Toyota Corolla hatchback VS Honda Civic hatchback full comparison

Hatchback cars are among the best alternatives for the now popular Crossover SUVs, there are however not many options in the hatchback to choose from like you get in the Crossover category. Toyota and Honda however are still offering very good hatchbacks, that is the Toyota Corolla hatchback and the Honda Civic hatchback.

In this article, we will compare the two by having a side-to-side look at their interior, exterior, and engine features plus safety tech, drive quality, and pricing. By the end, you will be able to make a perfect decision on what to choose between the Honda Civic hatchback and the Toyota Corolla hatchback.

The Toyota Corolla hatchback comes in two trims, the base trim being the SE and XSE being the highest trim level. Trims on the Honda Civic hatchback are; LX, Sport, EX-L, and Sport Touring.

1. Toyota Corolla hatchback vs Honda Civic hatchback Exterior

The exterior of the two cars is slightly styled different, the Corolla hatchback has a more sporty look with a traditional hatchback look at the back. The Civic hatchback on the other hand has a slight sporty look back its rear is styled more like a Sportback rather than a hatchback.

A Blue Honda Civic

Also, check Toyota Corolla hatchback vs Mazda 3 hatchback.

Here is comparison of different exterior features of two vehicles:

Both are 5 doors hatchback cars
The ground clearance of the Corolla hatchback is 5.1 inches while that of the Civic hatchback is upto 6.7 inches
Honda Civic hatchback comes with day time running lights which are not available on the Corolla hatchback
On the front, the Civic has two grills while the Corolla has only one huge one
On both vehicles, you get 16 inch alloy wheels on the base trims, the higher trims come with 18 inch alloy wheels
On the Civic hatchback, you get a Sunroof on high trims, the Corolla hatchback on the other hand does not offer a sunroof
For some extra pay, you can get a black roof and spoiler on the hatchback Corolla, this options are not available for the Civic hatchback
The Civic does not have the adaptive light control that is on the Corolla, you instead get Auto high-beam headlights

Toyota Corolla hatchback with a black roof.

2. Honda Civic hatchback vs Toyota Corolla hatchback interior

The Honda Civic hatchback wins by far when it comes to the interior, you will get more space than in the Toyota Corolla, and above that, the Corolla hatchback has soft finish materials that feel premium compared to the cheap plastics and little soft finish materials on the Corolla hatchback.

Corolla hatchback interior.

Below is a look at how the Honda Civic hatchback and the Toyota Corolla hatchback interior compare:

Both are 5 seater cars(two front and three on the rear)
The legroom on the front seats of both vehicles is okay
For the rear seats, the Corolla hatchback has just okay legroom and might feel uncomfortable for long distance travels. For the Civic hatchback, the passengers have a great space on the rear and will enjoy the rides
Headroom is good on both cars
The cargo space on Civic is way better, you get 25.7 Cubic feet while that of the Corolla is 17.8 Cubic feet. Cargo space can be increased on both vehicles by folding the rear seats
The Honda Civic hatchback has a noticeable honeycomb vent on the dashboard
You will get a 7 or 9 inch infotainment system on the Civic hatchback while that of the Corolla hatchback is 8 inches
Android auto and Apple Carplay are available on both vehicles
Heated front seats are available on higher trims only
The Bose music system available on higher trims of the Civic hatchback is better than the JBL on the Corolla hatchback

Honda Civic interior.

3. Honda Civic hatchback Vs Toyota Corolla hatchback engine

As we have seen above, there are slight differences in the interior and exterior of these two hatchbacks, same case applies to the engine. If you are looking for power, the turbocharged engine option on the Honda Civic might be the best pick.

Here is a look at the engine specs of the two cars:

For the Corolla hatchback, you only get a naturally aspirated 2.0L engine. The Honda Civic comes with two options, that is the 2.0L naturally aspirated engine and the 1.5L turbocharged engine
Power from the Civic is either 158hp or 180hp for the Corolla, you get 169hp
Corolla hatchback has a torque of 151 lb-ft while that of the Civic hatchback is 138 lb-ft to 177 lb-ft
The Civic comes with a CVT transmission with a few 6 speed manuals available, the Corolla comes with a CVT too, however, models below 2023 hand a manual transmission option
Fuel consumption of the Honda Civic is between 31 MPG to 38 MPG while that of the Corolla is 30 MPG to 35 MPG
Both cars come with FWD option only

4. Safety tech on the Civic hatchback and Corolla hatchback compared

The Corolla hatchback comes with the latest Toyota Safety Sense, which includes; Cruise control, Autonomous braking, Active lane centering, Lane keep assist, Cross traffic alerts, Pedestrian detection and Blind spot monitoring on highest trims.

On the Honda Civic hatchback, you get Honda sensing technology, this tech includes; Collision Mitigation Braking System, Forward Collision Warning, Road Departure Mitigation System, Lane Departure Warning, Adaptive Cruise Control, and Lane Keeping Assist System.

5. Honda Civic hatchback and Toyota Corolla hatchback drive compared

With a CVT transmission, both cars will give you a smooth drive that will not be as engaging as you would get say in a Mazda 3 that comes with an automatic transmission. The suspension on both does a good job and you will enjoy a comfortable ride in both.

When it comes to handling, both vehicles are good but the Honda Civic has a slight edge over the Toyota Corolla hatchback. The Body roll on both vehicles is also low. That being said, you should not expect to push these vehicles to the level of sports cars.

6. Corolla hatchback vs Civic hatchback Reliability

Honda and Toyota are known to make reliable cars globally and these hatchbacks are no exception, the vehicles will serve you for a long life as far as you do the normal servicing. The Corolla hatchback might however serve you with even more less issues.

Owners of the Corolla hatchback have reported slight issues with their vehicles such as rough CVT shift, other than that, there haven’t been major complaints. Some issues reported for the Civic hatchback include vibration and airbag light that can be fixed with a quick repair.

7. Civic hatchback and Corolla hatchback Pricing

When it comes to pricing, the Toyota Corolla hatchback comes at a lower price than the Civic hatchback. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price of the Corolla hatchback is from $23,355 for the base trim while that of the Honda Civic hatchback is $24,950 for the base trim.

Conclusion

The Honda Civic hatchback seems to win in most options when compared to the Toyota Corolla hatchback, for example, it is more spacious, has premium feel soft interior finishes, and has a powerful turbocharged option. That being said, the Corolla is also quite a match and comes at a lower price.