2021 Nissan Altima vs 2021 Honda Civic

The 2021 Honda Civic had a history of segment-defining models released every decade or so, with notable versions in 1973, 1984, 1992, 2006, and 2016. The 2021 model continued to be sold in sedan, hatchback, and performance-tuned Type R formats, though the coupe was discontinued, and the Civic Si was on hiatus. The Civic sedan came in various trims, starting at $21,250 and going up to $28,300, excluding destination charges. The test car, a Touring sedan in Cosmic Blue Metallic, cost $29,690.

The 10th-generation Civic, introduced in 2016, had a polarizing design that people either loved or hated. The Touring trim with 18-inch wheels and Cosmic Blue paint looked appealing from some angles but questionable from others. The interior, though not as dramatic as when first introduced, still featured quality materials and thoughtful detailing. However, the maximum infotainment screen size of 7 inches showed its age.

The 2021 Nissan Altima featured a bold V-Motion grille and a sleek, aerodynamic profile with a sloping roofline. The body had more folds than curves, giving it a taut, trim essence, though the short dash-to-axle distance made it look slightly old-fashioned. Modern features like LED lighting and alloy wheels kept it contemporary. The fit and finish were exceptional, with deep lustrous paint and rich chrome details. Nine exterior colors were available, some with premium pricing.

Inside, the Altima had an uncluttered dashboard with a standard 8-inch touchscreen display. The instrument panel was easy to read, and the interior materials improved with higher trims, adding stitching and better hand feel. The base model felt stripped-down, but upper trims offered more luxury. The Altima's interior was intelligently laid out, with ample storage and convenience features.

The 2021 Honda Civic offered two engine options. The LX and Sport trims came with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) driving the front wheels. The turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, available in EX, EX-L, and Touring trims, delivered 174 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. The turbo engine provided a more spirited driving experience, though the CVT was a drawback due to its droning nature. Despite this, the Civic achieved impressive fuel economy, averaging 34.8 mpg on a 140-mile driving loop.

The 2021 Nissan Altima had two powertrain options. Most trims featured a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 182 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, paired with Nissan's Xtronic CVT. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available. The fuel economy was 28 mpg city/39 mpg highway/32 mpg combined for FWD and 25 mpg city/35 mpg highway/29 mpg combined for AWD. The SR VC-Turbo trim had a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 248 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque, offering a more engaging driving experience. The VC-Turbo achieved 25 mpg city/34 mpg highway/29 mpg combined.

The 2021 Honda Civic sedan sat low to the ground, making entry and exit a bit of a workout. The driver's seat offered eight-way power adjustment, but the front passenger seat lacked height adjustment. The rear seats were roomy and comfortable, though they lacked air conditioning vents. The center console provided ample storage, and the trunk offered 15.1 cubic feet of space, reduced to 14.7 cubic feet in the Touring trim due to the premium sound system.

The 2021 Nissan Altima featured Zero Gravity front seats, which were comfortable even on long drives. Upper trims offered power adjustment, memory settings, leather upholstery, and heated seats. The front cabin had ample storage, including a large glovebox, center console bin, and door pockets. The rear seats were spacious, with a 60/40 split-folding design for trunk access. The trunk had a capacity of 15.4 cubic feet.

The 2021 Honda Civic's technology was showing its age. The base LX trim had a 5-inch LCD screen, Bluetooth, and a 1.0-amp USB port. The Sport trim upgraded to a 7-inch touchscreen, eight-speaker sound system, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a 1.5-amp USB port. The EX trim added HD Radio and SiriusXM, while the Touring trim included navigation and a 10-speaker premium audio system. The voice recognition system in the Touring trim was unsophisticated, and the premium sound system was nice but not essential.

The 2021 Nissan Altima came with a comprehensive set of standard tech features, including Nissan Intelligent Key with pushbutton start, remote engine start, Bluetooth, cruise control, HomeLink, rear-view camera, Siri Eyes Free, and Google Assistant Voice Recognition. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard on all but the base S model. The base touchscreen was 7 inches, while other trims had an 8-inch NissanConnect touchscreen. Higher trims included additional USB ports, SiriusXM, a Bose audio system, and Active Noise Cancellation. Nissan Door to Door Navigation was standard on the Platinum trim and optional on others.

The 2021 Honda Civic came standard with Honda Sensing, a suite of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) that included adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, Road Departure Mitigation, and Lane Keeping Assist. The Civic also had automatic high-beam headlights and a multi-angle reversing camera. LaneWatch, available from the EX trim, used a camera to monitor the right lane but had limitations. The Civic earned a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS and five-star ratings from the NHTSA.

The 2021 Nissan Altima featured Nissan Safety Shield 360, standard on SV and above trims. This included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, rear automatic braking, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, and high-beam assist. ProPilot Assist, available on higher trims, offered additional highway driving assistance features. The Intelligent Around View Monitor was also available on upper trims. The Altima received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick + rating from the IIHS.