Pecheles Automotive Compares 2014 Toyota Corolla VS 2014 Honda Civic Near New Bern, NC

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, plastic fuel tanks, traction control and electronic stability systems to prevent skidding.

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:

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:

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

The Corolla comes with free roadside assistance for 2 years 25000 miles. Toyota will send help if you run out of gas, need a jump start, lock your keys in or need any assistance on the road. Honda doesn’t give free roadside assistance for the Civic.

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

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2013 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 6th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 1 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is ranked 8th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2013 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 third in reliability, above the industry average. With 7 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is ranked 7th.

On the EPA test cycle the Corolla L/LE/S Manual gets better fuel mileage than the Civic Manual (28 city/37 hwy vs. 28 city/36 hwy).

For better stopping power the Corolla’s standard brake rotors and drums are larger than those on the Civic:

The Corolla stops much shorter than the Civic:

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Corolla’s wheelbase is 1.2 inches longer than on the Civic Sedan (106.3 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

The Corolla LE Eco handles at .83 G’s, while the Civic EX Sedan pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Corolla LE Eco executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Civic EX Sedan (27.6 seconds @ .57 average G’s vs. 28.5 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

As tested by Car and Driver while under full throttle, the interior of the Corolla S is quieter than the Civic EX-L Sedan (77 vs. 78 dB).

The Corolla has .3 inches more front legroom, 2.5 inches more front hip room and 1.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Civic Sedan.

The Corolla has a larger trunk than the Civic Sedan (13 vs. 12.5 cubic feet).

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

The Smart Key System optional on the Corolla LE/LE Eco/S allows you to unlock the driver’s door, trunk and start the engine all without removing a key from pocket or purse. This eliminates searching for keys before loading groceries, getting in the vehicle in bad weather or making a hurried start to your trip. The Honda Civic’s available Smart Entry Keyless Remote doesn’t unlock the trunk.

Consumer Reports rated the Corolla’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Civic’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

The Corolla will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The Intellichoice estimates that the Corolla will retain 58.08% to 60.27% of its original price after five years, while the Civic only retains 45.96% to 52.15%.

Intellichoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Toyota Corolla will be $1744 to $10767 less than for the Honda Civic.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Toyota Corolla and the Honda Civic, based on reliability, safety and performance.