Civic Takes on Corolla in Battle of Best-Selling Compacts
Civic wins virtually every category in latest installment of compact car battle that’s been raging on for decades now.
In the compact car world, both the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla have dominated the sales charts and gone head-to-head for decades now. These reliable, economical, and affordable transportation options have also served as many “first” cars for a lot of folks over the years. But times have changed, of course, and that makes us wonder who currently has the upper hand in this epic, never-ending battle royale. Thankfully, this recent comparison test from The Straight Pipes is here to give us a much-needed update.
Neither of these cars is known for barn-burning performance, of course. But the Civic does edge out the Corolla in terms of power. “The Civic has 174 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque from a 1.5-liter turbo four-cylinder,” our reviewer notes. “The Corolla has 169 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque from a 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder.” In the real world, that gap grows larger. “If you rip if off the line, the Civic wins every time by a whole bunch. With only five more horsepower, that’s actually really impressive.”
Naturally, that edge parlays into the everyday driving experience as well. “The Civic is the one that’s slightly more fun,” our reviewer notes. “I could just wait for that turbo to spool up, and it handles just a little bit better. So if you do care about that stuff, I would highly recommend the Civic over the Corolla.” And let’s be honest – who doesn’t care about that stuff?
But the Civic doesn’t just win out in the performance category. “I find myself more comfortable in the Civic seats,” our reviewer says. “I have more legroom in the Civic.” The Civic also has Android Auto, which the Corolla does not, which is a big deal for those who aren’t on the Apple train. And our reviewers prefer the Civic’s sound system as well.
Sadly for the Corolla, that isn’t all, either. “The Civic does have more trunk space,” our reviewer points out. “I think it’s better configured. It has the same awesome cup holder that we love from every one we’ve ever driven. I also personally prefer the steering and the shape of the paddles. I think the gauges look so much better. Prefer the look of the Civic’s interior, to be honest.”
Pretty much the only thing our reviewers like more about the Toyota is its styling, which is subjective. Otherwise, well, it’s pretty obvious who the overall winner is in this case. And in a segment that’s always been about big-time volume, that’s an awfully important victory.
Screengrabs: The Straight Pipes / YouTube
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