Honda Atlas Cars Limited (HACL) is gearing up to launch the brand new Civic in Pakistan. At a gargantuan price range between Rs. 5 million to Rs. 6.4 million, it is the most expensive locally assembled compact sedan in Pakistan.
Because the new Civic is still a compact car, its main competitors are Toyota Corolla and Hyundai Elantra. However, due to a price difference of over Rs. 1 million among these vehicles, the competition seems unfair.
This article will compare all three vehicles to see if the new Civic’s price is justified:
Exterior Styling
Toyota Corolla
The 11th generation Toyota Corolla has been available in Pakistan for a while. People have gotten along with its design, which is neither ugly nor beautiful.
It has a pair of modern LED project headlights which include Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) as well. The front features a chrome grille that spans over the headlights, giving the car a stylish look. Other than that, the design is fairly simple. On the sides are 16-inch alloy wheels, body-colored door hands, and smoothly-designed doors that contribute to a clean look.
The back also has a smooth design that adds to the modest look, but the chrome trim piece on the trunk lid and the new taillight design make the rear-end look a bit flashy.
Corolla is now offered with an ‘X’ appearance package whereby it is outfitted with bumper extensions and a few interior upgrades that add some flair. Conclusively, Corolla has a design that is simple and easy to get along with.
Honda Civic
The new Civic adorns a much simpler and cleaner design compared to its predecessor. The front features sharp headlights, a sleek front grille, and a smooth and flattened bonnet design.
From the side, it has a conventional sedan profile with a swooping straightened-out tail and an edgy profile that looks subdued, yet sporty. The international models have 18-inch alloy rims which add to the Civic’s sporty look.
The subtlety continues at the back with a pair of LED taillights, a plain yet stylish bumper design, and an elongated tail that makes it look like a normal sedan, as opposed to a Sportback-like profile of the old Civic.
Hyundai Elantra
The 6th generation Elantra — albeit slightly old — is a good-looking car. Its wedge-shaped quad-projector headlights with angry-looking DRLs, a sharp front bumper, huge grille, and a round silhouette make for a handsome front end.
The side profile is smooth and simple. A few distinctive features include a side-mirrors with integrated turn signals and alloy rims with a complex design.
The tail-end has a cutting-edge taillight design accompanied by neat, checkmark-shaped reflectors at the bottom of the bumper. Overall, the 6th generation Hyundai Elantra is an imposing sedan that exudes a sense of modernness.
Interior Design
Toyota Corolla
The interior is clean and nicely laid out, but considering its price point, it has a lot of plastic. The silver and piano-black trim pieces around the center control stack, on the steering wheel, and in other places lend a slightly more stylish look.
The seats are covered in leather, and the sitting position is upright. The cabin is spacious enough to comfortably accommodate either a young family of five (two adults and three children), or four adults, but passengers over six feet tall may struggle.
The boot space is 470 liters, which is less than the Yaris’s boot capacity of 476 liters.
Honda Civic
Just like with the exterior style, Honda has opted for minimalism and simplicity with the interior as well. The materials and gadgets seem well put together, while the layout looks intuitive and easy.
The back seats are roomier than the previous generation. The cabin is spacious enough to comfortably accommodate five passengers. Taller passengers can also sit comfortably in the back.
The boot space is 497 liters, which is much bigger than the previous generation. Overall, Honda has done a fine job with the new Civic’s interior.
Hyundai Elantra
This is where Elantra shows its age, especially when compared to the latest model offered worldwide. The interior design seems at least a generation old compared to its rivals.
Elantra’s interior is roomy and modest, with ample tech features and clean aesthetics like a silver trim, a combination of cream and black leather, panels and seats, a smart instrument cluster, and a simple and user-friendly center control stack.
It is a compact family car that has plenty of room for two adults or three children in the back. Its trunk capacity is 407 liters, which is small considering the car’s overall size.
Weight and Dimensions
Given that all three vehicles are C-Segment compact sedans, they have certain similar proportions. Here is what is known about their proportions:
| Measurements | Toyota Corolla | Honda Civic | Hyundai Elantra |
| Wheel Base | 2,700 mm | 2,736 mm | 2,700 mm |
| Overall Width | 1,775 mm | 1,801 mm | 1,800 mm |
| Overall Length | 4,620 mm | 4,674 mm | 4,620 mm |
| Overall Height | 1,475 mm | 1,415 mm | 1,450 mm |
| Ground Clearance (Unladen) | 140 mm | 134 mm | 167 mm |
| Max. Kerb Weight | 1,275 kg | 1,396 kg | 1,255 kg |
Performance
Honda Civic
The new Honda Civic will be offered in three variants. All variants will have a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 180 horsepower (hp) and 240 Newton-meters (Nm) of torque and is mated to a CVT automatic transmission.
