2020 Honda Civic vs Toyota Corolla

What's the difference?

The Civic RS may look like it was designed to keep up with racy Golf GTIs through twisting mountain passes – and it can certainly hold its own thanks to assured handling and roadholding – but it actually shines best as an urban family runabout proposition.

The key points to remember are that the turbo engine provides enough low-down punch for rapid round-town driving while returning reasonable economy, the suspension’s ability to soak up the rough stuff should help calm and soothe away the most trying commute, and the cabin’s focus on functionality and simplicity (fiddly multimedia screen aside) serves to enhance rather than distract from the job at hand.

With nearly half a century’s experience building Civics, it’s clear that Honda hasn’t forgotten how to build an excellent town car. Like we said in the beginning, it’s right there in the name.

The Corolla has been an urban favourite for decades and a hybrid version just makes so much sense for anybody who feels they spend more time in traffic than on deserted open roads. Sure, the sedan is longer than the hatch, and yes, you’ll have to option parking sensors but the Corolla SX Hybrid sedan could well be the ultimate urban vehicle. It’s easy and comfortable to drive, has outstanding fuel economy, and is roomy enough for a small family.

Social call to action (formerly comment call to action):  Is the Corolla SX Hybrid sedan the ultimate urban car or does it miss the mark? Tell us what you think in the comments below.

Two things are immediately apparent about the Civic hatch’s brash aesthetics. Firstly, it’s big for a so-called small car, reflecting the model’s US-focus and with the upshot making for a pleasingly spacious cabin. And secondly, Honda’s designers seemed uncertain as to when to put pencils down. It’s a melting pot of fussy styling.

For some, the sleek fastback-style four-door sedan is a little more elegant, but both shapes stand out as truly individual. Sadly, with a move to cleaner and more geometric lines nowadays, gen-10 Civic is unlikely to age quite as gracefully as several earlier iterations.

That said, the RS’ large, turbine wheels fill the guards nicely, while that vast interior is right on the money, now that the fiddly touchscreen interface has partly given way to hard buttons for faster and more intuitive access to multimedia, ventilation and vehicle-control settings.

Sure, the Civic’s handsome dash architecture is swathed in a sea of monotone plastic, but it’s of hardy and consistent quality, is well-crafted (save for one persistent rattle in our test car) and is created to prioritise function over form, from the perfectly-placed screen and considered ventilation outlets, to the easy reach of most switchgear (barring the USB ports below and behind the buttressed centre-console layout.

Few cars at any price present a greater choice of, or more effective, storage solutions. Enormous cavities to lose things in seem to proliferate everywhere.  

The RS’ stitched leather trim contrasts well to the matt metallic highlights decorating the dash and door cards, adding a dose of athletic intent. It’s fair to say, then, that – unlike the exterior styling – the Civic’s interior may weather the years better.

The number of my friends who now have Corolla sedans has increased by 200 per cent. Okay, so that’s only an increase of two people from zero but I put this down to two factors: 1) I’m getting older and so are they; and 2) The Corolla sedan is now actually good looking.

Sure, it’s not as sexy as the Corolla hatch, but it’s attractive for a small sedan which mostly tend to be a bit bland.

I like the blade-like headlights and the way they extend under the bonnet lip and almost meet in the centre, and that big mesh lower grill looks tough and menacing.

I’m also taken by the rear styling (normally the weak point of a small sedan) and how the tail-lights ‘pinch’ into the tailgate. It’s refined and not at all cheap or budget looking.

Telling the Hybrid SX apart from the entry-level Ascent Sport Hybrid below it is tricky as both cars are identical from the outside. Even distinguishing them from their petrol-only twins is hard, the only giveaways being the smaller 15-inch wheels and 'Hybrid' badges on the boot lid and front wheelarches.

The Hybrid SX’s cabin is neatly designed and stylishly straightforward in its layout, but I don’t think anybody is going to write it poetry about how enchanting and beautiful it is.

Nope, this is an interior design where functionality triumphs over form. Which is good for somebody who just want to jump in and drive… I’ve sat in an Alfa Romeo for days just pressing buttons trying to work out which one makes it go.

