2022 Honda Civic vs. 2021 Toyota Corolla – MotorTrend's Verdict Was Never In Doubt

It was never in doubt. 

More than anything – more than the fact that the 2022 Honda Civic offers a more comfortable cabin, a better driving experience, more technology, and better value – the headline event out of Motor Trend's recent comparison test is the degree to which the new, 11th-generation Civic made clear its superiority over the Toyota Corolla.

It wasn't exactly a photo finish. 

Here's the background: Toyota released its latest Corolla as a hatchback for 2019 and as a new sedan for 2020. The 12th-generation Corolla, codenamed E210, rides on Toyota's TNGA platform. A new Corolla's a big deal. The Corolla is, after all, Canada's second-best-selling car. But then, early in the summer of 2021, Honda released its new 11th-generation Civic. This, too, is a big deal. The Civic has been Canada's No.1 best-selling car for 23 consecutive years.

Now, the experts are beginning to pit the two against one another in classic comparison tests. They're driven back-to-back. They're tested for real world fuel economy, acceleration, handling, and braking in the most object manner. They're driven by a broad range of drivers who bring their different tastes to the table.

What did Motor Trend have to say? You can read the entire article by following this link, but we're going to highlight 10 key points. Remember, this isn't coming from a Honda sales consultant, a Honda service advisor, a Honda factory worker, or the owner of a Honda dealer. This verdict is the result of unbiased experts in the automotive field.

#1: "Bringing them together for a comparison test ought to presage a knock-down, drag-out fight, but the 2022 Honda Civic Touring is so much better than the 2021 Toyota Corolla XSE it isn't even funny."

#2: "This isn't a close comparison. One car is clearly better than the other, and the only thing to do is tell it to you straight."

#3: "The Civic's interior is more spacious, has vastly better ergonomics, and looks and feels premium."

#4: "Everything you touch, pull, push, or twist in the Civic feels like it was borrowed from a more expensive car."

#5: "Then there's the matter of how the interior is designed to serve those aboard. Honda pulls out another clean victory here with controls, cupholders, chargers, and everything else conveniently located and easy to manipulate."

#6: "Unfortunately for Toyota, the Civic drives better than any compact sedan needs to. It's quicker, its transmission is smarter—we like how it automatically revs up the engine to help slow you going down big hills—it rides a little better, and it handles way better than anything else in the class."

#7: "The Civic ran away with this comparison. It outclasses the Corolla in almost every way we can think of."

#8: "The Honda feels like a more mature car—quieter overall, more comfortable, more modern, more everything."

#9: "The previous Civic was the best among its peers, and this 11th-generation car goes a step further."

#10: "The competition is nowhere close."