Honda Civic Hatchback vs. Kia K4 Hatchback: Which Small Hatch Is Best?

If you want a little car to go a long way, buy something with a hatch. And these two? They're the best we get. We did a comparison with the sedan versions of these cars just last year, with the popular but underwhelming Toyota Corolla thrown in for good measure. And in that comparison, the Honda came in first, and despite its great value and style, the K4, it came in second. Now though, we're here with the hatchbacks, and they've gotten a few tweaks. So we're going to find out if that's enough to give the K4 a chance, or if the Honda is going to remain on top. We're Edmunds, and we test hundreds of cars each year on the road and at our private track, so you get the most trusted reviews. If you want to know which car, truck, or SUV is the best, then stick with us. The K4 hatchback starts at around 26k, but a fully loaded GT line turbo like this one, it's only going to set you back about 33 grand. Now notably, that's about $2,000 less than the Honda that we have here, and this has some cool stuff in it that the Civic does not. The feature per dollar value is great here, and it could be even better for you depending on dealers in your area. We've got tools on our site to help you find the price you should pay for any new car, so check out the description for links to both the K4 and the Civic, or just scan the QR code. Now the K4, it's techie, it's roomy, and you're getting a lot for your money, but there are a few things we've learned from living with it that might give you pause. Small car, big screen. The technology in this car is excellent. These dual 12.3-inch screens, they put the Honda's 9-inch screen to shame and make this thing feel about five years newer. Now the climate control screen though, we don't love because it gets blocked by the steering wheel, which is something that you need, and because of that, it's hard to see and also hard to reach. But otherwise, the control scheme in this vehicle is excellent. All the buttons and touch points, very easy to reach from the driver's seat. You're also going to get wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a wireless charging pad, and two USB-C charging ports, all standard. Sitting in here, this interior, it really reminds me of what you're getting in the Kia EV9, and that's a compliment because that SUV had one of our favorite cabins of any vehicle from the past few years. The materials, quality, and design that you're getting in the K4 is top-notch when you put it up against competitors, and it's hard to find any of the touch points that feel cheap, something that's rare in a compact car. Small item storage is also good because you're getting this nice fin right here. You can actually fold the cup holders away and it lets you put in larger items, and if you want to use them, they are big enough to fit a pretty big water bottle if you happen to carry one of those things around. I also am a big fan of these seats. They're quite comfortable and they come with ventilation in addition to heating. That's a feature that you're not going to find in the Civic or the Corolla. The K4 hatchback has a slightly higher roof than the sedan, and that means you're getting a little extra headroom back here and that you're getting a taller door opening, so that makes getting in and out easier, and it's also easier to load in a car seat. There is surprising room here in the back of the K4. One of our other staffers, they're over six feet tall, and they were able to fit behind themselves without issue, and that also means that you'll be able to fit something back here like a rear-facing child seat without having to push the passenger seat too far forward. Now the backseat recline angle, you can't change it, but the good news is it's naturally pretty comfortable. You can lean back and settle in, and there's even a little bit of bolstering as far as backseats and compacts go. This is about as good as it gets. However, if you're very tall, you're going to have to watch out for these seat backs because they're hard plastic. They've got no give to them at all. You should probably just sit behind whoever's shorter up front. Similar to the front of the car, here in the back of the K4, you're also getting extra features compared to the Civic. Here on the top trim level, you get rear air vents and a pair of USB-C charging ports and the tiniest storage bin known to mankind. On paper, this thing has a little less cargo room than the Honda, and we also measured the cargo opening. It's smaller as well, but what this has going for it is that the opening is more rectangular and squared off, and that means it could be easier to load larger items in the back here, provided that those larger items are not a golf bag because your clubs won't fit back here unless you take the woods out or you fold the seat down. Previously, we tested the Civic hatchback against the Civic sedan, and we found that you could fit six pieces of luggage in the hatchback's trunk. Now, how did the K4 do? We were only able to fit five pieces of the same luggage back here in large part because this cargo area isn't as deep as that in the Civic. It's about four inches shorter, and that means that we had to turn that big red bag sideways, and it just took up more space. Now, five bags is still pretty good for a compact car and impressive for the hatchback, considering this thing is 11 inches shorter than the sedan version, and that makes it much easier to park and get around town. Let's see if the way that this thing drives can match the way it looks. Now, this top trim level of the K4 doesn't just come with all of those tech goodies and interior niceties. It also means that you're getting the optional turbocharged engine under the hood, and that's a good thing because it makes an extra 43 horsepower and 63 pounds-feet of torque over the base engine, and with the base engine in this car, this thing feels slow. That doesn't mean that things are perfect here, though. The 0-60 time is 7.5 seconds, which is decent, but it just doesn't feel as quick as that when you're behind the wheel, and that's because there's a noticeable delay between when you hit the throttle and when you actually get going. And further complicating matters is that there's turbo lag, and what that means is that the engine, it takes a little bit of time to get up and start making its