Want the dimensions? The Corolla Sedan is 4630mm long, 1780mm wide, 1435mm tall and has a wheelbase of 2700mm. In comparison the Corolla hatch is 4375mm long, 1790mm wide, the same height, with a wheelbase of 2640mm.

Only one colour is standard and that’s 'Glacier White', while the optional shades are 'Crystal Pearl', 'Silver Pearl', 'Ink', 'Wildfire', 'Volcanic Red' and the 'Lunar Blue' which my test car wore.

By the way, those two friends why bought Corolla sedans, went with hybrids, too.

The overall feeling in the Civic is that it’s low, wide and roomy. A big small car, if you will.

Getting in and out is easy, broad yet enveloping seats provide ample support up front and reasonable comfort, even for three (at a squeeze), out back, and that’s backed up by ample space for legs, knees and shoulders. Taller scalps might scrape the rear ceiling, though.

Back up front, that big central touchscreen does demand familiarisation – and the fact you need to confirm an action every time you restart the car is annoying – yet the basics are spot-on, from the excellent driving position and super-clear dials, to the abundant ventilation, logical control layout and the aforementioned storage bonanza.

The USB and 12V ports are a stretch away behind the two-level lower-console layout, but there’s nothing difficult or intimidating here otherwise.  

That said, while the forward view is commanding and confidence-inspiring, shallow side and rear glass makes reverse parking tricky and the rear camera essential.

Speaking of the back of the Honda, a long, flat cargo floor offers very competitive luggage space (at 330 litres). With only a lipped sill to lift bulky things over, loading is effortless, although not everybody will appreciate the gimmicky cargo cover blind that needs to be pulled across like a sunshade. A space-saver spare lives below the floor.

Note that if you’re coming from the two earlier-generation (2006 and 2011) Civic hatches sourced from Britain, you may be disappointed to find that Honda’s ‘Magic Seats’ aren’t fitted, since the older cars were based on the Jazz supermini and had their fuel tanks beneath the front seats to enable the base and seat-back ensemble to fold down into a cavity for extraordinary floor-to-ceiling space.

Still, reflecting its focus on the key US market demographic, few rivals this side of a Kia Cerato feel, or are as accommodating as, our Thai-assembled Honda.

The dimensions in the section above probably give away what I’m about to tell you. The sedan has far more room inside than the hatch.

There is no way I can sit behind my driving position in the hatch without my knees wedged into the seat back and headroom is limited, too.

Different story in the sedan which is a bigger car with a longer wheelbase and that means I can sit in the second row with space to spare (even headroom is good).

The cargo capacities of the boots are also vastly different. The sedan’s boot volume is 470 litres – much more than the hatch's 333 litres.

Cabin storage is also good with four cup holders (two in the back and two up front), decent-sized door pockets, a deep centre console bin and a large shelf in front of the shifter which doubles as a wireless charging pad. There’s also a 12V outlet and a USB port.

If you’re planning to use the SX Hybrid as a small family car keep in mind that it doesn’t have directional air vents in the second row, nor rear privacy glass to shield the kids from the sun.

When I tested it my five-year-old son was back there in his car seat and it was hard to get cool air to him from the front on hot days. Also, the seatbacks don’t have map pockets which was frustrating, although there is a tray in the back of the centre console for the second row.

All doors open wide and the rear wheelarches don’t eat into the doorways too much, making entry and exit easy.

The SX grade sits in the middle of the Corolla sedan range and the hybrid version has a list price of $29,735, which is $1500 more than the petrol-only SX. By the way, the hatch version costs the same as the sedan.

And another thing, you can get a hybrid version of the top-of-the-range ZR as a hatch, but not as a sedan. Fear not, the XS sedan comes with a stack of standard features.

Coming standard are LED headlights and tail-lights, (the daytime running lights are also LED); an 8.0-inch screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; wireless phone charger, a six-speaker stereo, climate control, 7.0-inch instrument cluster display, fabric seats, proximity unlocking, and heated wing mirrors.

Is it good value for money? Absolutely, even if it is more expensive than the petrol version.

The only direct small car rival to the Corolla SX Hybrid sedan is the Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid which lists for $35,140. Mazda doesn’t have a hybrid version of the Mazda3 but the G20 Touring is fuel efficient and costs $29,240.

