2022 Honda Civic vs 2022 Toyota Corolla

The 2022 Honda Civic was available in LX, Sport, EX, and Touring trims, with prices starting at $21,700 and reaching up to $28,300, excluding a $995 destination charge. A new five-door hatchback was set to join the lineup, but the two-door coupe was discontinued. The primary evaluation vehicle, a Civic Touring in Morning Mist Blue, had a sticker price of $29,690, including destination charges. Another test model, a Civic Sport with Platinum White Pearl paint and the HPD appearance package, was estimated at just under $25,880.

The redesigned 2022 Civic had a more conservative and plain appearance compared to its predecessor, resembling the larger Accord sedan. The interior aimed for simplicity, featuring a minimalistic control layout and a metal honeycomb mesh across the dashboard to hide air vents. The materials, especially in the Touring trim, reflected a maturity absent in previous models.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla, launched as a hatchback in 2019 and a sedan in 2020, aimed to counter Toyota's reputation for boring designs with extroverted styling, including scowling LED headlights and a wide grille. However, it couldn't match the cohesiveness of the redesigned Honda Civic. The Corolla offered different styling elements for various trims, with SE and XSE models featuring an aggressive front fascia, Nightshade Editions adding blacked-out trim, and Apex Editions sporting a subtle body kit with bronze accents and model-specific 18-inch wheels.

The SE Apex Edition test car, in Cement gray, had a noticeable presence. The Corolla's interior was less imaginative but had a simple, appealing look. The fit and finish were up to Toyota's standards, but the piano black plastic trim attracted dust and smudges. The SE Apex Edition's interior was essentially the same as the standard SE, with light gray upholstery that seemed prone to stains. Cloth upholstery was standard, with SofTex leatherette available on some trims.

The 2022 Honda Civic offered two engine options: a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 158 horsepower and 138 lb-ft of torque for the LX and Sport trims, and a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 180 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque for the EX and Touring trims. Both engines were paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), featuring new Step Shift programming to mimic a traditional automatic. The Sport and Touring trims included a Sport transmission mode for quicker responsiveness.

The Civic's handling was enjoyable, with improved structural rigidity, revised suspension tuning, and better steering feel. The ride quality remained comfortable, and the car was quieter on the road than its predecessor. However, the Civic Touring returned 30.4 mpg on a 95-mile driving loop, falling short of the EPA's 34 mpg estimate.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla offered two engine options: a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with 139 horsepower and 126 lb-ft of torque for the L, LE, and XLE trims, and a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 169 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque for the SE and XSE trims. The Apex Edition versions of the SE and XSE had the same engine with a sport exhaust system. The smaller engine came with a CVT, while the 2.0-liter engine was available with a six-speed manual gearbox on the SE and SE Apex Edition models.

The SE Apex Edition test car had a sportier suspension, including unique coil springs, solid stabilizer bars, and an increased spring rate, making it more nimble than other Corolla models. However, the suspension changes negatively affected ride quality. The Apex Edition didn't have any tire, brake, or engine upgrades, making it less powerful when accelerating from a stop or merging onto highways. The standard Corolla was comfortable but not particularly exciting.

The 2022 Honda Civic's redesigned front seats offered better support, especially in the leather-lined Touring trim, with a power driver's seat that adjusted to create a perfect position. The front passenger seat lacked a height adjuster but provided excellent thigh support. The back seat had more legroom than most in the segment, but the backrest angle might feel too reclined for some. The Civic lacked rear air conditioning vents and heated rear cushions in the Touring trim.

The redesigned interior featured a new center console with less storage space and flexibility, but more accessible cupholders and fingerprint-resistant trim. Trunk volume was generous at 14.8 cubic feet, or 14.4 cubes with the Touring trim, which had a smaller trunk due to the premium sound system components. The split-folding backseat added utility, and a small handle on the inside of the lid helped with closing the trunk.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla's interior felt decently roomy, with a low beltline aiding outward visibility. However, the steeply raked windshield required a deep dashboard, making it hard to see the end of the hood. The driver's seat was lowered and moved rearward for optimal positioning, but long-legged drivers might still find a lack of knee space. The front and rear seat cushions felt squishy and not supportive.

The Corolla sedan's 13.1 cubic feet of cargo space was less than competitors like the Honda Civic and Nissan Sentra. A 60/40 split-folding rear bench seat was standard, and a power trunk release was available on certain trims. The sleek interior design limited storage space for smaller items, with a thin center console and shallow cupholders. The angled phone tray was too small and oddly shaped to be useful.

The 2022 Honda Civic featured digital instrumentation, with a seven-inch display on lower trims and a ten-inch display on the Touring trim. The larger panel offered greater customization and driving environment data. The Vehicle Activity display showed when the LED headlights, taillights, brake lights, and turn signals were on, solving the problem of drivers unknowingly turning off their automatic headlights.

The standard infotainment system had a seven-inch touchscreen with volume and tuning knobs, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Sport and EX trims had eight speakers, while the Touring trim had a 12-speaker Bose Centerpoint 2 premium surround-sound audio system. The Touring trim also featured a nine-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging, HD radio, satellite radio, and a navigation system.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla's infotainment system was starting to fall behind competitors. A seven-inch touchscreen was standard on the base model, while other trims had an eight-inch touchscreen. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, WiFi connectivity, Amazon Alexa integration, and SiriusXM satellite radio were standard, along with a six-speaker audio system. A nine-speaker, 800-watt JBL audio system was available on the XSE and XLE trims, as well as CVT-equipped SE models.

The interface was relatively easy to use, with helpful home buttons for each menu, but some tasks, like selecting a radio station, were more difficult than in other systems. The graphics looked dated compared to competitors, and Toyota didn't offer wireless versions of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Corolla also lacked novel features like the Hyundai Elantra's Digital Key.

The 2022 Honda Civic featured an upgraded Honda Sensing collection of advanced driver assistance systems, including Traffic Jam Assist, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and Lane Keeping Assist. The new wide-view front camera and eight ultrasonic sonar sensors improved the system's smoothness, accuracy, and refinement. The Civic also replaced the LaneWatch system with a proper blind-spot warning system and rear cross-traffic alert on the EX and Touring trims.

The Civic's underlying vehicle architecture was stronger, designed to provide better protection in collisions with larger vehicles. New front airbag designs offered improved head protection, and the Civic had rear side-impact airbags for the first time. A standard rear-seat reminder system was also included.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla received an IIHS "Top Safety Pick+" award and a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA. Standard safety features included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning with steering assist, automatic high beams, Lane Tracing Assist, adaptive cruise control, and traffic-sign recognition. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert was available but not standard on all trims.