In a world that is dominated by crossover SUVs, some auto manufacturers have committed to providing less expensive compact cars for the masses. The Honda Civic and the Hyundai Elantra are among the few remaining compact cars on the market. For 2025, the Civic joins the Elantra in providing a hybrid powertrain. So of the two, which one is better?
Performance
Engine – Under the hood of the 2025 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid, there is a small 1.6L naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine. On its own, it produces 104 hp and 108 lb-ft of torque (77 kW & 146 Nm) which is not much considering the curb weight of the Elantra Hybrid is at 1,370 kg (3,020 lbs). But thanks to the electric motor (43 hp & 125 lb-ft of torque (32 kw & 169 Nm)), the combined output of this powertrain is 139 hp & 195 lb-ft (103 kW & 264 Nm). That still doesn’t sound like much but it is just enough for this compact car. Setting off from a stop doesn’t feel sluggish and you won’t be impeding anyone behind you. Furthermore, the Elantra hybrid can easily keep up with the flow of highway traffic without needing to stick to the far right lane.
Under the hood of the 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid is a larger 2.0L engine that is also naturally aspirated. Predictably with its bigger size, the 2.0L engine is more powerful with 141 hp & 134 lb-ft of torque (105 kW & 181 Nm). What’s more impressive is the power of the electric motor which is rated at 181 hp & 232 lb-ft of torque (135 kW & 314 Nm). Combined, the Honda Civic Hybrid produces 200 hp & 232 lb-ft of torque (149 kW & 314 Nm) which makes it the 2nd most powerful Civic model right behind the Civic Type-R. Of course this difference in power output makes the Civic Hybrid not only faster, but it also feels much more effortless.
Hybridization – Both hybrid powertrains operate the same way. Under normal driving conditions, the engines will accelerate the cars up to speed where then the electric motors take over for brief periods. Both cars also switch off the engines while driving at highway speeds. But this usually happens when the batteries are close or fully charged. It’s more so at city speeds that the electric motors drive the cars more often. Speaking of which, with a nearly fully charged battery, both cars can set off from a stop without the engine needing to turn on.
One interesting characteristic that I noticed while driving both cars is that although the 2025 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid has a bigger battery at 1.32 kWh, it doesn’t drain or get charged up as quickly as the 1.1 kWh battery in the 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid. But that didn’t really seem to make a difference when it came to fuel economy.
Fuel Economy – On paper, the 2025 Elantra Hybrid is more economical than the 2025 Civic Hybrid. It is rated for 4.8 L/100km (49 MPG) in a city and 4.5 L/100km (52 MPG) on a highway. The Civic Hybrid is rated for the same city economy but 5.4 L/100km (43 MPG) on a highway. However, I was able to average 4.8 L/100km (49 MPG) in both cars. I drove both cars for roughly the same amount of mileage and in similar driving conditions which involved mostly city and some highway drives. But in the end, to my surprise, the more powerful Civic Hybrid was just as efficient as the Elantra Hybrid.
Transmission – Where these cars differ slightly is with their choice of transmissions. The Honda has a traditional eCVT to go along with the hybrid powertrain while the Hyundai has an unconventional 6-speed dual-clutch automatic. The 6-speed dual-clutch provides a slightly more conventional driving feel compared to an eCVT which just holds the engine’s rpms at a set point while accelerating. However, don’t confuse this DCT with a Porsche DCT, or any other high performance dual-clutch, because it takes a while for this transmission to react to inputs.
The eCVT on the other hand does try to imitate a more traditional automatic transmission as it incorporates “gear shifts” under heavier throttle applications. When driving normally, it doesn’t do this. But you cannot control these fake gear changes whereas you can control the gear changes in the Elantra Hybrid.
Braking – Both cars use regenerative braking to recoup some energy back into the battery. The rest is recharged by the engine. In the 2025 Elantra Hybrid, all of the regenerative braking is handled by the brake pedal. It does not have different modes to select from like the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid. In the 2025 Civic Hybrid, the paddle shifters allow you to select from different levels of regen braking. But in the Normal drive mode, whatever setting you choose is automatically rest after a few seconds. To lock the regen setting the car has to be in Sport mode.
As for the brakes themselves, both cars seamlessly blend the feel of regenerative braking and the physical brakes. The pedals in both also feel firm enough to provide confidence when you step on it and both are easy to modulate for smooth stops.
Handling – Of these two compact cars, the Honda Civic Hybrid is more engaging to drive than the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid. The Civic feels more “mature” with a responsive and communicative steering feel. It’s not quite on par with the Mazda 3, which is the most engaging compact car on sale, but the Civic is more fun than the Elantra Hybrid. The suspension also copes better with mid-corner bumps and body roll.
The Hyundai Elantra’s steering is lighter in feel. Of course this makes it a breeze to maneuver in a tight parking lot but it’s too vague feeling on a back-country road. There’s also more body roll through corners and the suspension unsettles the car a bit more as it encounters a bump.
Comfort
Ride Comfort – Despite the sportier characteristics of the Honda Civic, both cars exhibit a similar ride quality. Most potholes and manhole covers don’t feel too harsh as the tires drive over them and the shunts are isolated from the occupants in the cabin. But rougher roads will be very evident in these two cars as the suspension can only do so much.
The front seats in both cars have just the right amount of cushioning. Neither car made my butt numb during my hour-long commute to and from work. However, neither have lumbar support.