It has McPherson struts up front and a multi-link coil spring setup in the back. It is also fitted with disc brakes on all four wheels with Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), and Brake Assist (BA) technology to allow for decent stopping power.
According to auto-data.net, the new Civic has a fuel economy of 14 liters per kilometer internationally, however, the figures are likely to be different in Pakistan.
Toyota Corolla
Corolla is available with two engine options – the base 1.6-liter naturally aspirated 4-cylinder petrol engine that makes 120 hp and 154 Nm of torque, or a bigger 1.8-liter, naturally aspirated, 4-cylinder petrol engine that makes 138 hp, and 173 Nm of torque. The former can be mated to a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic, and the latter can be mated to a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed CVT automatic transmission.
The suspension setup consists of McPherson struts in the front and a Torsion Bar Coil-Spring suspension at the back. It has disc brakes on all four wheels with ABS technology.
The claimed fuel economy of the 1.6 is between 12 km/liter and 14 km/liter, and that of the 1.8 is claimed to be between 9 km/liter and 13 km/liter, which can vary depending on your driving.
Hyundai Elantra
The vehicle can be had with only one engine option — a 2.0-liter, naturally aspirated, 4-cylinder gasoline-powered engine mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission that is capable of generating about 154 hp and 195 Nm of torque which is quite impressive for a naturally-aspirated engine.
Elantra has ventilated disc brakes on all four wheels with ABS, EBD, and BA technology. Regarding the suspension setup, it has McPherson Struts in the front and a Torsion bar coil-spring suspension at the back.
Its fuel economy is claimed to be between 12 km/liter to 15 km/liter which is arguably an optimistic figure with its naturally-aspirated 2000cc engine.
Features
This comparison is between the top variants only to determine the complete range of features that they offer. The following are the specs and features of all three:
| Specs and Features | Toyota Corolla Altis Grande | Honda Civic LL-CVT | Hyundai Elantra GLS |
| Safety | |||
| Central Power Door Locks | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Immobilizer System and Burglar Alarm | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Parking Sensors | No | Yes | No |
| Backup Camera | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fog Lights | Yes | Yes | No |
| Daytime Running Lights | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ABS Brakes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hill-start Assist | No | Yes | Yes |
| Cruise Control | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Airbags | 2 | 6 | 2 |
| Auto Defogger | No | Yes | Yes |
| Rain-Sensing Wipers | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Convenience | |||
| Infotainment System | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced Gauge Cluster with a Digital Screen | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 12 Volt Socket | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| USB Connectivity | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wireless Charging | No | Yes | Yes |
| Outside Rear View Mirror Electric Folding | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Keyless Entry and Push Start | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sunroof | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Steering Wheel Multimedia-Control Switches | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Adjustable Steering Wheel | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ISO Fix Child Seat Anchors | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Auto Climate Control | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rear AC Vents | No | Yes | Yes |
Price and Verdict
Honda Civic might be the most well-equipped and the most powerful compact sedan in Pakistan. However, these attributes warrant a hefty price tag. The prices of all three vehicles are as follows:
- Toyota Corolla
- 1.6 Altis X M/T — Rs. 3,380,000
- 1.6 Altis X A/T — Rs. 3,534,000
- 1.8 Altis X CVT — Rs. 3,872,000
- 1.6 Altis X A/T SE — Rs. 3,892,000
- 1.8 Altis Grande X CVT Beige Interior — Rs. 4,179,000
- 1.8 Altis Grande X CVT Black Interior — Rs. 4,199,000
- Hyundai Elantra
- 2.0 GLS — Rs. 4,049,000
- Honda Civic
- Civic 1.5 Turbo M-CVT — Rs. 5,099,000
- Civic 1.5 Turbo M-CVT Oriel — Rs. 5,399,000
- Civic 1.5 Turbo LL-CVT — Rs. 6,149,000
Despite being a compact sedan that competes with Hyundai Elantra and Toyota Corolla, its price is almost the same as the cars that are a class above it. In this comparison, Corolla is the best value — with Elantra being a close second — for people who prefer practicality.
In terms of features, however, Elantra hits the sweet spot considering its price and the lack of a few features on Corolla.
For those who want strong performance with mildly improved comfort and utility, the new Civic is the best option.
Price of Elantra is wrong! Feature-wise, the Corolla Grande is best value for money.
Toyota Corolla should be compared with Honda City not with Civic & Elentra
Grande is the best in Pakistan
Conclusion: Honda Civic is best.
Grande and Elantra pricing used for comparison is obsolete.
Price performance parts resale corolla wins
Great comparison thanks
This is not fair comparison as you must compare new upcoming civic with new upcoming hybrid grande or old civic with old grande
I am very disappointed with the car companies in Pakistan doing day light robberies and government officials letting them get away with it these cars were sold in Europe 15 years ago