2023 Honda Civic Sedan VS Hatchback

Since its introduction in 1973, the Honda Civic has been available in multiple body styles. The hatchback body was there from the start, and the sedan body entered the picture in 1980. Today, Honda continues to offer this popular compact model in both styles.

Choosing a Honda Civic sedan versus a hatchback is about more than just style preferences. Each body type brings with it a particular set of characteristics and capabilities. With that in mind, if you're interested in the 2023 Honda Civic, read on to discover the significant points of difference between the two body styles and some of their fundamental similarities.

Dimensions and Cargo Capacity

Different body styles mean different dimensions and capacities. On the exterior, the Civic sedan is the larger vehicle, measuring 184 inches long compared to the hatchback's 179 inches.

As for cargo capacity, though, the sedan's length doesn't correlate with a roomier trunk. Depending on your trim, the sedan offers 14.4 to 14.8 cubic feet of cargo volume, with the base-level Sport trim providing the upper end. As you might expect, the hatchback's cargo space is much roomier, starting at 24.5 cubic feet with the rear seats up and expandable to 46.2 cubic feet with the rear seats down.

Drivetrain

The sedan and the hatchback Civics come with continuously variable transmissions (CVTs). Still, only the hatchback offers a stick alternative: a six-speed manual transmission for the Sport and Sport Touring trims.

Though the Civic sedan isn't available in manual, it does provide some variety with its CVT variants. The sedan's Sport trim comes with an M-CVT, while the EX and Touring trims have an LL-CVT. The distinction between the variants comes down to gearing ratios, which influence certain aspects of the vehicle's performance, as you'll see in the next section.

Fuel Economy

If gas mileage is a primary concern, you might prefer the sedan to the hatchback in general, but you'd do well to consider certain variables before making your decision.

Let's look at the Civic hatchback, whose specific fuel economy depends on your choice of trim and transmission. The CVT models are more efficient, with the following EPA-estimated mileage ratings:

• Sport: 29 mpg in the city, 37 mpg on the highway.
• EX-L: 31 mpg in the city, 39 mpg on the highway.
• Sport Touring: 30 mpg in the city, 37 mpg on the highway.

If you opt instead for the six-speed manual, the efficiency drops slightly to 26/36 mpg for the Sport and 28/37 mpg for the Sport Touring.

In the case of the Civic sedan, though all trims come with a CVT, the particular transmission variant determines how much mileage you get per gallon of fuel. The Sport trim, with its M-CVT, nets 30 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway, putting it on par with the Sport Touring hatchback. The LL-CVT EX and Touring trims fare better. The EX gets 33 and 42 mpg, respectively, while the Touring gets 31 and 38 mpg.

So, the best performer in terms of fuel efficiency is the Civic sedan in the EX trim, followed by the hatchback EX-L and then the sedan Touring. Altogether, though, every Civic does rather well on the mileage front.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

Regarding safety and driver-assistance features, the differences between the Civic sedan and the Civic hatchback are minor but worth considering.

The sedan version comes with the whole suite of Honda Sensing safety technology at every trim level. This includes:

• Forward collision warning.
• Lane departure warning.
• Collision mitigation braking system.
• Road departure mitigation system.
• Lane-keeping assist system.
• Adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow.
• Traffic sign recognition system.

In addition, you get a broad range of standard safety features, including but not limited to the following:

• Advanced front airbags.
• Front knee airbags.
• Rear outboard passenger's-side airbags.
• Side curtain airbags and rollover sensor.
• LATCH for easy child seat attachment.
• Traffic jam assist.
• Anti-lock braking system.
• Brake assist.
• Tire pressure monitoring system.
• Multi-angle rearview camera.

The Civic hatchback differs because only the CVT versions get certain features, namely the adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow and traffic jam assist. As we said, the difference here is minor. But if you're primarily interested in these particular driver-assistance offerings, the restrictions may influence your choice between the body styles.

Similarities Between the 2023 Honda Civic Sedan and Hatchback

Finally, let's examine how the two Civic body styles relate. That way, you know which factors to eliminate from your comparison. The main similarities are:

• Trim Levels: Without considering the model variants of the Civic sedan (the Civic Si and the Civic Type R), each primary body style is available in three trim levels. The names of the upper-level trims may differ slightly (the sedan's EX and Touring trims versus the hatchback's EX-L and Sport Touring), but each trim level corresponds in function to its body style counterpart.
• Engine Types: The base engine for the sedan and the hatchback is an inline four-cylinder that generates 159 horsepower and 138 lb-ft of torque. With the next trim level up, you get a turbocharged version of this engine that puts out 180 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque. 
• Seating Capacity: Both are capable of seating five occupants.
• Passenger Volume: Though the sedan is a few inches longer than the hatchback, both have a passenger volume of 99 cubic feet for the base trim and 96.6 cubic feet at the mid-tier.
• Tech Features: Regardless of your choice of body style, you're getting similar tech features. These include a 7- or 9-inch color touch screen, an eight- or 12-speaker audio system, Bluetooth streaming audio, an SMS text message function, and compatibility with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Hopefully, you now understand the differences between the sedan and hatchback versions of the 2023 Honda Civic. If you have any further questions, don't hesitate to ask. Get in touch by calling 877-394-0418 or completing our contact form with your name, email address, phone number, and comments. Once we receive your message, a team member will reach out to you as soon as possible.

You're also welcome to drop by our dealership at your earliest convenience. Here, you can get an up-close look at our selection of Civics and other new Hondas and used vehicles of various makes. We always enjoy meeting new customers and helping them find the best vehicle for their needs.

Image via Honda