2022 Honda Civic Hatchback vs 2023 Chrysler 300

The 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback emerged during a period when hatchbacks were losing popularity in North America, with many automakers discontinuing them in favour of small crossover SUVs. Despite this trend, Honda saw an opportunity to capture a significant portion of the remaining market with its redesigned Civic hatchback, which was produced in Indiana. This model shared its front design with the Civic sedan but featured unique elements from the front doors to the rear, aiming to solve the visual imbalance common in small hatchbacks. Inside, the Civic hatch mirrored the sedan's interior, with Sport Touring trim offering advanced digital instrumentation and infotainment displays, enhancing its modern appeal. However, the CVT shifter operation slightly detracted from the overall sophistication.

In contrast, the 2023 Chrysler 300, which had been likened to a Bentley upon its 2005 debut, maintained its classic styling over the years. Despite its age, the 300 continued to impress with its bold design and blacked-out appearance options. For its final production year, the 300 was available in several trims, with the 300C standing out due to its powerful V8 engine and performance enhancements. While the exterior promised luxury, the interior quality did not fully match, though it featured premium materials like carbon-fibre trim and Laguna leather upholstery. The 300C's cabin, however, showed its age with limited storage options and a lack of modern conveniences like a heated steering wheel.

The 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback offered a choice between a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with 158 horsepower and a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine producing 180 horsepower. The latter, available in Sport and Sport Touring trims, provided accessible torque from 1,700 to 4,500 rpm, enhancing driving enjoyment. The Civic hatchback was front-wheel drive, with no all-wheel drive option, and featured a well-tuned suspension system. The CVT worked well with the turbo engine, while the six-speed manual transmission was praised for its smooth operation. Despite its sporty appeal, the Civic hatchback was more of a compliant daily driver than a performance car, with brakes that faded under hard use. Fuel efficiency was commendable, with real-world testing nearly matching official estimates.

The 2023 Chrysler 300C revived the spirit of the 300 SRT with its 6.4-litre Hemi V8 engine, delivering 485 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque. This powertrain enabled a 4.5-second sprint to 100 km/h and a top speed of 257 km/h. The 300C featured an adaptive damping suspension, Brembo brakes, and performance tires, with driving modes to tailor the experience. However, the car's rear-wheel drive setup required careful throttle application to maintain grip. The 300C's performance was exhilarating, but it came at the cost of cabin noise and fuel economy, with a combined rating of 13.1 L/100 km.

The 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback excelled in functionality, offering a generous 693-litre trunk and a two-piece cargo shade. The back seat featured a 60/40-split folding design, though the load floor was not flat. While seating was comfortable, the front passenger seat lacked height adjustment, and rear passengers missed air conditioning vents. The driver enjoyed an eight-way power-adjustable seat, with heated front and rear seats in the Sport Touring trim. The interior featured a mix of fabric and leather upholstery, with automatic climate control standard across trims.

The 2023 Chrysler 300, despite being a full-size car, felt spacious only in the front seats, which offered power adjustments, heating, and ventilation. The rear seats were less accommodating, with limited legroom and a slouch-inducing backrest angle. Storage was minimal, with no modern smartphone slots or wireless charging. The trunk provided 461 litres of cargo space, with enclosed lid hinges to protect belongings. The 300C's interior featured premium materials but lacked some conveniences like a heated steering wheel.

The 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback introduced a new infotainment system, with a 7-inch touchscreen in lower trims and a 9-inch display in the Sport Touring. The latter offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM, navigation, and a 12-speaker Bose audio system. Physical knobs for sound controls improved usability, and the voice recognition system performed well. Digital instrumentation varied by trim, with the Sport Touring featuring a comprehensive 10.2-inch display.

The 2023 Chrysler 300 used an older Uconnect infotainment system with an 8.4-inch touchscreen. It offered Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM, and navigation, but the graphics were dated. The 300C included an SRT Dashboard for performance settings and a 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. Climate controls were separate from the touchscreen, but seat heating and ventilation required menu navigation. A speed warning feature was helpful, though the lack of a surround-view camera system was a drawback.

The 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback came equipped with the Honda Sensing suite, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, and lane-keeping assist. New features like low-speed following and Traffic Jam Assist were available with the CVT. The Civic hatchback earned a "Top Safety Pick+" rating from the IIHS, thanks to its advanced safety engineering and effective driver aids.

The 2023 Chrysler 300 offered optional safety features, with the SafetyTec Plus Group adding forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and more. The lane-keeping assist system was useful, but the adaptive cruise control was less sophisticated. The 300's crash-test ratings were outdated, with a Marginal rating in the IIHS moderate-overlap test and Poor headlight performance.