power, and you combine those things together, and it just doesn't feel as quick as it should. Both of the K4's GT trims do get a sport suspension with a multi-link rear, but that doesn't mean that it makes things sporty. There's still tons of body roll in this vehicle, and the steering, it's pretty numb without any feedback. This isn't really a fun car to drive on a mountain road, but that being said, the ride is decent enough, and for a day-to-day commute, it's totally fine. I do have to say, though, inside, this thing is a bit noisy. We test for sound at our test track, and at idle and while accelerating, the K4 is louder than the Civic, though at highway speeds, they're both about the same. However, when it comes to driver aids, the K4 clearly has the Honda beat. In the top trim level here, you're going to get a surround view camera, rear automatic braking, automatic lane changes on the highway, and a blind spot monitor. And that means that when you activate your turn signal, you actually get a little live view of your blind spot here in the instrument cluster. And those are all features that you're not going to find anywhere in the Civic. And just like in other Kias, we like that these features, they just simply work and mostly stay out of the way. Here in the K4, the systems actually take worries away from the driver, unlike over active safety systems, which can just kind of bug you all the time. So while the K4's performance might not match its sporty hot hatch looks, there's still plenty to like here in the Kia. It's got great value and excellent interior, and for day to day driving, we think you're going to be totally happy in the K4. The Honda Civic Hatchback, it starts at around $29,000, but this top of the line sport touring trim, it'll cost you just under $35,000. That is about two grand more than you're going to pay for that Kia, but it might be worth it. If you're looking for substance over flash, this might be the poster child. Check these out. Climate controls that aren't in a screen. I feel like we should throw a party or something. Now, this is a car that we know very well because it's a part of our one year road test fleet, where we keep a car for a year and 20,000 miles to find out what it's like to live with day to day. And in this hatchback's time with us, our fondness for it has just continued to grow. Just like the exterior, the interior of the Civic, it's understated compared to its Kia rival, but it is highly functional. Buttons for the HVAC, clearly labeled controls that are exactly where you expect them to be. It's just an easy car to live with. And these real metal knobs and this metal trim over the air vents, it gives this thing a very refined feel. And the way that these things click when you turn them, I just love that. It's super satisfying. The Kia, it feels a class above because of all the features that you're getting. In the Civic, it feels the same way, but for a different reason. It's addition by subtraction. It's got everything you need and nothing that you don't. Well, except that is for the screen. Now, this nine inch screen, it already feels small by modern standards. Even if we really do like the placement of it, it's high up on the dash, where it's easy to see without having to take your eyes too far off of the road. Honda offers a larger 12 inch touchscreen in the Accord. And we think that thing would be just right at home right here. Now, this being the top trim level of the Civic, you're also going to get the good infotainment system with Google integration. So that means Google Maps, the Google Play Store and the Google Voice Assistant. And Honda is going to give you three years of free data to power that. The problem is, though, that if you get any other trim level of the Civic, you're actually going to drop down to a seven inch screen with a much worse infotainment system. And you're also not going to get wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto or a wireless charging pad. And if you remember, all three of those things came standard on every K4. The front seats in the Civic are also pretty comfortable, even though the driver's seat, it lacks adjustable lumbar support, which is a surprising omission for a vehicle at this price. And they come with heating, but you can't get ventilation like you do in the Kia. Small item storage in the Civic is good, but not great. You're not getting that cool, flexible center bin, but you are getting a wireless charging pad that's nicely rubberized for your phone, won't slide around and cup holders that are still big enough to fit this big water bottle, along with a decently sized center bin. Remember what the back of the K4 center console look like? Well, take a look at this. Nada. That's right. No rear air vents, no rear charging. This is as lo-fi as a backseat can get these days. And if I was picking between these two cars, that might settle it just about immediately. Now the Civic, it does also have large door openings, so it's very easy to climb in and out and to load in a car seat. But it's noticeably less roomy back here than it is in the Kia. However, I'm just under six feet tall, and as you can see, I've got enough legroom and headroom with this seat set where I like to drive. So most adults, they should still be pretty comfortable. But if you have a rear facing car seat installed, we should note that you're probably going to have to move this seat forward to accommodate it. And in that scenario, the taller person, they should probably drive. Just like in the Kia, these back seats don't recline, but they do sit at a pretty natural and comfortable position. And they have just a little bit of bolstering so you won't be sliding around. However, overall, I think it's pretty apparent that the advantage in the back seat is going to go to the Kia. It's got more features, it's got more room, and it's just got more to like all around. The cargo area in the Civic is noticeably larger. It's got a wider and taller cargo opening and a deeper and wider cargo space than what you're getting in the K4 as well. That means that I could fit my golf clubs back in here just fine, and it also handles an extra piece of luggage compared to the Kia. Neither of these cargo areas has very many features, but the Honda does have one that we really love, and it's this cargo cover. So when it's deployed, it will hide all your stuff from prying