Compare the2022 Toyota CorollaVS 2021 Honda Civic

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Toyota Corolla has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Civic doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Corolla has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Civic doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Corolla has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Civic doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Corolla (except L/Manual)’s optional rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Civic doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

The Corolla’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Civic doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Corolla and the Civic have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available blind spot warning systems.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Corolla is safer than the Honda Civic:

	Corolla	Civic
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	187	201
Neck Compression	50 lbs.	53 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	27%	34%
Leg Forces (l/r)	301/156 lbs.	445/224 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Corolla is safer than the Honda Civic:

	Corolla	Civic
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	92	204
Chest Movement	.9 inches	1 inches
Abdominal Force	129 lbs.	252 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	137	404
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	68 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	239	260
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	37 G’s
Hip Force	623 lbs.	727 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Corolla its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 80 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Civic is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2022.

Warranty

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Corolla for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Honda doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Civic.

There are over 16 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Honda dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Corolla’s warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Corolla’s reliability 20 points higher than the Civic.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Corolla second among compact cars in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The Civic isn’t in the top three.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in initial quality. With 7 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Honda is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Honda is ranked fifth.

Engine

As tested in Car and Driver the Corolla SE/XSE 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder is faster than the Civic Sedan 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder (automatics tested):

	Corolla	Civic
Zero to 60 MPH	7.9 sec	8.3 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	22.2 sec	22.6 sec
Quarter Mile	16.2 sec	16.5 sec

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Corolla gets better mileage than the Civic Sedan:

			MPG
Corolla
	Auto	SE 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	31 city/40 hwy
		XSE 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	31 city/38 hwy
		L/LE 1.8 DOHC 4-cyl.	30 city/38 hwy
Civic Sedan
	Auto	2.0 4-cyl.	30 city/38 hwy
		Touring 1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	30 city/38 hwy
		Sport 2.0 4-cyl.	29 city/37 hwy

On the EPA test cycle the Corolla gets better mileage than the Civic Hatchback:

			MPG
Corolla
	Auto	SE 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	31 city/40 hwy
		XSE 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	31 city/38 hwy
		L/LE 1.8 DOHC 4-cyl.	30 city/38 hwy
		XLE 1.8 DOHC 4-cyl.	29 city/37 hwy
Civic Hatchback
	Auto	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	29 city/35 hwy
		Touring 1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	30 city/38 hwy
		Sport 2.0 4-cyl.	29 city/37 hwy

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Corolla higher (5 to 7 out of 10) than the Honda Civic (3 to 7). This means the Corolla produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Civic every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Toyota Corolla has a downshift rev synchronizer that automatically raises engine speed to make downshifts perfectly smooth. This keeps the car from lurching during downshifts, preventing loss of control during cornering. The Civic doesn’t offer a downshift rev synchronizer.

Brakes and Stopping

The Corolla stops much shorter than the Civic:

	Corolla	Civic
70 to 0 MPH	163 feet	180 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	119 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend

Suspension and Handling

The Corolla Apex handles at .89 G’s, while the Civic Touring Sedan pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Chassis

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Corolla Apex is quieter than the Civic Sport Hatchback:

	Corolla	Civic
Full-Throttle	77 dB	85 dB
70 MPH Cruising	71 dB	73 dB

Passenger Space

The Corolla has .2 inches more front hip room and 4 inches more rear hip room than the Civic Sedan.

The front step up height for the Corolla is 3 inches lower than the Civic Hatchback (14.5” vs. 17.5”). The Corolla’s rear step up height is .2 inches lower than the Civic Hatchback’s (14.8” vs. 15”).

Cargo Capacity

The Corolla’s standard folding rear seats are split to accommodate bulky cargo. The Civic LX Sedan’s standard single piece folding rear seat is not as flexible; long cargo and a passenger can’t share the rear seat.

Ergonomics

The power windows standard on both the Corolla and the Civic have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Corolla is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Civic prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Corolla’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Civic’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Corolla XLE/XSE offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Civic doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Model Availability

The Toyota Corolla comes in sedan, four door hatchback and four door bodystyles; the Honda Civic isn’t available as a wagon.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Corolla owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Corolla with a number “3” insurance rate while the Civic is rated higher at a number “10” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Corolla is less expensive to operate than the Civic because typical repairs cost much less on the Corolla than the Civic, including $19 less for a water pump, $202 less for a starter, $68 less for a fuel pump, $12 less for front struts and $42 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

Both are recommended, but Consumer Reports® chose the Toyota Corolla as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Toyota Corolla outsold the Honda Civic by 11833 units during the 2021 model year.