A Comparison Between the 2020 Honda Civic and the 2020 Honda Accord

Shopping for a new Honda sedan can be a pretty exciting experience, particularly in our showroom. If you’ve been searching “Honda dealer near me,” to find a dealership you can trust, you’ve landed in the right place. We offer a wide selection of vehicles ranging from SUVs to pickup trucks and, more importantly, sleek and modern sedans. Across our showroom, drivers will find a plethora of models to choose from, yet two highly regarded top-picks are the 2020 Honda Civic and the 2020 Honda Accord. These are two well-praised vehicles that fulfill a wide range of automotive expectations, whether you’re looking for an agile commuter or a simple town car. To help you make an educated purchasing decision, we’ll unpack the differences between these two sedans, and hopefully, you can find out which model is right for you.

Cost and Configuration

Step into our showroom to purchase either the 2020 Honda Civic or the 2020 Honda Accord, and you’ll find two well-priced sedans that offer a little bit of everything. On the one hand, the Honda Accord starts off with an MSRP of $24,000, providing drivers an affordable option should they desire it.* Trim levels in the Honda Accord are also well dispersed, including the LX, Hybrid, Sport, and Touring. 

Meanwhile, the Honda Civic starts a little lower, providing drivers with a sleek and powerful sedan that can be priced as cheap as $20,650 MSRP.* There are also far more trim options within the Honda Civic lineup, as drivers can choose between the LX, Sport, EX, EX-L, and Touring. In addition to trims, the Civic comes in a few different forms; there is the Civic (sedan and coupe), Civic Si (coupe and sedan), and Civic Type R.

Both the Honda Civic and the Honda Accord fit a particular drive style and lifestyle, and defining which is superior all depends on what you expect from your vehicle. There is no right or wrong answer; it all depends on you. 

Town-Worthy Power

When it comes to performance, neither the Honda Accord nor the Honda Civic is shy on the jump. The Honda Accord, for instance, gets a 1.5-liter turbo-4 engine that amounts to 192 horsepower and 192 lb-ft of torque. This engine can be paired nicely with either a CVT or a 6-speed manual transmission, depending on what you’re looking for. 

Power can be amped up in the Honda Accord, too, thanks to the 2.0-liter turbo-4 engine that can be found in the Sport, EX, and Touring trims. Responsible for 252 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque, this engine is the zippiest option available. And the two transmission options, a 10-speed automatic and a standard 6-speed manual, add to the overall experience of driving in the Honda Accord. That leads us to the hybrid model, which uses a 2.0-liter inline-4, an electric motor, and a hybrid battery to pump out 212 total horsepower. Drivers who are looking for a true titan of a commuter car will be incredibly satisfied with what the Honda Accord Hybrid has to offer.

While a hybrid powertrain isn’t available in the Honda Civic, what’s here is bound to satisfy anyone looking for a zippy town-car. The starting engine is a 158-horsepower 2.0-liter inline-4 engine that sits nicely with a 6-speed manual or CVT transmission. Greater power is available in the Honda Civic in the form of a 1.5-liter turbo-4 engine that is responsible for 174 horsepower. This turbo-4 option is also partnered with a 6-speed manual transmission or CVT. 

If you want a truly heart-pounding experience, we recommend that you step up to the Civic Type R. In this model, you’ll get a tremendously well-powered 2.0-liter turbo-4 that is able to produce an astounding 306 horsepower. The accompanying 6-speed manual transmission lends for a more classic hands-on experience, and when put to the test, the Honda Civic Type R can leap from 0 to 60 in as little as 6 seconds.

So as you can tell, based on performance, the Honda Accord is best suited for fuel-conscious driving. Meanwhile, the top performance of the Honda Civic makes it a worthy performance vehicle, providing drivers with a town car that not only looks great but offers plenty of punch beneath the hood.

Sitting in the Driver’s Seat

The interior of both the Honda Civic and the Honda Accord exist in similar, high-quality levels. For starters, the Honda Accord provides ample room for five people, with just over 40 inches of legroom for rear passengers. The Honda Accord also provides a trunk with 16.7 cubic feet of cargo room. Base models get cloth upholstery; however, in higher trims, you can find more top-tier materials such as more durable cloth and genuine leather. Interior features of the Honda Accord are just as remarkable, with all models getting a 7.0-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility as standard. 

Upgrading the Honda Accord will come with plenty more bells and whistles. Step up to the EX, and you’ll get a moonroof, heated front seats, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, two USB charging ports, and a big 8.0-inch touchscreen. Although, the Touring trim is where things really get luxurious, as all models get heated and cooled front seats, a navigations system, premium speakers, a wireless smartphone charger, and even an intuitive head-up display. 

The Honda Civic doesn’t fall far from its sister vehicle. The Civic sedan has 37 inches of rear legroom and a trunk that boasts 15.1 cubic feet of cargo room. The Honda Civic can also be purchased in a hatchback body styling, which elevates cargo spacing to 46.2 cubic feet total. Just like the Honda Accord, cloth is standard, but more lush feeling leather can be easy to find in higher trims. Infotainment starts smaller in the Honda Civic, as all LX models get a 5.0-inch display that’s Bluetooth connective and sports a single USB port. That said, upgrading the Honda Civic isn’t too difficult, as the EX offers a 7.0-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. This trim also gets heated front seats, a dual-zone climate control system, and rides on a set of smooth 17-inch tires. Top-trims add even more to the deal, providing an upgraded audio system, heated rear seats, and a seamless navigations system. 

This leads us to the active safety and driver assistance features offered in both the Honda Civic and the Honda Accord. No matter which model you purchase, you’re in for a real treat as both vehicles come packed with features that would otherwise be premium in competitor vehicles. The Honda Civic, for instance, comes standard with automatic emergency braking, active lane control, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams, which is a tall order in an affordable sedan. Meanwhile, the Honda Accord manages to start just as strong, providing drivers with automatic emergency braking, active lane control, traffic sign recognition, and adaptive cruise control. Needless to say, whichever model piques your interest, you can expect a rather comprehensive safety package. 

Purchasing Your Honda Sedan at Gwinnett Place Honda

From sporty performance vehicles to more fuel-conscious commuters, we provide it all and more at Gwinnett Place Honda in Duluth, GA. Our goal is to leave you 100% satisfied, no matter what you’re looking for. On top of that, we provide long term car care and maintenance, to ensure that your driving experience continues to be top-notch well into the future. 

*MSRP excluding tax, license, registration, $955.00 destination charge and options. Dealers set own prices.