Toyota Corolla vs. Honda Civic

Compare repair costs, reliability, and owner reviews

Toyota Corolla

$362
Average Annual
Repair Cost

Honda Civic

$368
Average Annual
Repair Cost

Overall Reliability Rating

4
1
2
Excellent
The Toyota Corolla Reliability Rating is 4.5 out of 5.0, which ranks it 1st out of 36 for compact cars. The average annual repair cost is $362 which means it has excellent ownership costs. The severity of repairs is low while frequency of those issues is average, so major issues are uncommon for the Corolla.
4
1
2
Excellent
The Honda Civic Reliability Rating is 4.5 out of 5.0, which ranks it 3rd out of 36 for compact cars. The average annual repair cost is $368 which means it has excellent ownership costs. The severity and frequency of repairs are both much lower than other vehicles, so the Civic is one of the more reliable vehicles on the road.
Cost
Average annual repairs total
$362
inexpensive
expensive
$368
inexpensive
expensive
Frequency
Average annual repair shop visits
0.35
not often
very often
0.22
not often
very often
Severity
Percentage of annual repairs that are urgent
7%
not urgent
urgent
10%
not urgent
urgent

Overall Car Ratings & Details

5 (32)
4 (89)
3 (48)
2 (17)
1 (3)
The Toyota Corolla ranks highest in safety and ranks lowest in performance.
“This is a great car with excellent gas mileage. I have about 71k miles on my corolla and I have not had anything problems with it.”
“This is a great car with excellent gas mileage. I have about 71k miles on my corolla and I have...”
5 (26)
4 (91)
3 (19)
2 (9)
1 (2)
The Honda Civic ranks highest in fuel economy and ranks lowest in value.
67% of reviewers would recommend this car.
“The Honda is excellent! The only problem is the exhaust, I have had it repaired FULLY three years ago and its falling apart again. other than that, the car always runs and never has any problems....”
“The Honda is excellent! The only problem is the exhaust, I have had it repaired FULLY three...”

Vehicle Comparison Rundown

Here we have two of the best-selling, most reliable compact sedans. In terms of safety, both the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic have been early adopters of advanced driver assistance features, such as collision prevention systems and land departure warnings. The Corolla comes with Toyota Safety Sense, and the Civic offers Honda Sensing. These technologies are worth having, and come either as standard equipment or at a reasonable cost.

The Toyota Corolla is best known for its qualities as a basic sedan. It might not be flashy, but you can usually count on the Corolla to get you where you need to go with minimal upkeep and few hassles for many years. It is the safe choice.

The Honda Civic, on the other hand, adds a little variety to the basic formula. In addition to a four-door sedan, the Civic also comes in a two-door coupe and a five-door hatchback. There are many trim levels, including the Si performance versions for those wanting something a bit sportier. The Civic offers a wider spectrum of options.

The choice may come down to how much character you need in a car.