eyes. And if you don't want to use it, it just slides out of the way like this. In this little module, you can pop it out just as easily. This is a much better and smarter solution than that big cargo cover we had to wrestle out of the back of the K4. When I say that I love the way that this thing drives, I really, really mean it. Just like in the Kia, the base engine in the Civic, it's going to be too slow, especially if you try the upgraded powertrain. But instead of getting a turbo 4, what you're getting in the Civic is an excellent hybrid system. And it's a bit different than most other hybrids because the gas engine, it doesn't really power the front wheels at all. It's mostly just sending power to the electric motor. And that means that this thing feels very, very responsive off the line, in a way that the K4 doesn't. Now, even though these two vehicles, they have pretty similar zero to 60 times, the Civic, it actually feels quicker from behind the wheel than its numbers would suggest. We much prefer the comfort and handling of the Civic to the K4 as well. This thing has a ride quality that's befitting of a vehicle that costs twice as much. It eats up rough roads without jostling the cabin. And that doesn't come at the expense of fun. This thing has much better handling and agility than you think, with great steering that comes with plenty of feedback. The harder that you push this car when you're driving, the better it feels. And it's the opposite in the Kia. Now, not everything is positive. As we mentioned before, there are many fewer driver aids than the ones that are in here. They don't work quite as well. The adaptive cruise control on the highway, for example, it's not as smooth when you're accelerating or braking. And the lane keep assist is really busy. So while it might not offer the latest tech, the Civic Hybrid is still a really solid all-around car with few faults. And from behind the wheel, it's actually hard to imagine picking anything else. That's how well it drives. Before we get into value and share our verdict, we just want to thank you for checking out our videos. And if you find them useful, give us a like and subscribe. That's the best way to help us make more of them. If you have any questions about these two cars, ideas for future comparisons, or if you're a hatchback enthusiast like me, please let us know in the comments below. We do read them all. When it comes to how much car you're getting for your dollar, the Kia is a clear winner here, as many Kias are. Both of these cars are fully loaded. In the K4, it costs a couple grand less, even though it's got more features than the Civic, including stuff the Honda doesn't even offer, like a surround-view camera system, ventilated front seats, and those bigger screens. And on the bottom end, the base K4 is going to give you a lot more stuff than a base Civic ever will. We don't normally recommend a top trim level of most cars, but for the K4, it's going to be an exception because you're getting so much good stuff in this GT-Line Turbo. And there's also the fact that if you just go for a normal GT-Line with the base engine, if you add on enough packages to get the same level of equipment, you're only going to save about 800 bucks. And having driven both of these engines, that is a worthy price to pay for a much better experience behind the wheel. Plus, you're also getting Kia's excellent warranty. It's basically double what you're getting with the Honda. The Civic hatchback starts at around three grand more than the K4 does, and that Civic Sport hatchback, that's not the one that you want. You should probably at least upgrade to the Civic Sport Hybrid so you get the better powertrain and the better fuel economy. And just like the K4, we're actually going to recommend the top trim level of this Civic, the Sport Touring, and that's because it's the only way to get the good infotainment system with the larger screen. That's also going to add in important features like leather upholstery, a wireless charging pad, and front and rear parking sensors, which are especially important because it doesn't offer a surround view camera. The Civic certainly lives up to its price tag, and against most competitors, we'd say it offers good value. It's just that up against that Kia, it's lacking. There is one way in which the Civic strikes back when it comes to value in a big way, and that is at the pump. And that's because the K4, it doesn't offer a hybrid model, and even both gas models of the K4, they're well behind the gas Civic when it comes to efficiency. So what does this mean for you? It means that if you choose a K4 Turbo, and you drive a decent amount at national average fuel prices, you'll save about $700 a year on gas going for the Civic Hybrid, and about $300 a year going with the gas Civic. And that means that you'll be able to make up the price difference between these two vehicles in just under three years. It's time to check out all the scores. The K4's biggest wins come in technology and value, two areas in which we consider it to be best in class when it comes to hatchbacks. The Civic, it offers a superior driving experience, and it also scores big wins in efficiency and in x-factor, which is a more subjective measure of a car's appeal. This thing drives so well that it leaves a great first, fifth, hundredth impression on all the members of our staff. And if you want to see our full rankings, as well as ratings and reviews for every hatchback competitor, you can always find those on our site, and we update them regularly. Now, let's check out the overall scores. The Kia's overall score of 7.8 is great, but it's going to fall just short in this comparison. But that's not to say that there aren't compelling reasons to choose the Kia. It's got great features for money, I love the styling inside and out, and it's got the clearly better backseat of these two. If you were to choose one of these over the Honda, I wouldn't fault you for it in the slightest. But this Civic, it is undeniable. Getting almost 50 mpg in a car that offers a high-quality interior, flexible cargo area, and an engaging and fun driving experience, this thing, it's the total package. There's a reason that this can never be found in the Edmunds garage, and it's always in someone's driveway, because it's an absolute joy to live with. Thanks for watching, and we'll see you soon.