Interior Space – On paper, the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid has more headroom, across both rows of seats, and more rear legroom than the Honda Civic Hybrid. In reality, it felt to me that the Elantra had a bit less headroom in the front seats than the Civic. The Elantra comes equipped with manually adjustable seats instead of power adjustable seats in the Civic. Perhaps in the Hyundai they don’t go down quite as much as the ones in the Civic. Either way, the difference was not that big, perhaps half an inch to an inch. My hair never brushed the headliner in either car. As for legroom, it felt the same in both cars.
In the back seats, despite what it says on paper, the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid and the Honda Civic Hybrid felt as though they had an equal amount of space for my 6’4” stature behind my driving position. My hair gently brushed up against the headliner and my knees were right up against the back of the front seats. But the difference between the two is in the details. The back of the front seats in the Hyundai is made out of hard plastic. In the Civic, it’s soft leather. This means that you won’t get a bruise on your knees if you sit for long periods in the back seats of the Honda vs the Hyundai. Additionally, while neither car had air vents or USB connections in the back, the Civic is available with heated rear seats while the Elantra is not.
Perhaps the biggest difference in terms of space between these two cars is in their trunks. The 2025 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid has 402 L (14.2 cu-ft) of cargo space. The 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid sedan has 408 L (14.4 cu-ft) of cargo space. But the hybrid powertrain is also available in the hatchback version of the Civic which has 694 L (24.5 cu-ft) of cargo space. The Elantra is no longer available as a hatchback as it once was. Additionally, neither of these hybrid versions have spare wheels under their trunk floors.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – Of the two compact cars, the Honda Civic Hybrid provides a more serene environment than the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid. Tire noise, engine noise, and wind noise is far better subdued in the Civic than in the Elantra.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – By now, it’s pretty obvious that the Honda Civic is the better hybrid compact car of the two. But there is a price to pay. The 2025 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid starts at $31,099 CAD ($25,450 USD) and in Canada, it is only available in one trim with no extra options. The 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid is available with the sedan or hatchback body and has a starting price of $33,600 CAD ($28,950 USD) in sedan form. The hatch starts at $35,500 CAD ($30,150 USD). Both versions are available in Sport or Sport Touring trims with the most expensive version costing $39,000 CAD ($33,150 USD) which is what this demo vehicle was.
Gadgets – Both cars are equipped similarly but the Honda does get a few more gadgets for the higher price tag. In Canada, both have heated front seats along with heated steering wheels, power sunroofs, dual-zone automatic climate controls, backup cameras, wireless CarPlay & wireless Android Auto connectivity, built-in navigation systems, and wireless charging pads.
But the Civic can be equipped with more if you opt for the Sport Touring trim. In the Hyundai, there’s an 8-speaker audio system while in the Civic, it comes with 12 on the top trim. The upholstery is real leather in the Civic vs synthetic leather in the Elantra. There are the heated rear seats that I mentioned earlier and the Civic is equipped with front & rear parking sensors whereas the Elantra doesn’t get any. Again, these are features that are available on the more expensive Civic Sport Touring. It is worth noting that the Elantra hybrid does come better equipped for the American market.
Interior Design – Both cars have simple to understand and use interior controls. Honda & Hyundai (for the most part) have not switched to touchscreen or capacitive touch controls for commonly used functions. They still rely on buttons. But the buttons and knobs in the Honda have a better feel than those in the Elantra.
As for the materials, the Hyundai uses more plastics and more gloss black than the Civic. Gloss black plastics look great in pictures and when it’s clean. But it’s extremely difficult to keep a material such as this clean and free of scratches for very long. The Civic Hybrid has a bit of it too but it’s not in a high use area such as the center console. Instead it uses a plastic that resembles a metal weave.
Exterior Design – Both cars look stylish but to my eyes, the Hyundai Elantra has a bit more style. It has sharp edges and an aggressive front end. The Civic is much more grown up in its design compared to the previous generation. It still looks good, just not as eye-catching as the Elantra.
Safety – Both hybrid cars come equipped with every safety & driver aid that is available with each car. These include automatic emergency braking, blind spot sensors, lane keeping system, rear cross traffic alert, and so on. The only exception is that the Honda Civic Sport Touring adds Low-speed braking control.
The IIHS awarded the Honda Civic with a Top Safety Pick+ award but interestingly, it was only for the hatchback version. The sedan version only received the regular Top Safety Pick award without the “+”. The Hyundai Elantra received the same award as the Civic Sedan.
Warranty – In Canada, the Honda Civic Hybrid is covered by a 3 year / 60,000 km new vehicle and 5 year / 100,000 km powertrain warranty while the hybrid components are covered by an 8 year / 160,000 km warranty. The Hyundai Elantra Hybrid is covered by a 5 year / 100,000 km new vehicle and powertrain warranty while the hybrid components warranty is 8 years or 160,000 km. For more information about Honda’s Canadian warranty, click here. For information on USA warranty, click here. For more information about Hyundai’s Canadian warranty, click here. For USA warranty information, click here.
Conclusion – In the end, the 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid is the better compact car. But it’s also the more expensive car no matter how you look at it. Is it worth the extra money over the 2025 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid? At almost $40,000 CAD (before fees & taxes) for this Sport Touring hatchback, it is a lot of money to pay on a compact car. The Sport hybrid would be my choice. But if the Civic Sport Hybrid is still out of your budget, the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid provides the same fuel economy and most of the same features for a more wallet friendly price.
Thank you to Honda Canada for providing the Civic Hybrid. www.Honda.ca
Thank you to Hyundai Canada for providing the Elantra Hybrid. www.HyundaiCanada.com
2025 Honda Civic Hybrid Gallery
2025 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid Gallery
