Honda Civic vs Toyota Corolla Altis

Forget about supercar rivalries. This is where the real blows are exchanged.  It’s not just the competition that is intense. The customers are extremely demanding too. And yet every year, these companies keep updating their cars to give their customers the best features at the cheapest prices.

Honda and Toyota have been locking horns since ancient times. And just like many great rivalries, they have come to resemble each other in more ways than one. This makes choosing between them a very difficult task indeed. So, here is a guide to break it down for you.

Design

The current Toyota Corolla or Altis as it is now known is not much to look at. Maybe understated is a better way of putting it. The front cuts a handsome figure without going overboard. The sides do feel ignored. The Honda Civic, on the other hand, is striking. Its exteriors scream of its sporty intentions with the low front end, gaping intakes, sleek fastback like body, bold lines and extreme Type R style rear. It is eye-catching but also polarizing. Many would think that it is over stylized and they may not be entirely wrong.

Interior

The interior of both the cars lends a premium feel with a mix of soft as well as hard touch materials and the sprinkling of shiny and leather surfaces. The differences, however, are not hard to miss. The  Corolla Altis' dash is more upright and dominated by the huge infotainment display coupled to 6 speakers doing audio duty. The Honda has a curvier take on the dash and has a 7-inch tablet like screen handling the infotainment mated to 6 speakers. The Honda, however, has a more futuristic gauge cluster. It also comes equipped with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Toyota has to do with its proprietary Mirrorlink system. But it does have physical audio controls, unlike the Honda.

The Honda, however, seems to be roomier. The seating is lower and with the telescopically adjustable steering, also more comfortable. Rear seats are lower too meaning that the coupe-like rear does not come at the cost of rear headroom. The greenhouse also makes it seem much bigger. The Toyota is equally spacious. The driver seat is 8 way adjustable. The flat floor in the rear makes it comfortable for three. The trunk is especially large at 470 litres compared to the 428 in the Civic. Both do allow the seats to be folded flat to make more room.       

Engine and performance

There are two engines on offer in the Toyota. There is the 2.0-litre 4-cylinder Dual VVT-i engine making 145 PS at 6200 rpm and 187 Nm of torque at 3600 rpm and the smaller 1.6-litre 4-cylinder producing 122 PS at 6000 rpm and 154 Nm of torque at 5200 rpm. Power is delivered to the front wheel through a 7-speed CVT. The Honda, on the other hand, has a 1.8-litre engine producing 141 PS at 6500 rpm and 174 Nm of torque at 4300 rpm or a 1.5-litre Earth Dreams VTEC Turbo producing 173 PS at 5500 rpm and 220 Nm of torque between 1700 and 5500 rpm. This makes Honda, the undisputed winner between the two when it comes to power. It also explains the presence of the Sport setting in the Honda. Thanks to the Earth Dreams CVT, the Honda also returns 10.3 kmpl on city roads and 17 kmpl on highways. The Toyota can only manage 8.6 kmpl on the city and 15.3 kmpl on the highways.

The Honda has clear inclinations towards being a sporty performer. Its wide stance and low center of gravity offer a sporty ride that punches above its weight. The Toyota meanwhile focuses on giving its riders a comfortable ride, cocooned in its nice sound insulated interior.  

Safety and miscellaneous

Toyota is decently equipped when it comes to safety. There are airbags for both the driver and the passenger along with side, curtain, and knee airbags. There is ABS with EBD and brake assist along with parking sensors. On the top of these, the Honda comes with auto brake hold, hill starts assist, vehicle start assist, an emergency stop signal and reversing camera with a multi view and dynamic guidelines. Again the Honda seems to be the clear winner here. And indeed with prices hovering around the Php 1200000 for the most well-equipped variants of both, you will have to look for some very good reasons to decide on the Toyota. One of these reasons could be the higher reliability ratings garnered by the Toyota. For these people, the stress-free live in experience with the Toyota Altis is all they need. For people looking for a little more thrill, the Honda will do nicely.