Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla??

Subotai

I'm going to change my car in January. I'm looking to buy a 2010 reg. honda civic or toyota corolla. My budget would be around 9-10k. My mileage would be less than 10k a year, so i'm thinking of a petrol version. They both come with 1.4L petrol engines. Are these engines powerful enough?

Which car would be better? And what trim levels should i go for?

Thanks.

colm_mcm

Are you talking about an auris or a corolla? Corolla is a saloon and 1.4 civic is a hatchback.

When you say "powerful enough" what do you mean? What are you driving now, and is that powerful enough?

Subotai

A corolla, i don't like the look of the Auris.

I know the civic comes in a 1.8L petrol as well as 1.4L, so i'm wondering if the 1.4L is sluggish in any way?

colm_mcm

Yes, the 1.4 is sluggish, I have a 1.8 and it has plenty power, I've driven both the iDSI 1.4 and iVTEC 1.4 and they're both slow - even for a 1.4.
That said people buy them, people buy 1.4 Golfs and Focuss and they're dog slow too. Its all relative.


The Corolla isn't that good a car. Its very big in the outside and very small on the inside, the choice of engines isn't great, neither the 1.33 or 1.4 petrols aren't really up to the job (again, the job varies from person to person) and they're nowhere near as practical as the Civic (or Auris)

Subotai

What is the bhp on a 1.4 civic and the corolla?
It will mainly be used for city driving.
With regards to the trim levels, are the entry levels adequate, or would you need higher spec models?

colm_mcm

Early corollas are 1.4 with 97bhp and a 5 speed gearbox, this was replaced by a 1.33 engine with 100bhp and a 6 speed gearbox and stop/start system. Tax is lower on the 1.33 due to lower emissions. Corolla is a heavy enough car though (same weight as the 03-09 Avensis) and struggles.
Spec wise, the base models are very sparse

Terra:
2 electric windows
Remote locking
9 airbags
ABS and EBD
CD player
15" steel wheels

Strata:
Terra with 16" alloys and foglights

Luna:
Strata spec plus:
air conditioning
Chrome grille
Remote audio
Silvery bits inside
Rear electric windows
Leather wheel

colm_mcm

With the Civic, the 1.4 iDSI was 86bhp and carried forward from the previous Civic. It was replaced around 2009 with the iVTEC which was 100bhp. Again as with the Corolla - tax is lower on the newer engine.

Spec wise, all 5dr Civics have aircon and 4 electric windows, but alloys, fogs etc are only on higher spec levels.

Subotai

Thanks for the info on the corolla. What about the trim levels on the civic? So is the opinion that the civic would be a better but than a corolla?

bazz26

Even a base model Civic would be better equipped than a base model Corolla. Corolla/Auris cabins feel and look low rent with sways of cheap looking plastics. Civic hatchback interior has more thought put into it and the dashboard lit up at night looks like the Starship Enterprise. Civic is vastly superior to the Corolla.

Breffnigolfer

Honda beats Toyota 99 times out of 100.

colm_mcm

I've had the Auris and Corolla as company cars and own a Civic, the Honda is in a different league IMO, even a Corolla Luna didn't get a sunroof, cruise or climate control even as an option.

Also, if the 1.4 isn't fast enough for you, the 1.8 still has relatively cheap tax and good mpg.

pudzey101

Breffnigolfer wrote: »

Honda beats Toyota 99 times out of 100.

x2 Honda is the only car il ever own with toyota coming second, then nissan
cant beat japanese cars for reliability imo :cool:

JohnBoy26

If going for a corolla opt for the facelift in Luna spec with the 1.33 dual vvti engine.

If going for a Civic personally i'd opt for the Saloon, which will be a 1.8. It's a nice car though and it comes with a sunroof :cool:

Which one is better all comes down to personal preference. Both cars are down on quality from previous models imo but the civic is that bit nicer than the corolla. You should try both and see which you prefer

pablo128

pudzey101 wrote: »

x2 Honda is the only car il ever own with toyota coming second, then Renault.
cant beat japanese cars for reliability imo :cool:

Fixed that there for ya boss.:pac:*



*Unless you're talking pre-'00 cars, then all is forgiven!

JohnBoy26

Breffnigolfer wrote: »

Honda beats Toyota 99 times out of 100.

There is very little between both brands. Sometimes the models Honda has out are nicer and other times Toyota has nicer cars in their line up.

There is very little difference in quality between the two, both have made very high quality vehicles tbh.

Subotai

Thanks for all of the responses everyone. I'll try out both on test drives to decide. The luna spec in corolla seems to be the one to go for, but what about the civic? Is the si a higher spec than the se?

bazz26

Si was a short run model of the Civic they introduced until the Civic got a small facelift in 2009/2010. I think the Si was based on the base SE but added half leather seats and probably some other little things. It would still be better equipped than a Luna Corolla though.

5uspect

I have a 2009 1.8 iVTEC Civic. It's a lovely car, plenty of go, panoramic sunroof, front fogs, air con etc. not an ounce of trouble, pretty light on petrol and relatively cheap to Tax.

Tail Docker

I've had both. Buy a Honda.

Subotai

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I took both the Corolla and the Civic for extensive test drives. I found the Civic much better to drive. It was more comfortable, and came with a far higher spec than the Corolla. So i am now the happy owner of a 2012 1.4L petrol Civic (the old model).

colm_mcm

Well wear!

Old model is nicer anyway.