 in | 185 in |
| Overall width | 71.9 in | 70.9 in |
| Wheelbase | 107 in | 108 in |
| Cargo | ||
| Cargo volume behind 2nd row | 14.2 cu-ft | 14.8 cu-ft |
| Total interior volume | 114 cu-ft | 99 cu-ft |
| Seating | ||
| Passenger seating capacity | 5 | 5 |
| Headroom | ||
| Front headroom | 40.6 in | 39.3 in |
| Second-row headroom | — | 37.1 in |
| Third-row headroom | 37.3 in | — |
| Legroom | ||
| Front legroom | 42.3 in | 42.3 in |
| Second-row legroom | — | 37.4 in |
| Third-row legroom | 38 in | — |
| Weights | ||
| Curb weight (maximum) | 2,868 lbs | 2,875 lbs |
| Curb weight (minimum) | 2,725 lbs | 2,875 lbs |
| Gross vehicle weight rating | 3,858 lbs | — |
| Suspension | ||
| Front suspension type | MacPherson Strut | MacPherson Strut |
| Rear suspension type | Coupled Torsion Beam Axle | Multi-Link |
| Steering | ||
| Steering type | Column-mounted Motor Driven Power Steering (C-MDPS) | Variable Ratio Electric Power-Assisted Rack-and-Pinion |
| Turning radius (curb-to-curb) | 17.7 ft | 36.1 ft |
| Brakes | ||
| Front brake type | ventilated disc | ventilated disc |
| Parking brake type | Mechanical Cable (Hand lever) | Electric |
| Rear brake type | solid disc | solid disc |
| Wheels | ||
| Wheel diameter | 15 in | 16 in |
| Wheel material | forged alloy | Full Covers |
| Wheel width | 6 in | — |
| Tires | ||
| Tire size | 195/65R15 | 215/55R16 93H |
| Fuel System | ||
| Fuel tank capacity | 12.4 gal | 12.4 gal |
| Minimum recommended octane | 87 | 87 |
| Connected Services | ||
| Connected services brand | — | HondaLink |
| Connected services trial (standard tier) | — | 36 months |
| Shoulder Room | ||
| Front shoulder room | 56.5 in | 57 in |
| Second-row shoulder room | — | 56 in |
| Third-row shoulder room | 55.6 in | — |
Green marks the better value where the direction is unambiguous (more room, more power, lower price). Blank rows are specs the press kit does not publish.
Equipment, feature by feature
135 features · differences first, then sharedSafety28 differ · 38 listed
| Feature | Hyundai ElantraSE FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low-Speed Follow | — | std |
| Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA - camera only) w/ Pedestrian Detection | std | — |
| Forward Collision Warning (FCW) | — | std |
| Rear Cross Traffic Monitor (CTM) | std | — |
| Lane Departure Warning (LDW) | — | std |
| Driver Attention Warning (DAW) & High Beam Assist (HBA) | std | — |
| Rear Outboard Passenger's Side Airbags | — | std |
| Safe Exit Warning (SEW) | std | — |
| Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) Body Structure | — | std |
| Child-Proof Rear Door Locks | — | std |
| Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™) | — | std |
| Direct Ignition System with Immobilizer | — | std |
| Driver's and Front Passenger's Knee Airbags (SRS) | — | std |
| Electric Parking Brake with Automatic Brake Hold | — | std |
| Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) | — | std |
| Hill Start Assist | — | std |
| Intelligent Speed Limit Assist (ISLA) | std | — |
| Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren (LATCH): Lower Anchors (2nd-Row Outboard), Tether Anchors (2nd-Row All) | — | std |
| Rear Seat Reminder (RSR) | — | std |
| Road Departure Mitigation System (RDM) | — | std |
| Safe Exit Warning & Rear Occupant Alert | std | — |
| Seat-Belt Reminder for all Seating Positions | — | std |
| Smart Pedal | std | — |
| Traction Control System (TCS) | std | — |
| Traffic Jam Assist | — | std |
| Traffic Sign Recognition System (TSR) | — | std |
| Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) | std | — |
| Anti-theft System integrated with Remote Keyless Entry and Panic | std | — |
| Driver's and Front Passenger's Advanced Front Airbags (SRS) | std | std |
| Driver's and Front Passenger's Front Side Airbags | std | std |
| Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS) | std | std |
| Rearview Camera with Dynamic Guidelines | std | std |
| Side Curtain Airbags with Rollover Sensor | std | std |
| Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) | std | std |
| Auto High-Beam Headlights | std | std |
| Brake Assist | std | std |
| Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with Traction Control | std | std |
| Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) | std | std |
Infotainment20 differ · 20 listed
| Feature | Hyundai ElantraSE FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| 8-inch Display Audio system with 6 speakers, High Resolution Touchscreen with rearview camera with Dynamic Guidance, AM/FM / HD/ AM/FM/HD/ Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto | std | — |
| Bluetooth® Hands-free Phone System with Voice Recognition | std | — |
| 160-watt Audio System with 4 Speakers | — | std |
| 2 Rear USB-C charge | std | — |
| 7-Inch Color Touchscreen | — | std |
| 7-Inch TFT Meter | — | std |
| Android Auto™ Compatibility | — | std |
| Apple CarPlay® Compatibility | — | std |
| Audio Controls (Volume up/down, Seek up/down, Mode) | std | — |
| Bluetooth® hands-free phone system with Voice Recognition | std | — |
| Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink® | — | std |
| Bluetooth® Streaming Audio | — | std |
| Dual USB ports (1 USB charge + data, 1 USB-C charge) | std | — |
| HondaLink® | — | std |
| In-glass AM/FM antenna | std | — |
| Radio Data System (RDS) | — | std |
| Speed-sensitive automatic volume control | std | — |
| Speed-Sensitive Volume Compensation (SVC) | — | std |
| USB-C 3.0A Charging Port (1) Front Seats | — | std |
| USB-C 3.0A Smartphone/Audio Interface (1) - Front Seats | — | std |
Convenience9 differ · 10 listed
| Feature | Hyundai ElantraSE FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Push Button Start | — | std |
| 12-volt Outlet below HVAC controls | std | — |
| 12-Volt Power Outlet (Front) | — | std |
| One-Touch Turn Indicators | — | std |
| Power Door Locks | — | std |
| Power Door Locks (ignition key reminder, 2-turn unlocking, inside handle override) | std | — |
| Power Windows with Auto-Up/Down Driver's and Front Passenger's Windows | — | std |
| Power Windows with Driver's auto-down, illuminated power window switches | std | — |
| Security System with Remote Entry and Trunk Release | — | std |
| Cruise Control | std | std |
Climate2 differ · 2 listed
| Feature | Hyundai ElantraSE FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic Climate Control System | — | std |
| Manual Air Conditioning | std | — |
Seating8 differ · 8 listed
| Feature | Hyundai ElantraSE FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| 6-way Driver's adjustable Bucket | std | — |
| 1-piece bench folding rear seatback with fixed center headrest and outer headrests | std | — |
| 4-way Passenger's adjustable Bucket | std | — |
| 5-Person Seating Capacity | — | std |
| Front Passenger slide/recline | std | — |
| One Piece Fold-Down Rear Seatback | — | std |
| Premium cloth seating surfaces | std | — |
| Seat folding release in trunk | std | — |
Interior17 differ · 19 listed
| Feature | Hyundai ElantraSE FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| 4.2-inch color (TFT-LCD) | std | — |
| Auto Dimming Mirror with Homelink | opt | — |
| Center Console Armrest with Storage Compartment | — | std |
| Central Dome Light (with Delay) | std | — |
| Door scuff - Step Plate (plastic) | std | — |
| Front Beverage Holders | — | std |
| Front Map Lights | std | — |
| Illuminated Steering Wheel-Mounted Controls | — | std |
| Map Lights | — | std |
| Shift Knob - Urethane | std | — |
| Sliding Sunvisors | — | std |
| Tilt and Telescopic Steering Column | — | std |
| Tilt and Telescopic steering wheel | std | — |
| Urethane steering wheel | std | — |
| Inside Rearview Mirror - Manual Day/Night | std | — |
| Sunvisors w/ illumination & extension | std | — |
| Trip Computer (Distance to Empty, Average Fuel Consumption, Average Vehicle Speed, Elapsed time) | std | — |
| Cargo Area Light | std | std |
| Floor Mats | std | std |
Exterior19 differ · 20 listed
| Feature | Hyundai ElantraSE FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Dual LED Projector Headlights | std | — |
| Bulb Rear Taillights | std | — |
| Capless Fuel Filler | — | std |
| Compact Spare Tire | — | std |
| Dual Power, Two-Tone outside mirrors (Body color top + Black bottom) | std | — |
| Fin-Type Roof-Mounted Antenna | — | std |
| Front Windshield 2-speed intermittent, mist function wipers | std | — |
| Grille - Black | std | — |
| LED Brake and Taillights | — | std |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | std | — |
| LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL) | — | std |
| LED Headlights with Auto-On/Off | — | std |
| Power Side Mirrors | — | std |
| Push-to-Release Fuel Filler Door | — | std |
| Two-Speed Intermittent Windshield Wipers | — | std |
| Window Belt Moldings - Black | std | — |
| Automatic Headlamp Control | std | — |
| Solar Glass | std | — |
| Compact Spar Tire T125/80D15×4T | std | — |
| Rear-Window Defroster with Timer | std | std |
Powertrain10 differ · 11 listed
| Feature | Hyundai ElantraSE FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Atkinson In-Line 4-cylinder (Engine Type) | — | std |
| Continuously Variable Transmission | — | std |
| Direct Fuel Injection | — | std |
| Drive Mode Select: Normal / Sport / Smart | std | — |
| Dynamic Drive Modes | — | std |
| Eco Assist™ System | — | std |
| Honda Maintenance Program 1yr / 12k miles | — | std |
| Idle-Stop | — | std |
| Idle, Stop & Go | std | — |
| Smartstream Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT) | std | — |
| Front-Wheel Drive | std | std |
Chassis6 differ · 7 listed
| Feature | Hyundai ElantraSE FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Column-mounted Motor Driven Power Steering (C-MDPS) | std | — |
| Coupled Torsion Beam Axle rear suspension | std | — |
| Mechanical Cable Parking Brake | std | — |
| Multi-Link Rear Suspension | — | std |
| Unibody construction with High Tensile Steel | std | — |
| Variable Ratio Electric Power-Assisted Rack-and-Pinion Steering (EPS) | — | std |
| MacPherson Strut Front Suspension | std | std |
Highlighted rows are where the two differ. Wording is the manufacturer's own.
