Hyundai Santa Fe vs Honda Civic

What's the difference?

So I asked at the beginning if the Hyundai Santa Fe FWD petrol offered enough for families looking for a large seven-seat SUV and the answer is: YES!

It's practical, has people-mover space and storage and is downright comfortable to drive. There's so much to like here.

Talk about your new-car unsung heroes – I can't believe Honda's not selling more of these. So, if you can get over the price, and you worry it might be too small for you, I encourage you to check the Civic out. The back seat and boot are both bigger than you might expect, and the drive experience leaves most SUVs in the rear view mirror.

It's boxy and bold and you certainly won't mistake it for anything else on the road. That's both good and bad.

The front works beautifully; pairing a chunky and square aesthetic with cool H-shaped LED headlights (a running motif throughout the car). The front and sides look like the chiseled face of a Greek hero or the latest Romantasy crush, but the rear is just awkward. It's essentially just a big blank body panel and the only interesting thing about the back are the H-shaped tail lights.

Head inside and the interior is exactly the same as the base FWD hybrid variant - you get an interesting black and grey tartan fabric upholstery across the seats, and enough soft touchpoints scattered throughout to stop you looking too hard at the heavy use of plastics.

The dashboard shares similar chunky proportions with the exterior and you can see lots of H shapes in the air vents and panelling, so it flows pretty well inside.

The highlight is 100 per cent the large curved panel on the dash that houses the dual 12.3-inch displays. They look high-end and instantly lift the cabin from feeling 'basic'.

Joinery is flush, nothing rattles and there's an overwhelming sense of high-build quality inside. It's a cabin you'll be able to spend a lot of time in.

Beauty. Eye. Beholder. All that. But I reckon this Civic looks fantastic. Low-slung and sporty. The perfect antidote to all those bland, beige SUVs currently doing the rounds.

New as part of the most recent refresh is the front-end treatment, a new front bumper, more body-coloured flourishes and new designs for the 18-inch alloys. 

I think it looks sleek, premium and purposeful, and not at all boring.

Inside, though, it’s a little less adventurous, though I do adore some of the little design touches, like the perforated metal effect that spans the dash.

The central screen is pretty small by modern standards, and you don't want to push too hard on some of the touch points, like the gloss-black highlights on the doors, which feel flimsy, flexible and pretty cheap.

Now, the screen. Does UX design count in the overall design section? Let's say that it does. I haven’t really experienced less intuitive and user friendly cabin tech lately.

For example, I couldn't figure out (though I must admit I didn't resort to owner's manual) how to get Apple CarPlay to load automatically, if you can.

Instead I had to select my phone, cycle through several screens of approval, and then select my phone again, every single time I got in the car. I had a similar issue using Google maps, which simply wouldn't connect at all for me.

Good tech is easy and intuitive. This wasn't.

I've said it before but I'll say it again. The cabin offers similar, if not the same, level of practicality of a people mover with passenger space and storage solutions.

In fact, Hyundai may have shot their other three-row SUV, the Palisade, in the foot here because I'm not sure why you'd now bother forking out an extra $13,800 on the base Elite grade over out test model. Not when each row will be comfortable for an adult and feature decent amenities.

With seats that don't sit too high and a 177mm ground clearance, the Santa Fe is an easy SUV to get in and out of, even for kids.

The front- and middle-row seats are the most comfortable when it comes to padding and under-thigh support. The powered drivers seat also offers adjustable lumbar support on top of the heat functions that both front seats get.

Storage is top-notch with lots of cubbies to choose from up front with dual gloveboxes, one that can fit a manual and one that will hold smaller items like a wallet, wet wipes etc.

The middle console is huge and has a removable shelf but is also shared with the middle row as the bottom pulls out into a storage drawer for them. This means you can cut out the middle man (AKA the parent) and have a handy place to put any roadie snacks.

The centre console features two phone cradles and a large shelf underneath that easily holds a handbag or Saturday night's takeaway.

