Compare the 2016 Honda Civic vs Nissan Altima

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2016 Honda Civic

Starting MSRP:	$18,640**
Fuel Economy:	31/41 mpg*
Curb weight:	2751 lbs.
Rear leg room:	37.4 in.
A/C with climate control:	Standard

2016 Nissan Altima

Starting MSRP:	$22,500**
Fuel Economy:	27/39 mpg*
Curb weight:	3197 lbs.
Rear leg room:	36.1 in.
A/C with climate control:	Available on other styles

2016 Honda Civic vs Nissan Altima

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Compact sedans exist to give consumers enough volume to comfortably haul people or moderate amounts of freight while maintaining cost effective fuel efficiency. The Honda Civic stands out in this class by its longevity and popularity alone. Although it borders between compact and mid-size territory, the Nissan Altima offers a lot of appeal for compact car buyers. Here?s a comparison of the two on some key vehicle features.

Performance

While compact sedans aim at providing sufficient clearance for passengers, fuel economy is a vital focus. The 2016 Honda Civic achieves this through two 4-cylinder engines. A standard 2 liter motor furnishes a lower initial price tag and 158 horsepower on the base model. In the LX model, this engine can come paired with a six-speed manual transmission for the more hands-on driver. In this configuration, the car gets 27 mpg city and 40 mpg highway*. The engine?s alternately coupled with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that?s designed to improve mileage. The result is 31 mpg in town and 41 mpg highway*. The other engine, a 1.5 liter 4-cylinder turbocharged machine tethered only to a CVT, delivers 174 horsepower while holding mileage to 31 mpg city and 42 mpg highway*. The smaller 4-cylinder 2.5 liter engine in the Nissan Altima supplies 182 horsepower, but combined with a CVT, still consumes more fuel at 27 mpg city and 39 mpg highway*. Some Altima models are equipped with a 3.5 liter V6, also tied to a CVT, that?s more suited to a mid-size car. With an output of 270 horsepower, it only manages 22 mpg city and 32 mpg highway*. With more options to choose from and better fuel economy overall, the 2016 Honda Civic appears to edge out the Nissan Altima.

Roominess

Despite being roughly nine inches shorter and around two inches more narrow than the Altima, the Civic has made optimal use of its existing room. Up front, the driver and front passenger receive 37.5 inches of headroom and just over 42 inches of legroom. This compares nicely to the heavier Altima?s ample space. Where the Civic really outdoes itself is in back passenger room. Headroom is almost identical between the two cars while the 37.4 inches of legroom in the Civic exceed the roughly 36 inches in the Altima. The Civic even sports a 15.1 cubic foot trunk that?s roughly equal to that of the Altima. Keep in mind that this is considered average for mid-sized sedans. In both vehicles, the trunk can be expanded through 60/40 split rear seats. With smaller and lighter engines, the reduced size of the Civic is achieved through a shorter engine bay without compromising interior space.

Comfort

In a comparison of the top Civic Touring sedan to the Altima?s premier SL model, the Civic moves ahead on a number of luxury features. The first noticeable plus for the Civic is three color options, gray, black, and ivory, for its leather trim instead of the two choices of beige or charcoal leather upholstery in the Altima. The advantages continue with the 8-way power adjustable driver?s seat in the Civic as compared to the 6-way power seat in the Altima. Also, while both vehicles are satellite radio-ready, the Civic Touring sedan includes a standard three month subscription with traffic alerts. To listen in, the Civic uses ten speakers with 450 watts as opposed to the Altima?s nine speakers.

It?s one thing to read these comparisons. Stopping by your local Honda dealership for a test drive will make it all much clearer. The latest Civic demonstrates that comfort doesn?t require giving up on fuel savings and performance.

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