Civic Outsold the Elantra and Jetta in 2014

The 2015 Honda Civic was one of the best-selling cars in 2014, as well as a recipient of the Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Award. The Civic has multiple competitors, but how does the Civic compare? Here is a look at the 2015 Honda Civic LX and its competitors the 2015 Hyundai Elantra SE and Volkswagen Jetta S:

How the Honda Civic compares to the Hyundai Elantra

Civic has Better MPG, more Standard Features

The 2015 Honda Civic LX gets better fuel economy* than the 2015 Hyundai Elantra SE with 30 city/ 29 highway/ 33 combined. The 2015 Hyundai Elantra SE gets 28/38/32 mpg. The Civic is priced about $1,000 more than the Elantra, and the cars have the same residual value, which is 55 percent after 36 months and 41 percent after 60 months. In terms of performance, both vehicles have 4-cylinder engines. The horsepower and torque are slightly better on the Elantra. The Elantra has 145 horsepower at 6,500 RPM, while the Civic has 143 horsepower at 6,500 RPM. In comparing torque, the Elantra has 130 pound-foot torque at 4,700 RPM and the Civic has 129 pound-foot torque at 4,300 RPM. The Civic has a front disc brake and rear drum brake, whereas the Elantra has front and rear disc brakes.

Related: Accessories for your 2015 Honda Civic Sedan

The Civic and Elantra have very similar safety ratings with the Civic receiving a 5-star rating in the front side crash test, while the Elantra is 4-star rated in the same test. In the front driver crash test, the Elantra scored a 5-star rating, while the Civic is 4-star rated in the test. All other tests are comparable. Both vehicles have traction control, brake assist, and tire pressure monitors. A rearview camera is standard in the Civic and an option in the Elantra.

Standard features in the Civic include automatic on/off headlights, floor mats, and an anti-theft stereo. These features are all options in the Elantra. The vehicles have similar interior dimensions, but the Civic has about 3 more inches of second-row legroom.

Related: How does the Honda Civic compare to the Focus and Sentra?

How the Honda Civic compares to the Volkswagen Jetta

Civic has Higher Residual Value, Better MPG, more Horsepower

The 2015 Volkswagen Jetta S is priced about $1,900 less than the Honda Civic LX, however the Civic has a higher residual value. After 36 months, the Civic holds 54 percent of its value, while the Jetta holds 45 percent. After 60 months the Civic holds 39 percent of its value, while the Jetta holds only 33 percent. The Civic also has better fuel economy* with 30 city/ 39 highway/ 33 combined. The Jetta gets 25/34/28 mpg. The Civic also has more horsepower with 143 horsepower at 6,500 RPM. The Jetta gets 115 horsepower at 5,200 RPM. In comparing torque, the Civic has 129 pound-foot torque at 4,300 RPM and the Jetta has 125 pound-foot torque at 4,000 RPM. The Civic has a front disc brake and rear drum brake, whereas the Jetta has front and rear disc brakes.

Related: The Importance of the Honda Civic CNG and other Natural Gas Vehicles

The Civic and Jetta are rated the same in the NHTSA crash tests with an overall rating of 5 stars. Both vehicles have traction control, brake assist, and tire pressure monitors. A rearview camera is standard on the Civic, while it isn’t even an option on the base model Jetta. As for features, automatic on/off headlights are standard on the Civic and not available on the base model Jetta. Floor mats are standard on the Civic, but optional on the Jetta.

If you would like to see why the Honda Civic was a top-five, best-selling car in 2014, visit Fisher Honda in Boulder, Colo. Call us at 303-245-6417 with your questions or to schedule a test drive. View our inventory of the Honda Civic.

*Based on EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.