2020 Honda Civic Hatchback vs 2019 Volvo S60

Volvo had successfully transformed its image from quirky to sexy over the past decade, and the 2019 S60 was a testament to this change. The S60 scaled down the flagship S90 sedan’s design to fit a small luxury platform, competing with the likes of the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4. The exterior featured straight lines and precise angles, with the rear fender and C-pillar giving it an athletic stance. The S60’s design was so captivating that it invited closer inspection, even if it didn’t always prioritize function over form.

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback, redesigned half a decade ago, continued to evolve with subtle tweaks for the new model year. The styling updates included body-color crossbars on the air intakes, a new grille, and smoked headlights. The Sport Touring trim, with its Platinum White Pearl paint and glossy black detailing, garnered admiration and even some mistaken identity as a Type R. Inside, the Civic Hatchback offered stitched leather on the steering wheel and quality materials, though hard plastics were still present. The manual gearbox added a sporty touch, and the overall design provided a refined and quiet driving experience.

The 2019 Volvo S60 offered three powertrain options: T5, T6, and T8. The base T5 engine was a turbocharged 2-liter 4-cylinder producing 250 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, sent to front-wheel drive. The T6, which we drove, featured a twin-charged 2-liter 4-cylinder engine, delivering 316 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque to all-wheel drive. The range-topping T8 was a plug-in hybrid with a combined output of 400 horsepower and 495 pound-feet of torque, capable of a 21-mile all-electric range. All engines were paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. The T6 provided instant throttle and transmission responses, making it a joy to drive, while the AWD system ensured a firmly planted feel through corners. Fuel economy for the T6 was estimated at 21 mpg city, 32 highway, and 25 combined, with our test achieving 23.2 mpg.

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback, equipped with a turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, produced 174 horsepower in LX, EX, and EX-L trims, and 180 horsepower in Sport and Sport Touring trims. Torque was 162 pound-feet with the CVT and 177 pound-feet with the 6-speed manual transmission. The Civic Hatchback’s engine was quiet and refined, providing ample power for front-wheel drive. The manual transmission’s long clutch travel and gearbox throws differentiated it from the Civic Si, which offered a tighter and more thrilling driving experience. The Civic Hatchback, however, was easier to live with daily, offering a softer ride and quieter cabin. Fuel economy was rated at 32 mpg combined, with our test achieving 32.7 mpg.

The 2019 Volvo S60’s interior design favored form over function, with some awkward control placements. The starter was located between the front seats, requiring a “T-Rex Arm” reach, and the drive-mode selector was a cumbersome roller. However, the conventional shifter was a welcome choice. The backseat offered decent space, especially compared to competitors like the Lexus IS, and the trunk provided 11.6 cubic feet of cargo space.

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback offered 25.2 cubic feet of cargo space, more than the HR-V Touring. While it couldn’t match the HR-V for maximum volume, the Civic’s performance and fuel efficiency were superior. The driver’s seat was low but comfortable, with ample thigh support, though the passenger seat lacked height adjustment. The center console storage was brilliantly designed, with configurable space for large water bottles. Rear seat comfort was good, but the lack of air-conditioning vents and dark tinted glass could make it uncomfortable in hot weather.

The 2019 Volvo S60 featured the Sensus touchscreen infotainment system, which looked great but had a steep learning curve and occasional lag issues. Many functions were buried in the touchscreen, making simple tasks like adjusting the climate control cumbersome. However, it did include a volume dial, play/pause button, and track skip buttons for convenience.

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback’s dashboard included digital instrumentation and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system in all but the LX trim. The system featured Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, navigation, a quick-charging USB port, and a 12-speaker premium sound system. While it lacked a tuning knob and had subpar voice recognition, it offered automatic climate control and Smart Entry with Walk Away Auto Lock for added convenience.

The 2019 Volvo S60 came standard with front- and side-impact airbags, a reversing camera, and a tire-pressure-monitoring system. It also included driver-assistance features like forward-collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, and traffic-sign recognition. The Advance Package added a head-up display, headlight washers, a 360-degree camera, and Pilot Assist, a semi-autonomous driving system.

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback included the Honda Sensing suite as standard, featuring forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, automatic high-beam headlights, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and Road Departure Mitigation. Adaptive cruise control was also standard, though it lacked refinement. The Civic did not have a blind-spot monitoring system but included LaneWatch for the right-side blind spot. The Civic received top marks for crash-test performance but did not earn a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS due to poor headlight performance.