Kia hasn’t released a hybrid Cerato either, but it is a competitor to the Corolla and the Sport+ is the SX rival at $29,340. There’s also Subaru’s Impreza 2.0i-S, which I’ve recently tested. It’s not a hybrid either, but worth considering at $31,160.

Diesels aside, Honda famously eschewed turbos for decades, relying instead on multi cams, variable-valve timing and other high-tech advances to get the most out of its (mostly brilliant) petrol engines.

For Australian buyers, the tenth Civic broke the rule, and with it brought a terrifically flexible 127kW/220Nm 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo that maintains the urge of old Hondas at the top end, without the need to rev the daylights out of it at lower engine speeds.

Driving the front wheels via an ultra-smooth continuously variable transmission, off-the-line response is pleasingly immediate, and the power just keeps on coming on, making for a slick and rapid machine.

In fact, there’s enough torque on tap for the driver to avoid the engine droning typically associated with CVTs in most instances, except when mashing the pedal right down for, say, fast overtaking.

That droning comes about because the single-speed CVT is tuned to keep the engine revving at a pre-determined spot (usually close to the red line) to achieve access to maximum power. 

That’s about the only time when the 1.5-litre turbo ensemble hits a sour note, as it's also accompanied by an uncharacteristically un-Honda gruffness. But, like we said, it’s avoidable for most urban scenarios, and soon just blends in with the rest of the RS' driving experience.

The Toyota Corolla SX Hybrid Sedan is not a plug-in hybrid - there’s no cord for charging it up. Nope, it’s a petrol-electric hybrid that recharges its batteries through regenerative braking.

So, you step on the brakes, the electric motor instantly morphs into a generator, transforming kinetic energy into electricity, which is sent back to top up the battery under the rear seat.

Not having to plug it in to recharge makes the Corolla SX Hybrid a good choice for those living in the city where you might not have access to a power point where you park.

This also means you’ll never run out of power and be stuck on the side of the road because along with the electric motor (making 53kW/163Nm) there’s a 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine (making 72kW/142Nm).

You can only have the hybrid with an automatic transmission and in this case it’s a continuously variable transmission (CVT). I’m not a big fan of these in petrol engine-only cars but the seamless nature of a CVT suits this hybrid powertrain perfectly.

While I think plug-in hybrids are superior to the system used here, it’s an exceptionally good powertrain that provide more than adequate acceleration.

Another key benefit to going turbo in the RS’ case is commendable fuel consumption. We managed a trip-computer-indicated 7.9L/100km around our mostly-urban driving loop, against the official combined average of 6.4L/100km. That’s just 1.5 litres shy of the claim.

Honda states that standard 91RON unleaded petrol is fine, and with the 47-litre tank, over 734km between refills is possible.

Toyota says if you were to stick to just urban driving the Corolla SX Hybrid sedan should use no more than 3.4L/100km of petrol. If you plan to do longer trips with motorway and country roads thrown in you’ll be happy to know Toyota’s official economy for a combination of open and urban use is only a smidge higher at 3.5L/100km.

In my own fuel test I started with a full tank and drove a route through Sydney’s CBD in peak hour traffic before returning back to my home in the inner suburbs less than 10km away, and continued the loop for 47km.

I finished at a petrol station where it took 1.52 litres to top up the 43-litre tank. The trip computer said my average fuel consumption was 3.7L/100km but my own calculations had my mileage at 3.2L/100km. Outstanding fuel economy.

Honda has tuned the 1.5-litre turbo/CVT combination to great effect around town, since it offers seamless acceleration and (mostly) quiet operation in almost all urban environments, for un-intrusive point-to-point motoring. It’s a slick city-friendly machine.

Perhaps it’s the quality Michelin Pilot tyres talking, but the RS’ steering, handling and roadholding behaviour really seemed to have improved over the already-competent pre-facelift version released over three years ago.

From the first turn of the wheel, the Honda feels connected to the road and nicely measured in response, yet is also light and agile enough to be easy to manoeuvre through tight spots and between gaps in traffic. The turning circle is also small for effortless parking.

