With 2016 just around the corner, fans across the world are looking forward to the release of new vehicles in the C-segment.
Known as the middle class family segment, the C-segment is the one that produces the most mass market vehicles. Two of those include the newly announced 2016 Honda Civic and the 2016 Toyota Prius. One of them is a plug-in vehicle, while the other is a standard diesel and gasoline vehicle. So how do they stack up?
Let’s start from the engine and powertrain options. The 2016 Honda Civic will reportedly feature two different options. The first one is the standard 2.0-liter engine with four cylinders with Honda’s signature “continuously variable transmission” or CTV automatic gearbox. The standard 2.0-liter engine will also be offered with a six speed manual transmission. The option is left to the driver. The second engine is the newly developed 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine that is only available with an automatic transmission.
The 2016 Toyota Prius, on the other hand, will be offered with what Toyota calls a “greener” engine. Under the hood, the 2016 Prius features a 1.8-liter engine with internal combustion. Thanks to an Atkinson-style system of the engine, the 2016 Prius will offer better thermal efficiency of up to 40%. Toyota claims that the engine will make the Prius more efficient during specific conditions, but the company is not revealing the conditions.
On the technology side, the two cars offer different benefits for the driver and the passengers. The 2016 Honda Civic, for example, offers better interior technology with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay installed within the Display Audio System. With the features Honda claims that the passengers will feel pleasant when they are on a long drive. ON the other hand, the 2016 Toyota Prius offers all-wheel drive, something that gives the driver much better control when maneuvering the roads.
In terms of importance to the company, one can say that the 2016 Civic is more important to Honda than the 2016 Prius is to Toyota. The sales of the last generation Civic were dismal and Honda desperately needs the 2016 Honda Civic to be a success. On the other hand, Toyota has continuity on its side, as the previous version of the Prius was widely regarded as the best hybrid on the market. With that being said, Toyota will have to make sure that the 2016 Prius is also a success story. Luckily for Toyota, prospective buyers and fans are already hooked up on the concept of the Prius.