If you're in the market for a Civic, you're in the right place—the options in this class are some of the best we've seen in a lifetime.
First among those is the Mazda 3, which is a very fun car to drive, if not wholly fast.
We like the Mazda's more organic shape, but admit that some may find the Civic more attractive.
The Focus has very good value in lower trims, although it may not be as fun to drive.
The Elantra excels at a value proposition, although that may be suffering mission creep lately.
The Chevy Cruze has a baffling new powertrain, and one that we're not wholly sold on, but it's interior layout is a little more straightforward than the Civic's edgier designs.
The Volkswagen Golf is excellent on all fronts—provided you're OK with a hatchback.
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 2017 Honda CivicBrowse Used Listings |  2017 Chevrolet CruzeBrowse Used Listings |  2017 Ford FocusBrowse Used Listings |  2017 Hyundai ElantraBrowse Used Listings |  2017 Mazda MAZDA3Browse Used Listings |  2017 Volkswagen GolfBrowse Used Listings |
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| Quick Specs | |||||
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The 2017 Honda Civic gains a hatchback body this year, but we were already sold. It's a very good compact car. |
The 2017 Chevy Cruze adds a hatch to the family that retains the same good ride and ample space, without being boomy or loud. |
The 2017 Ford Focus has great road manners and scorching high-performance editions, but it's compromised by a small back seat. |
We miss the brash, buzzy looks, for sure—but the 2017 Hyundai Elantra is now one of the most refined economy cars on the road. |
The 2017 Mazda 3 is near the top of our favorite compact cars on sale today. Its good performance, good fuel economy, and good value make for a very good car. |
There's a Golf for nearly every taste and need—Golf, Golf GTI, Golf SportWagen— and don't forget about the EV eGolf, which is very balanced and fun to drive. |
| MSRP From | |||||
| $18,740 | $16,975 | $16,775 | $17,150 | N/A | $19,895 |
| Gas Mileage | |||||
| 28 MPG City / 42 MPG Hwy | 28 MPG City / 52 MPG Hwy | 19 MPG City / 40 MPG Hwy | 22 MPG City / 40 MPG Hwy | 22 MPG City / 36 MPG Hwy | |
| Engine | |||||
| Regular Unleaded I-4 | Turbocharged Gas I4 | Regular Unleaded I-4 | Regular Unleaded I-4 | N/A | Intercooled Turbo Regular Unleaded I-4 |
| EPA Class | |||||
| Compact Cars | Midsize Cars | Compact Cars | Mid-Size Cars | N/A | Compact Cars |
| Style Name | |||||
| LX Manual | 4-Door Sedan 1.4L L w/1SM | S Sedan | SE 2.0L Manual (Ulsan) | N/A | 1.8T 4-Door S Manual |
| Drivetrain | |||||
| Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | N/A | Front Wheel Drive |
| Passenger Capacity | |||||
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | N/A | 5 |
| Passenger Doors | |||||
| N/A | 4 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Body Style | |||||
| Sedan | Sedan | Sedan | Sedan | N/A | Hatchback |
| Transmission | |||||
| Manual w/OD | Manual | Manual w/OD | Manual w/OD | N/A | Manual w/OD |
| Detailed Spec Comparison | |||||
| 2017 Honda Civic vs. 2017 Chevrolet Cruze | 2017 Honda Civic vs. 2017 Ford Focus | 2017 Honda Civic vs. 2017 Hyundai Elantra | 2017 Honda Civic vs. 2017 Mazda MAZDA3 | 2017 Honda Civic vs. 2017 Volkswagen Golf | |
