2021 Honda Civic vs 2022 Toyota Corolla

The 2021 Honda Civic had a history of segment-defining models, with notable versions released in 1973, 1984, 1992, 2006, and 2016. The 10th-generation Civic, introduced in 2016, continued to polarize opinions with its bold styling. By 2021, the Civic was available in sedan, hatchback, and performance-tuned Type R formats, though the coupe and Civic Si were discontinued. The sedan came in LX, Sport, EX, EX-L, and Touring trims, with prices ranging from $21,250 to $28,300, excluding a $995 destination charge. The Touring trim, tested in Cosmic Blue Metallic, cost $29,690. The Civic's interior, though showing its age, featured quality materials and thoughtful design. The exterior, with its 18-inch wheels, looked appealing from some angles but less so from others.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla, launched as a hatchback in 2019 and a sedan in 2020, aimed to shed Toyota's "boring" reputation with extroverted styling, including LED headlights and a wide grille. The SE and XSE trims had an aggressive front fascia, while the Nightshade and Apex Editions added unique styling elements. The Apex Edition, tested in Cement gray, featured a sport exhaust system and model-specific suspension, enhancing its sporty appearance. The Corolla's interior, though less imaginative, had a simple and appealing look. However, the piano black plastic trim was prone to dust and smudges. The SE Apex Edition's interior was similar to the standard SE, with light gray upholstery that seemed prone to stains.

The 2021 Honda Civic offered two engine options. The LX and Sport trims had a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 158 horsepower and 138 pound-feet of torque, paired with a CVT. The EX, EX-L, and Touring trims featured a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 174 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. The turbo engine, combined with the sophisticated suspension and 18-inch wheels, made the Civic quick and enjoyable to drive. However, the CVT was a drawback, with a sloppy shift lever and droning noise. Despite this, the Civic achieved impressive fuel economy, averaging 34.8 mpg on a 140-mile loop, surpassing the EPA estimate of 33 mpg.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla sedan had two engine options. The L, LE, and XLE trims had a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with 139 horsepower and 126 pound-feet of torque. The SE and XSE trims featured a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 169 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque. The SE Apex Edition, tested with a manual transmission, had a sport exhaust system and model-specific suspension, enhancing its handling and nimbleness. However, the Apex Edition's ride quality was stiffer, and the engine lacked power during acceleration. The manual transmission helped manage the limited power, making the Apex Edition fun in corners but less exciting in straight-line performance.

The 2021 Honda Civic sedan sat low to the ground, making entry and exit a bit challenging. The driver's seat offered eight-way power adjustment, but the front passenger seat lacked height adjustment. The rear seats were roomy, with excellent thigh support and a comfortable backrest angle, though rear air conditioning vents were absent. The center console provided ample storage space, and the trunk offered 15.1 cubic feet of cargo space, reduced to 14.7 cubic feet in the Touring trim due to the premium sound system.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla's interior felt decently roomy, with a low beltline aiding visibility. However, the steeply raked windshield and deep dashboard limited forward visibility. The driver's seat was positioned optimally, but long-legged drivers might find knee space lacking. The front and rear seat cushions were squishy and not very supportive. The Corolla sedan's 13.1 cubic feet of cargo space was less than competitors like the Civic. The center console was thin, with limited storage space for smaller items, and the angled phone tray was too small and oddly shaped.

The 2021 Honda Civic's technology was showing its age. The base LX trim had a 5-inch LCD screen, Bluetooth, and a 1.0-amp USB port. The Sport trim upgraded to a 7-inch touchscreen, eight-speaker sound system, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a 1.5-amp USB port. The EX trim added HD Radio and SiriusXM, while the Touring trim included navigation, digital traffic, and a 10-speaker premium audio system. The voice recognition system in the Touring trim was unsophisticated, and the premium sound system was nice but not essential.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla's infotainment system was also lagging behind competitors. The base L trim had a 7-inch touchscreen, while other trims had an 8-inch touchscreen. Standard features included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, WiFi connectivity, Amazon Alexa integration, and SiriusXM, with a six-speaker audio system. A nine-speaker, 800-watt JBL audio system was available on higher trims. The interface was user-friendly, but some tasks were more challenging than in other systems. The graphics looked dated, and wireless versions of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were not available. The Corolla also lacked novel features like Hyundai's Digital Key.

The 2021 Honda Civic came standard with Honda Sensing, a suite of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, and automatic high beams. The Civic also offered LaneWatch, a camera-based blind-spot monitoring system, but it had limitations. The Civic earned a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS and five-star ratings from the NHTSA in all assessments.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla received a Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS, with top scores in all crash tests but lower ratings for headlights. The NHTSA gave the Corolla five-star overall safety ratings, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests and four stars in rollover tests. The Corolla came standard with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning with steering assist, automatic high beams, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and traffic-sign recognition. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert was available but not standard on all trims.