Honda Civic vs Toyota GR86

It’s been almost half a decade since Honda introduced this latest Civic. That’s hard to believe, because this car has aged with remarkable grace. After a mild update for the 2025 model year, the 2026 Civic lineup carries over unchanged. It continues to offer sedans and hatchbacks, with or without hybrid power. Sporty Si and performance-tuned Type R variants are also available, but Honda still doesn’t offer the Civic with all-wheel drive. Does that matter? Seemingly not, because the Civic is Honda’s second-best-selling car (behind the CR-V), and one of the top-selling compact cars in America.

Verdict: You’ll pay a premium to buy a Honda Civic. In many ways, it’s worth the extra money. In others, not so much. Still, while there are better deals in the compact car class, few are as satisfying to drive, and that’s true even when the Civic is equipped with its base engine.

The GR86 puts driver engagement first and practicality last. It offers fantastic handling, especially at the limit, and while power is modest, it’s delivered to maximize the fun. Buyers can choose all-season tires for tail-out fun or summer-performance tires for quicker track times. While the GR86 has four seats, it realistically seats two, but that’s OK because the GR86 is all about pleasing the driver.

Verdict: If driver engagement is at the top of the shopping list, the Toyota GR86 is one of the best choices on the market. It lacks practicality and its ride can be overly firm, but the GR86 delivers driving fun without big power.