If you’re in the market for a compact sedan, then you’re in luck because there are plenty of great contenders vying for your attention. You can’t go wrong with a legendary stalwart like the Honda Civic and if you need something more capable, then the Subaru Impreza has you covered. And while the Civic has received its fair share of accolades over the past 20 years, the Impreza surprisingly bested it on Consumer Reports’ list of best sedans for 2022. Does that mean that the Impreza is better than the Civic?

The 2022 Subaru Impreza scored well with Consumer Reports

While most compact sedan shoppers might not give a second thought to the 2022 Subaru Impreza, Consumer Reports thinks that it’s worth some attention. According to the publication’s road test, the Impreza has a luxuriously comfortable ride, easy-to-use controls, an impressive amount of cabin space. The addition of Subaru’s EyeSight suite of driver-assist features only sweetens the deal, although Consumer Reports wished that it was standard across all trims.

Nonetheless, the Impreza still scored well on the list garnering an overall score of 81 out of 100 and an 85 out of 100 on the road test score. That’s not surprising since it received a 4 out of 5 in the ride and noise categories. And as far as reliability goes, prospective shoppers can rest assured as it scored a 4 out of 5 in the “predicted reliability” category, which was better than what the 2022 Civic received.

The 2022 Honda Civic ended up lower on the list

Out of the eight ranked compact sedans, the 2022 Honda Civic surprisingly ended up sixth on the list, bested by the likes of the Hyundai Elantra and Nissan Sentra. Consumer Reports rated the 2022 Civic an overall score of 70 out of 100, which was mainly due to its ride and handling characteristics. In the road test review, Consumer Reports noted that the Civic shined in the braking, handling, and fuel economy categories, but its cabin was noisy and its ride was uncomfortable.

On top of that, they also reported that the base Civic doesn’t come standard with some features like heated seats, a wireless phone charger, and blind sport warning – all of which are offered as standard equipment on some rivals. Additionally, the 2022 Civic scored a 3 out of 5 on the predicted reliability scale and a 2 out of 5 when it came to in-cabin noise. Those lower marks contributed to Civics lower overall score.

Does that mean that the Impreza is better than the Civic?

It depends on what you are looking for in a compact sedan. If you need all-wheel drive and a more spacious cabin, then you will likely find that the 2022 Impreza suits your needs well. However, the Honda faithful may find that the 2022 Civic works just fine, despite its louder cabin and choppier ride quality. Additionally, there’s still a lot to like about the Civic.

But if you’re the type that wants more of a luxurious ride out of your compact sedan, then the 2022 Subaru Impreza is a great pick. There’s a reason that it sits atop Consumer Reports’ list of best compact sedans.