Honda Civic sedans certainly don’t pack the “wow factor” in terms of style and performance. They’re really all about providing value. The 2020 Honda Civic sedan comes with excellent safety equipment, room to stretch your legs and some basic tech features, but everything about a base model Honda Civic sedan screams economy. So, how much would a 2020 Honda Civic sedan cost with all the top-level features and amenities added-on? What would that vehicle even look like?

There are five model trims to choose from in 2020. The base model costs just $20,650, but the best platform for features is the Touring model. This takes the MSRP up to $27,700 but adds satellite-linked navigation, LED headlights and 18-inch wheels. Let’s take an even closer look at the standard features on the 2020 Honda Civic sedan’s Touring model.

The 2020 Honda Civic sedan has great value. It’s a thrifty vehicle with excellent fuel economy, standard safety equipment, and great interior space. However, could it be more? If you added every big-ticket item Honda has to offer, would you get something that is greater than a value-minded economy car?

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2020 Honda Civic Sedan Tech Features

This 2020 Honda Civic comes with Android Auto and Apple Car Play connectivity. That’s one of the most sought-after tech features of 2020. You also get 2 USB ports. The 2020 Audi A3 sedan comes with a 10 speaker 180-Watt sound system, but the maxed-out Honda Civic comes with a 10 speaker 450-Watt sound system. So, that’s one point for Honda.

Safety Features

The Touring model comes with many of the same safety features as any new Honda Civic. You get lane departure warnings, forward collision warnings, a rearview camera, collision mitigation braking, and adaptive cruise control. Otherwise, there’s nothing on the Touring model that enhances vehicle safety for an added price. When compared to the 2020 Audi A3 sedan, that’s a big deal because Audi bundles safety features into packages that run up the cost considerably.

Interior Comfort

The 2020 Honda Civic Touring sedan has push-button ignition and sport pedals. You get a leather-wrapped steering wheel, matching shift knob and leather seating. The rear seats are 60/40 split-folding, but that feature doesn’t come standard on the base model. The Civic sedan is bare-bones on the inside and doesn’t compare with luxury sedans in this category. Even with a moonroof, you never get past the fact that you’re riding in an economy car.

Exterior Style Points

The exterior of the 2020 Honda Civic sedan gets slightly elevated above the economy when you equip it with the Touring model. It comes with chrome door handles, fog lights, and a decklid spoiler. There’s also a power moonroof. By comparison, even the base model 2020 Audi A3 sedan trumps the Civic in terms of sophistication and luxury. The style of the A3 sedan is more nuanced and elegant. There’s just no getting around it.

2020 Honda Civic Performance Options

The 2020 Honda Civic sedan comes with a fuel-efficient four-cylinder engine. The Touring variant swaps it out for a 1.5 Liter turbo that produces 174 horsepower and 162-pound feet of torque. If you’re looking for speed, then head across the showroom toward the Type R Civic. Otherwise, the 2020 Honda Civic sedan’s powertrain is built purely for reliability and fuel economy.

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Add-ons and Bonus Equipment

Building a pricey 2020 Honda Civic sedan is quite a challenge. That’s because Honda is so focused on providing value at every level that it’s difficult to splurge. The first thing you can do to improve the exterior is add the Red Fashion Accent package. This puts 15-spoke black alloy wheels with red lip, red accents in the front grille and red paneling on the interior. That comes at an added price of $2,465 and matches well with a red or black exterior paint.

A big-ticket item for the interior was the red illumination kit for the Civic sedan. It costs $1,014. Putting underbody spoilers on the front, rear and sides adds another $1,400, and makes the basic Civic sedan look more like its Type-R cousin. Throw in a wireless phone charger and your build price hovers around $33,000.

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Summing it Up

The modern day 2020 Honda Civic sedan looks more like a Honda Accord than the pinched economy beaters of yesterday. If you’re a fan of the brand, then you could get a decked out 2020 Honda Civic for about the same price as an entry level 2020 Audi A3 sedan. After throwing everything that could possibly be added a la carte onto the 2020 Honda Civic sedan, the final MSRP was just $34,012.

For that price, it becomes increasingly difficult to see the Honda Civic as a value vehicle. It’s not especially fast and it gains nothing in terms of safety or tech features. At it’s best, the maxed-out Honda Civic gets a body kit and an illuminated interior that might make an onscreen cameo in the next cheesy speed movie. It’s hardly a sophisticated sedan for adults, more like a mod car for teenaged auto enthusiasts.

If you’re looking for something more upscale, then opt for the base model 2020 Audi A3 sedan instead. If you’re after a thrilling driving experience, then you’d might as well get a 2020 Honda Civic Type-R. You’ll spend just as much money and have more fun. The bottom line is that the 2020 Honda Civic sedan can’t be made greater than the sum of its parts. Cheap is better in the case of the 2020 Honda Civic sedan. At the end of the day, maxing out everything will still leave you with a Civic.