The tenth-gen Civic has been introduced in India and rekindles its rivalry another popular Japanese mid-size sedan, the Toyota Corolla Altis, which is the best-selling car in its segment. Honda offers the Civic in three varians - V, VX and ZX - with prices ranging from Rs 17.7 lakh to Rs 22.3 lakh (ex-showroom, India).
While Toyota is expected to launch the latest generation Corolla in India by 2020, the current model will have to hold its ground in 2019. We’ve compared the two sedans to find out which one offers better value for money.
But first, let’s compare the dimensions and mechanicals of the two cars:
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Dimensions
The Civic is longer and wider but the Corolla Altis is taller.
Both cars’ have an identical wheelbase.
Toyota’s mid-size sedan has a larger boot.
Engine
Petrol
The petrol engines that power the Civic and Corolla Altis have the same displacement.
Civic’s 1.8-litre engine produces 1PS and 1Nm more than the Corolla Altis.
Honda offers the petrol engine with a CVT automatic only while the Corolla is available with both a 6-speed manual as well as a CVT automatic.
The Civic has a higher claimed fuel efficiency.
Diesel
The Civic has a bigger diesel engine than the Corolla but both are offered with 6-speed manual transmission only.
Civic offers 32PS of power and 95Nm of torque more than the Corolla.
The Honda sedan has a much higher claimed fuel economy figure than the segment-leading Toyota.
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Variants: Let’s compare similarly priced variants of the two sedans.
*All prices are ex-showroom, Delhi.
Honda Civic V CVT Vs Toyota Corolla Altis G CVT
Common Features
Safety: ABS with EBD, brake assist, ISOFIX child seat anchors, rear window defogger, dual front and side airbags, rear parking sensors and rear parking camera.
Exterior: Halogen headlamps, LED DRLs, front fog lamps, alloy wheels, LED tail lamps, indicators on ORVMs.
Comfort: Auto AC, tilt and telescopic steering adjust, power folding and adjustable ORVMs, 12V charging socket and keyless entry, front and rear central armrest and storage.
Infotainment: Infotainment system, USB and Bluetooth connectivity, steering mounted controls
What Civic V CVT gets over Corolla Altis G CVT: Rear AC vents, push-button start, remote engine start and electronic parking brake,
What Corolla Altis G CVT gets over Civic V: Driver knee airbag, side curtain airbags, 7-inch touchscreen infotainment unit with voice and gesture controls, HDMI port, movie playback, dual-USB charging sockets in rear and digital colour MID.
Verdict: Against the entry level variant of the Civic, the Corolla Altis is the better buy for the additional safety and infotainment features which are also worth the additional cost.
Honda Civic ZX CVT Vs Toyota Corolla Altis VL CVT
Common Features (over previous variant)
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Safety: Side and curtain airbags, auto rain-sensing wipers, auto headlamps, hill start assist, vehicle stability control
Exterior: LED headlights
Comfort: Power-adjustable driver seat, push-button stop-start, leather upholstery, cruise control, auto-dimming IRVM
Infotainment: 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, HDMI port.
What Civic ZX CVT gets over Corolla Altis VL CVT: Remote engine and AC start, electric sunroof, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, rear AC vents, lane-watch camera, LED front fog lamps, 7-inch digital TFT MID, dual-zone climate control and remote-operated windows.
What Corolla Altis VL CVT gets over Civic ZX CVT: Driver knee airbag, gesture controls, dual-USB charging sockets for rear passengers
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Verdict: The 2019 Civic, in its top-spec trim, has a lot more premium features than the top-spec Corolla Altis. It even has some segment-first features as well. While the additional features don’t necessarily add more practicality over the Corolla, they justify the incremental price. If you’re ready to shell out the premium for the Honda, it would be worth it.
All Variants and Prices
As seen in the table above, the diesel engine variants of the Civic and the Corolla Altis are priced more than Rs 1 lakh apart, making them unsuitable for our comparison.
Source: cardekho.com