Out away from the confines of the Big Smoke, the car continues to feel secure and surefooted, taking fast curves with a flat and solid attitude that encourages keener drivers to step things up if feeling inclined to. Brakes feel natural, progressive and reassuringly strong. 

The biggest stride the Civic’s taken, however, is in its ability to absorb all sorts of bumps back in the urban jungle, smoothing over bad roads with a high degree of isolation.

And this is despite the switch to larger (18-inch) alloys. You can probably attribute the sophisticated multi-link rear suspension system, elevating the Honda to the pointier end of the class in terms of dynamics.

About the only criticism is the level of road-noise intrusion at even moderate urban speeds, but even this is still within the class average. That said, Honda ought to ride in the latest Mazda3 or Volkswagen Golf if it really wants to see how quietness should be done.

Still, overall, the RS impresses with its maturity and refinement.

If you’ve never driven a hybrid before, take it from me, right now you won’t drive a better one than this.

Some hybrids are noisy when their petrol engines ‘kick in’. Some have brake pedals that feel like wooden blocks. Some have dual clutch transmissions which lead to jerky movements. Don’t even get me started on the ones that hardly save you any fuel.

The Toyota Corolla SX’s hybrid powertrain is as good as they currently come. It makes sense, Toyota has been selling petrol-electric hybrid vehicles since 1997 and over that almost quarter of a century it’s mastered the technology. You only have to drive a hybrid from one of its rivals to feel how much more refined the Toyota is.

The dance between the engine and motor, or both operating together,  is almost unnoticeable, and the CVT performs smoothly. The result is a pretty much seamless driving experience that feels natural once you’ve been in the car a day or two.

The new-gen platform the Corolla is built on is excellent in that not only does it provide a comfortable ride, but handling is great for the segment, too. Add to this the little nudges of acceleration from the electric motor and the Corolla SX Hybrid is fun to drive.

Steering is light and accurate, while the 10.6m turning circle is what you can expect out of most small cars.

It’s not all good though. Remember right at the start I mentioned how the sedan was longer than the hatch and that there was something missing at either end?

Well, the sedan is almost 26cm longer than the hatch. That’s about the distance between two parked cars, and from what I experienced the difference between fitting into a car space and not.

Not only is the sedan less likely to fit into a smaller spaces, but making this part of daily urban life harder is a lack of front and rear parking sensors.

Yep, parking sensors aren’t on the standard features list and must be fitted as a dealer option. For an urban car not to have parking sensors as a standard isn’t good enough.

I wouldn’t let this put you off, though, because it’s one of very few downsides to the car and it can be solved by optioning the parking sensors. Dealers can be open to a little bit of persuasion, too.

For urban folk like me, living just 10km from the CDB, but having to sit in traffic for 50 minutes to get there on disjointed concrete and bitumen roads, the Corolla SX Hybrid makes these journeys easier and a bit fun.

The Corolla hatch scored the maximum five-star ANCAP rating when it was tested in 2018, and the sedan which came out in 2019 adopted the same rating.

Coming standard on the Corolla SX Hybrid sedan is advanced safety equipment such as AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection, active cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assistance, auto high beam, blind spot monitoring, and lane trace assist with lane centering and speed sign recognition.

The AEB system is functional from 10km/h to 180km/h covering you for urban and city use, as well as the open road.

Along with this there are seven airbags and a reversing camera.

For child seats there are three top tether points and two ISOFIX points across the second row. 

A space saver spare wheel is under the boot floor.

Like all Hondas, the Civic RS offers the industry-standard five year/unlimited kilometre warranty with roadside assistance, so it trails Kia’s leading seven-year coverage.

It also calls for servicing once every 12 months or 10,000km whichever comes first, and features capped-price servicing known as 'Honda Tailored Servicing', that lasts for five years or 100,000km.

As of May 2020, each standard service costs $297 (except the 80,000km one, which is $328).

That’s more than Toyota’s regime, which for Corolla ZR is $180 for the first four years/60,000km.

The Corolla Sedan is covered by Toyota’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. Hybrid versions are covered by the same warranty, including the battery.

Servicing is recommended annually or every 15,000km with the first four services capped at $175.