Comparison Test: 2019 Honda Civic Si vs. 2019 Hyundai Elantra Sport

Say you only want your compact sedan mildly spiced? These two are what you’d go for. Not as hot as the Honda Civic Type-R or the Hyundai Veloster N

Transcript

00:00 Here it is, the B-Team.

00:04 If you are looking for the ultimate performance Honda or Hyundai, these cars, the Civic Si

00:09 and Elantra Sport, aren't it.

00:16 Instead, they offer a less expensive, more efficient alternative to the brand's respective

00:23 big dogs, the Honda Civic Type R and the Hyundai Veloster N.

00:26 First, there's the Honda Civic Si, which slots between the 175hp base car and the monster

00:34 306hp Type R. This year, that means 205hp paired with a 6-speed manual transmission.

00:43 It also has an adaptive suspension and a real mechanical limited-slip front differential.

00:49 Then, there's the Hyundai Elantra Sport.

00:52 While the Civic benefits from shared architecture with the Type R hatchback, the Elantra Sport

00:57 is a distant cousin of the Veloster N. Like all Elantra sedans, it has an older version

01:02 of the Elantra platform.

01:05 The Sport has a slightly more aggressive suspension tune, all-season tires, and a 1.6L turbocharged

01:11 inline-four making 201hp.

01:18 At first pass, the two cars performed pretty similarly at the test track.

01:22 Aided by its summer tires and the limited-slip diff, the Honda was consistently quicker,

01:27 getting from 0-60mph in 6.6 seconds and through the quarter mile in 14.9 seconds.

01:33 The Hyundai did 6.9-60 and a quarter in 15.2.

01:38 The Honda stopped from 60-0mph in 107ft and lapped the figure 8 in 25.8 seconds while

01:46 averaging 0.68g.

01:50 The Hyundai needed 119ft to stop from 60mph and it lapped the figure 8 in 26.8 seconds

01:57 at 0.64g.

02:01 The verdict?

02:02 Though we liked the power and the Sport exhaust of the Hyundai, it falls apart when driven

02:06 hard.

02:07 The engine runs out of steam, the throws of the gearbox seem long, and grip is hampered

02:11 by the choice of all-season tires.

02:14 In contrast, the Civic is composed and well-balanced, and its suspension keeps it flat and nimble

02:19 through bends.

02:21 Its engine is laggy under 2000rpm, but it provides good power.

02:26 So while the finish was closer than we would have thought, the Honda Civic Si's superior

02:29 performance and impressive economy makes it the better buy, and the winner of this comparison

02:33 test.

02:36 For the full story, be sure to go to MotorTrend.com

02:38 and subscribe!