Safety record
NHTSA recalls, complaints, NCAPHyundai Elantra
Safety Signal 68 D
NHTSA overall ★★★★★
Frontal / side / rollover ★★★★☆ / ★★★★★ / ★★★★★
Recalls 4 · 1 critical
Owner complaints 4 · 0 crashes · 1 fires
Most complained about Wheels (1), Air Bags (1), Unspecified (1)
Top recalls
- critical Electrical System 26V308000 · 54,337 vehicles
- high Wheels 26V693000 · 17 vehicles
- high Suspension 26V692000 · 24 vehicles
- high Air Bags 26V254000 · 2,931 vehicles
Honda Civic
Safety Signal 92 A
NHTSA overall ★★★★★
Frontal / side / rollover ★★★★☆ / ★★★★★ / ★★★★★
Recalls 1
Owner complaints 32 · 3 crashes · 0 fires
Most complained about Forward Collision Avoidance (12), Steering (7), Service Brakes (5)
Top recalls
- high Steering 24V744000 · 1,693,199 vehicles
Ownership
EPA, manufacturer warranty| Hyundai ElantraSE FWD | Honda CivicLX FWD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $22,825 (base trim) | $24,995 (base trim) |
| Price range across trims | $22,825 – $40,950 14 trims | $24,995 – $32,695 4 trims |
| Powertrains | HEV, GAS | HEV, GAS |
| EPA configuration compared | Elantra Hybrid Blue | Civic 4Dr |
| Combined mpg / MPGe | 54 | 49 |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $1,250 | $1,350 |
| EV range | — | — |
| Basic warranty | — | — |
| Powertrain warranty | — | — |
| Roadside assistance | — | — |
Common questions
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich is better, the 2026 Hyundai Elantra or the 2026 Honda Civic?
The Hyundai Elantra edges it, 96.2 to 93.3, on price, fuel & range, tech & comfort. The Honda Civic is ahead on safety and space & cargo. On WhichTrim's default weights the 2026 Hyundai Elantra scores 96.2 and the 2026 Honda Civic 93.3. The weights are yours to change — move what you care about and the verdict recalculates on the page.
Which is cheaper, the 2026 Hyundai Elantra or the 2026 Honda Civic?
The 2026 Hyundai Elantra starts lower — $22,825 against $24,995, a gap of $2,170 at the trims compared here. Both are manufacturer MSRPs before destination, options and dealer charges.
Which has the better safety record, the 2026 Hyundai Elantra or the 2026 Honda Civic?
2026 Hyundai Elantra: 5 NHTSA stars, grade D, 4 recalls. 2026 Honda Civic: 5 NHTSA stars, grade A, 1 recall. Crash ratings come from NHTSA's own tests; the grade is WhichTrim's read of the recall record, and the two can disagree.
What are the biggest differences between the 2026 Hyundai Elantra and the 2026 Honda Civic?
Where the 2026 Hyundai Elantra wins: it has drawn fewer owner complaints (4 against 32 filed with NHTSA), starts $2,170 lower ($22,825 against $24,995 base MSRP), and is rated 54 combined against 49 (EPA mpg or MPGe). Where the 2026 Honda Civic answers: it lists 28 standard driver-assist features against 21 and has the cleaner recall record (Safety Signal 92 against 68). What they share: 5 NHTSA stars and 5 seats.