There are a total of 12 cupholders (2/6/4) and four drink holders (one in each door storage bin) plus a sunglasses holder and map pockets on the back of the front seats. So, definitely spoiled for choice when it comes to individual storage.

The technology is easy to use and high-quality with display screens that feature crisp graphics and a responsive multimedia touchscreen. The system features wireless phone mirroring for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as Bluetooth connectivity.

Charging options are good throughout the car with six USB-C ports (2/2/2), and a 12-volt socket and wireless charging pad up front.

Rounding out the cabin is the large boot which offers 642L when the third row is stowed, and up to 1963L when just the front seats are in use.

The loading space is level but you still get a handy under-floor compartment for small items. And the full-size spare tyre and powered tailgate are always practical to have!

The Honda Civic measures 4569mm in length, 1802mm in width and 1415mm in height, and as you've no doubt already noticed, it's not an SUV, rather a liftback-style sedan.

But if you feel like you need an SUV to move a family, I beg to differ. While the middle seat in the second row is too tight for adults (owing largely to the intrusive raised tunnel that runs through the middle of the cabin), the two window seats can absolutely fit adult humans. I'm 175cm, and had absolutely no issue sitting behind my own driving position.

But the biggest surprise is the boot, which opens to reveal a flat and wide storage space that can swallow 409 litres (VDA) of luggage. In real terms, that's more than enough for our pram and the assorted knick-knacks that go with it on a baby day out.

Unfortunately, though, there’s no spare. Instead you’ll find yourself wrestling with a hateful repair kit should you get a puncture, and you don't want to wait for roadside assist.

There's also twin USB ports in the back, as well as air vents, along with twin cupholders in the pulldown divider.

Ah, so we may have hit the first Honda hurdle. Ours is the entry-level e:HEV L, and it’s a cool $49,900, drive-away. The top-spec LX is $55,900, on the road. 

To put that into perspective, Toyota's two Corolla sedan hybrid grades are about $36K and $39K, drive-away, at the moment. The admittedly non-hybrid Golf starts at $39,990, on the road.

The German premium brands are still more expensive, but I think that might be at least part of the Honda’s problem. It now occupies a space between mainstream and premium, which might also be something of a no-man’s land.

Still, the entry-level L is decently equipped, with 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in quality Michelin Pilot Sport rubber, all-LED lighting all around and key-less entry.

Inside, there’s synthetic leather and fabric seats, dual-zone climate, a 9.0-inch central touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but also with Google built-in that provides mapping and updates and a 12-speaker Bose stereo.

Both Civic variants also arrive with a three-year subscription to 'Honda Connect', which gives you remote access to your car to lock or unlock it, pre-heat or cool the cabin, or set a geofence alert if your teenagers are borrowing it, that sort of stuff.

But… there are no full-leather seats, there's no sunroof, no wireless charging and you have to open the boot yourself.

The lack of all that doesn’t feel overly premium.

Our Santa Fe is the front-wheel-drive base variant, which features an eight-speed dual-clutch auto transmission and a 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that produces up to 206kW of power and 422Nm of torque.

Our model has a braked towing capacity of 2000kg, which is up from its hybrid siblings which can only tow up to 1650kg.

The Civic range is an all-hybrid affair, which in this case is what Honda calls its 'two-motor hybrid', which pairs a 2.0-litre petrol engine with two electric motors, one being an electric generator, and the other being the actual propulsion motor which sends power to the wheels. Expect a total 135kW and 315Nm, which is sent to the front wheels via a CVT auto.

The base petrol Santa Fe has an official combined fuel cycle usage of 9.3L/100km and 67L fuel tank, giving it a theoretical driving range of 740km, which isn’t as good as its hybrid siblings but still sufficient for the odd road trip.

After doing lots of open-roading this week and a good three days of city dwelling, my real-world usage has popped out at 8.7L/100km, which is a solid result for such a large SUV.

