Honda Civic vs Toyota Corolla
Figures updated
The Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla are two of the UK's most popular family hatchbacks. We compare the Mk11 e:HEV (2022–) Civic and the Mk12 (2019–) Corolla on price, size, boot space, performance, safety and running costs, plus how reliable each has been across 316,447 real MOT tests.
The short answer
Pick the Honda Civic for the bigger boot, or the Toyota Corolla for the lower price, the better MOT record and lower fuel costs.
- The Toyota Corolla is the cheapest to buy new: from £30,845, £3,480 less than the Honda Civic.
- The Honda Civic has the biggest boot: 410 litres, 49 more than the Toyota Corolla.
- The Toyota Corolla has the better MOT record. Like for like on age and mileage, the Honda Civic fails its MOT about 6% more often.
- The Toyota Corolla is the cheapest to fuel: comparing petrol versions, about £310 a year less than the Honda Civic at 7,500 miles a year.
| Figure | Honda CivicMk11 e:HEV (2022–), 5-door hatchback | Toyota CorollaMk12 (2019–), 5-door hatchback |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | £34,325 to £39,295October 2026 price list | £30,845 to £37,345September 2026 price list (best) |
| Body | 5-door hatchback | 5-door hatchback |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| BootSeats up / folded | 410 litres (best) | 361 litres |
| Length | 4,560mm | 4,370mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | 1,802mm | 1,790mm |
| Height | 1,408mm | 1,460mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 184 PS (best) | 140–178 PS |
| 0–62mph | 7.8–8.1 sec | 7.4–9.1 sec (best) |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2022) | ★★★★★ (2019) |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Hybrid, Petrol | Hybrid |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 33.2–60.1 mpg | 57.6–64.2 mpg |
| CO2 | 108–193 g/km | 100–110 g/km |
| Running costs at 7,500 miles a year | ||
| Petrol or hybrid171.4p a litre, today's UK average | £1,282 (45.6 mpg) | £972 (60.1 mpg) (best) |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £1,282 (petrol) | £972 (petrol) |
| Car tax a yearCars registered from April 2017 | £200 | £200 |
| Reliability from real MOT tests | ||
| Reliability score | 106Above average | 112Above average (best) |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 32.4% | 32.2% |
| Failed at 3 years old | 8.8% (best) | 9.2% |
| Failed at 5 years old | 14.4% | 11.7% (best) |
| Failed at 10 years old | 24.3% | – |
| Most common MOT fault | Position lamp (5.3% of tests) | Position lamp (4.7% of tests) |
| Fails more than average on | Nothing stands out | Nothing stands out |
| MOT tests analysed | 255,672 | 60,775 |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | Family hatchback | Family hatchback |
| Owners' average miles a year | 7,600 | 8,300 |
| On sale | 2022 on | 2019 on |
Green marks the better figure where the difference is more than 3%. Reliability figures cover every version of each model tested in the year. Running costs use the typical official economy of recent versions (WLTP where available); real-world economy is usually a little worse for every car.
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
›Is the Honda Civic or the Toyota Corolla more reliable?
The Toyota Corolla. Like for like on age and mileage, the Honda Civic fails its MOT about 6% more often (reliability scores 112 and 106, where 100 is average). 32.2% of Toyota Corollas and 32.4% of Honda Civics failed first time in 2024.
›Which is bigger, the Honda Civic or the Toyota Corolla?
The Honda Civic is 190mm longer (4,560mm against 4,370mm). The Honda Civic has the bigger boot: 410 litres against 361.
›Which is cheaper to buy, the Honda Civic or the Toyota Corolla?
The Toyota Corolla: new prices start at £30,845, £3,480 less than the Honda Civic (from £34,325). These are manufacturer list prices; dealers and brokers often sell for less.
›Which is cheaper to run, the Honda Civic or the Toyota Corolla?
Comparing petrol versions, the Toyota Corolla costs about £310 a year less to fuel at 7,500 miles (£972 against £1,282), using typical official economy and current UK average fuel prices.
›Which is safer, the Honda Civic or the Toyota Corolla?
Euro NCAP gave the Honda Civic 5 stars (2022) and the Toyota Corolla 5 stars (2019). Euro NCAP makes its tests tougher every few years, so ratings from different years aren't directly comparable.
›Should I buy the Honda Civic or the Toyota Corolla?
Pick the Honda Civic for the bigger boot, or the Toyota Corolla for the lower price, the better MOT record and lower fuel costs. The comparison above sets out price, space, performance, safety, running costs and reliability side by side.
Sources: manufacturers' UK specifications and price lists and Euro NCAP (listed on each model's page); DVSA anonymised MOT tests 2024 (Open Government Licence v3.0); Vehicle Certification Agency car fuel data, © Crown copyright, VCA cannot accept liability for its accuracy; fuel prices from the GOV.UK Fuel Finder scheme. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each picture.