2020 Civic vs. 2020 Jetta in Passaic, NJ

If you're interested in a practical car that makes the daily drive convenient and comfortable, the compact class has a host of appealing options. Both Honda and Volkswagen stand out from the crowd with well-deserved reputations for quality and safety, and Civic and Jetta are both top contenders worth a closer look. Let's put them side by side to determine which car has exactly what you're looking for.

Performance

The Civic offers a variety of powertrain options depending on the trim and body style you want, and all provide ample energy for prompt acceleration and daily driving duties. The standard coupe and sedan models are equipped with a 158-horsepower 4-cylinder, packing more punch than the base Jetta’s 147-horsepower 4-cylinder. VW also offers an available 228-horsepower turbocharged engine, but that still falls behind the Civic hatchback Type R with a 306-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder. On the road, the Jetta remains smooth during the typical commute, but it can let some turbulence into the cabin when you encounter uneven surfaces. The sporty handling associated with older Jetta generations is now largely absent, although the Civic has been praised for its engaging performance and celebrated fuel efficiency.

Interior

The term compact doesn't have to mean tight passenger quarters, and the Civic proves that a compact car can deliver all the space needed to keep your passengers comfortable for rides of any length. Up to five people can ride in most Civic variations, and both rows provide generous seating space and considerable legroom. The civic also stands out among its classmates with a particularly handsome interior design and high-quality furnishings everywhere you look. While the Jetta provides respectable passengers space in both rows, critics have found the presence of hard plastic surfaces to be underwhelming. When you need to carry cargo, the Civic sedan accommodates with a larger trunk than its rival. You can also consider the Civic hatchback if you routinely haul bulky gear, with a total of 46.2 cubic feet of storage space when the rear seats are folded.

Safety

In either car, you can start the engine with confidence in their high safety and crash test scores. Both the Civic and the Jetta also feature rearview cameras to help you watch out while backing out of a parking space or driveway. However, Honda equips their compact car with far more standard safety features than their VW competitor. The 2020 Civic comes with a collision mitigation braking system, road departure mitigation, forward collision warning, and other smart tools. To find any additional safety systems in the Jetta, you'll need to pay extra.

Your Next Car is Here at Garden State Honda

We would love to show you all that the Honda Civic can do, so feel free to come take it for a test drive at our dealership. At Garden State Honda, you can take a closer look at this comfortable compact inside and out, go over all its features and trim options with our staff, and even get behind the wheel to enjoy its smooth handling. Once you're satisfied with what you see, we'll also help you set up a wallet-friendly financing plan.