Honda says you can expect 4.2L/100km on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle, but we found the fuel use was a still impressive 5.5L or so, admittedly mostly in the city.

The 40-litre tank drinks 91 RON 'standard' fuel, meaning its cheapish to fill up, and — using Honda’s numbers at least — should deliver a 950km driving range.

Yesterday, 91 RON was about $1.80 per litre meaning you can theoretically get from Melbourne to Sydney for around $75.

The petrol engine definitely has more pep to it than the hybrid variants I've sampled. The power is responsive and you still feel like there’s heaps leftover when you have to overtake or get up a hill without any annoying engine whines.

The steering isn’t too heavy, despite the size of this car but turning off the lane-keeping aid will keep the on-road experience feeling smooth. Otherwise, you sort of ping-pong in your lane as the aid readjusts strongly.

All Santa Fes feel way more nimble than they have any right to in corners. You do get some roll, but our test model is sure-footed, even in heavy wet weather. 

The eight-speed dual-clutch auto transmission is smooth enough and you don’t get any annoying lags when you accelerate from a full stop, which is unusual for such a unit.

Ride comfort is pretty high as well, with suspension that feels forgiving over the worst of the bumps and a cabin that remains quiet, even at higher speeds. 

You have really great visibility in this model because of how big the windows are and the taller driving position helps as well. None of the pillars hindered my vision either from my driving position.

The Santa Fe well and truly fills out a car space and it was easy to see it in a car park because the butt hangs out a bit, but it’s still easy to park with its very clear 360-degree camera system and parking sensors at the front, side and rear. So while it is big, it doesn't feel big to park.

Overall, the petrol Santa Fe is an simple SUV to drive and will be a forgiving choice for lots of different driving styles.

First things first – I really, really like the way this Honda drives. There's a finesse, a confidence, in the drive experience that's sometimes missing from the new brands when they first arrive in Australia.

In short, it feels like it was engineered by people who really know what they're doing. That's the easiest way to describe it.

If you're used to driving older-fashioned hybrid systems you might be used to a bit of shuddering harshness when the engine kicks in, but that's simply not the case here.

Instead, the transition is seamless, with the Honda Civic making the choice for you and largely leaving you out of the process entirely.

Where the powertrain does let itself be more known is under heavier acceleration, with engine thrum seriously invading the cabin, without much in the way of flat-footed performance to accompany it.

But the magic of the Civic drive experience is in its balance. It's not a performance car, but there's real driver engagement to be found in the way it rides and handles. Equally, though, it's never uncomfortable, striking the balance between road-holding confidence and comfort really well.

Happy in the city, happy on a twisting road - this is not one of those smaller cars that leaves the drive experience as a secondary factor. It feels like it really has the driver at heart.

The big safety news surrounding the Civic is that its eight airbags are joined by 'Honda Sensing', which packages up every safety system you can possibly imagine — forward collision warning, lane keeping, adaptive cruise, AEB – and delivers them as standard across the range.

But the bigger news is that, refreshingly, none of it is overly intrusive. Even the speed limit warning, which – as in most cars – always gets the speed wrong, just flashes gently on the driver display, rather than binging and bonging through the cabin.

The Civic Hybrid scored a full five-star ANCAP safety rating, with the score based on crash testing in Europe through Euro NCAP. 

The Santa Fe comes with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which isn’t as good as some of its rivals, especially with Nissan now offering a 10-year warranty on its models, albeit conditional.

The pre-paid servicing plans are competitive, though, and the five-year plan averages just $481 per service.

Servicing intervals could get a bit annoying if you do a lot of kays every year as they're at every 12 months or 10,000km, whichever occurs first.

The Santa Fe petrol is a simple gal and enjoys 91RON unleaded petrol and is even E10 suitable.

The Honda is covered by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, and servicing is every 12 months or 10,000km.

There is a capped-price servicing program, called 'Low Price Servicing', which means your first five services are $199, but don't cover things like brake pads and tyres.