2020 Honda Civic vs 2021 Toyota Corolla

The 2020 Honda Civic was celebrated as a standout in Honda's lineup, offering a blend of affordability and engineering excellence typically associated with luxury brands. It came in three body styles—sedan, coupe, and hatchback—each showcasing a sharp design that belied its compact size. The sedan featured an elongated, elegant body with a svelte roofline, while the hatchback had a quirky tall rump. The Civic's exterior was visually stimulating, with body panel creases, wide headlights, and sweeping LED taillights accentuating its low and wide stance. The 2020 model carried over grille, bumper, and wheel upgrades from the previous year, with additional enhancements for the Si and hatchback models. Inside, the Civic boasted a simple yet high-quality interior, with soft-touch materials and pleasing design elements like gloss-black trim and a pulsing red start button. The 2020 updates included new dash accents and revised sport seats for the Si trim.

The 2021 Toyota Corolla, particularly in its 12th-generation form, was considered one of the most attractive Corollas in recent history. The SE and XSE trims added sporty design elements like sport-design bumpers, a mesh grille, and 18-inch aluminum wheels, enhancing its appeal. However, some design aspects, such as the hood shut line and over-styled rear bumper, were seen as less cohesive. The Corolla offered a range of trims, including the sporty SE and XSE, which featured a more powerful engine and sportier styling. The interior of the XSE trim was a significant improvement over previous models, with high-quality materials and a minimalist design. Despite some limitations in practical storage, the Corolla's cabin was praised for its simplicity and user-friendly layout.

The 2020 Honda Civic offered a diverse range of powertrains, all front-wheel drive, with four engines and two transmissions available. The base engine was a 2.0-litre inline 4-cylinder, producing 158 horsepower and 138 lb-ft of torque, paired with a six-speed manual or an optional CVT. The 1.5-litre turbocharged engine, standard on the hatchback and available on higher trims, delivered 174 to 180 horsepower, offering better mid-range acceleration. The Civic Si featured a boosted 1.5-litre engine with 205 horsepower, while the Type R boasted an impressive 306 horsepower. The Si and Type R were exclusively manual, with the Si offering adaptive dampers for improved handling. The Civic's powertrains were praised for their smoothness and responsiveness, though the Si's shorter final-drive ratio impacted fuel efficiency slightly, with ratings of 8.9 L/100 km city and 6.4 L/100 km highway.

The 2021 Toyota Corolla SE and XSE models were equipped with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, producing 169 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque. The Dynamic Shift CVT, paired with paddle shifters and a Sport driving mode, was noted for its mechanical first gear, reducing the typical CVT slip. A six-speed manual was also available with the SE trim. The Corolla's TNGA platform contributed to its enjoyable driving dynamics, with electric steering and a multi-link rear suspension. While not a sport sedan, the Corolla XSE offered predictable handling and sufficient power for an engaging drive. Fuel efficiency was commendable, with a combined rating of 7.0 L/100 km, and real-world testing showed an average of 7.6 L/100 km on varied terrain.

The 2020 Honda Civic offered a spacious interior, with the hatchback featuring additional sound insulation and an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat on the EX trim. The steering wheel housed controls for the central display and instrument panel, while the centre console provided configurable storage options. Rear passengers enjoyed ample space, though the lack of rear air vents was a noted oversight. The sedan's trunk offered 416 litres of cargo space, while the hatchback provided 728 litres behind the rear seats, expanding to 1,302 litres with them folded.

The 2021 Toyota Corolla XSE trim included upgrades like SofTex leatherette seats with fabric inserts, heated rear seats, and an eight-way power driver's seat. The front passenger seat lacked height adjustment but offered good support. Rear seats provided adequate support, though headroom and legroom were tight. The trunk offered 371 litres of cargo space, with the hatchback variant providing 660 litres. The absence of a handle on the trunk lid was a minor inconvenience.

The 2020 Honda Civic's infotainment system was considered outdated, with a 7-inch touchscreen standard on most trims, featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The top-end trims offered Garmin-based navigation and a 450-watt stereo system. The Civic Si introduced Active Sound Control, which could be disabled, and included features like push-button start, keyless entry, and LaneWatch for blind-spot monitoring. Honda Sensing was standard, offering a suite of safety features.

The 2021 Toyota Corolla added Android Auto as standard, joining Apple CarPlay and Bluetooth. The SE trim featured an 8-inch touchscreen, while the XSE included additional services like Remote Connect and SiriusXM. The infotainment system was praised for its simplicity, with physical knobs and buttons for easy navigation. The Corolla's technology package was comprehensive, especially for a base-trim compact car.

The 2020 Honda Civic came with Honda Sensing, offering features like forward collision warning, emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. The Civic earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS, with "Good" ratings in all crash tests, except for the Type R, which wasn't tested. The NHTSA awarded the Civic five stars in most categories, with a four-star rating for the passenger frontal crash on the coupe.

The 2021 Toyota Corolla featured Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, and lane-keeping assistance. New for 2021 were rear side-impact airbags and a blind-spot warning system with rear cross-traffic alert. The Corolla's safety systems performed well, though adaptive cruise control and lane-centring assistance had minor quirks. The 2020 model received a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS and a 5-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with re-testing required for the 2021 model due to new airbags.