The Hyundai Elantra and the Honda Civic are both in the same class. If you’ve shopped for a compact sedan there is a good chance both of these choices are on your radar. They each come at affordable prices, have good reliability ratings and satisfying safety scores.

These two sedans are similar in size and performance, but the Civic falls short of the Elantra in price, warranty coverage, and efficiency.

The Honda Civic is one of the most beloved sedans of all time, but the Hyundai actually has it beat in these key areas. Here’s some insight into how the Hyundai Elantra bests the globally favored Honda Civic.

How much does the Hyundai Elantra cost?

The Hyundai Elantra sports a nice, user friendly infotainment system as well as a competitive standard safety suite. While the interior quality may be slightly sub par to the Honda Civic’s, it is still comfortable and quiet. And a great deal.

The Hyundai Elantra’s starting price is $19,150. You can get one fully loaded for right at 24 grand. That’s around $5,000 less than a fully loaded Civic.

If you are looking to save a few bucks and you don’t mind slight sacrifice in apparent quality, the Hyundai Elantra will appeal to your frugal side.

The Elantra has a great warranty

Hyundai’s warranty tops lists year after year. The Hyundai Assurance and other coverage perks that Hyundai Motor Group offers with its factory warranty package are basically unbeatable.

If you factor in the 10 years, 100,000 miles of coverage that the Hyundai brand is known for, the deal gets that much sweeter. A fantastic factory warranty is a game-changing and practical focal point in terms of buying a new car.

With Hyundai up in the lead and Honda way down at the bottom as far as warranties go, the winner here is an absolute no-brainer.

The Hyundai Elantra gets better fuel economy

The Hyundai Elantra’s gas mileage surpasses the Honda Civic by a few miles per gallon both in the city as well as the highway. Compare the Elantra’s 31 city/41 highway mpg with the Civic’s 29 city/37 highway mpg. For a commuter car like these popular compact sedans every mile per gallon counts.

That’s dollars either added or taken away from your budget each month, and the car with better fuel efficiency is the more economical choice. Additionally, the Hyundai Elantra –– while not quite as exciting to drive as the Honda Civic –– is economical without sacrificing too much.

Its interior may not be anything to get amped over but it’s perfectly sufficient. The ride is quiet and the engine delivers enough power for performance with a suspension smooth enough for a gentle driving experience.

Is the Hyundai Elantra better than the Honda Civic?

The Hyundai model may not be the better sedan overall. In fact, many prefer the Honda Civic. Still, the Hyundai compact sedan is a popular choice for obvious reasons.

It really stands out in terms of pricing. If you want a comparable vehicle to the 2020 Civic Touring without the price tag close to 30 grand, you can opt for a fully loaded 2020 Elantra which will still come in under $25,000.