Maintenance Costs: Honda Civic vs Toyota Corolla

The Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla are two of the most affordable cars in the market both in terms of base price and maintenance costs.

When you buy a new car you must consider the maintenance costs of the models you’re considering. Over the life of your new car, there are times when you need to have the oil changed, spark plugs replaced, tires rotated or changed, brake pads replaced, and other fluids changed. These various scheduled maintenance appointments help you keep your car on the road much longer than if you ignored your car and didn’t have the maintenance done.

A Look to the Past

Eric the Car Guy gives us a look back seven years to the 2015 model year for the Honda and Toyota compact cars. Some of the items you know you’re going to handle during the ownership of your vehicle include:

• Brakes
• Belts
• Oil Changes
• Spark Plugs
• Transmission
• Coolant Service
• Tires
• Smog Check

Looking through the article, we see that maintenance costs for these two cars are relatively similar. You might spend a little more to keep the Toyota Corolla on the road, but it’s not an amount that requires you to turn away from the Corolla in favor of the Honda Civic.

Fast Forward to the Modern Versions

The discussion is a comparison of costs when related to new cars. Yes, you could buy a 2015 model of either car and enjoy the benefits of a used car that’s been on the road for seven years, but buying a new car allows you to enjoy being the only one to care for and experience what your vehicle offers. The 2022 versions of these two small cars give you modern electronics that could increase some of the maintenance costs, but once again, both are relatively affordable.

Maybe a better comparison is to see what these two popular cars offer.

What is the Honda Civic

If you’re looking for one of the most popular cars in the market, you’ll want to drive the Civic. Since 1973, more than 12 million versions of the Civic have sold in America. The latest version offers you what Honda called the “timeless design concepts” with a low hood, front fenders, and beltline that all create a low and impressive car that can be fun for you to drive. You’ll find a smooth ride and a quality feeling at an affordable price when you drive the Civic.

This Honda comes in either sedan or hatchback builds with the hatchback model shortened by 4.9 inches to give you the sporty and dynamic build that makes it more fun to drive. There are two powertrains for the Civic, one a 2.0-liter engine that makes 158 horsepower, the other a 1.5-liter turbo-four that makes 180 ponies. Both use a CVT automatic transmission to give you the fuel mileage you want to enjoy on the road. This Honda makes sense for you to enjoy the drive you want when its time to commute or when you want to have a little fun.

What is the Toyota Corolla

For more than 12 generations of cars, we’ve enjoyed everything the Toyota Corolla has to offer. This car is a compact vehicle that comes in sedan and hatchback varieties. You’ll find a hybrid model of the hatchback that gives you improved power and fuel mileage. The Corolla is a leader in the market in terms of running costs, resale value, and reliability. The current generation of the Toyota Corolla began in 2020, while the Honda Civic generation dates back to 2015.

Without looking at the hybrid powertrain, you’ll find a pair of engines offered for the Corolla. This Toyota gives you either a 1.8-liter or 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, both naturally aspirated. Power reaches the wheels through a CVT or, in the SE model, an optional six-speed manual transmission. You’ll have 139 horsepower for the smaller engine or 169 pones for the bigger one. This is a car that’s made for commuting, but it can be a lot of fun when you hit the gas and let the dynamic steering system help you get where you need to go with ease.

How Much Will You Spend for Either the Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla?

When looking at these two small sedans, you have several trim options to figure out which model you want to drive. We’ll cover the base models here because the idea is to save money for the vehicle you drive. The Honda Civic LX starts at $22,350 while the Toyota Corolla L begins at $20,175, making the Toyota just a little more affordable. Next, we’ll cover the features of each of these base models to give you a complete picture of the value of each car.

Honda Civic LX

• 16-inch steel wheels
• Digital instrument cluster
• Seven-inch touchscreen
• Folding rear seat
• LED headlights and taillights
• Push-button starter
• Automatic climate controls
• Honda Sensing Safety Suite
• Apple CarPlay
• Android Auto

Toyota Corolla L

• 15-inch steel wheels
• LED headlights/daytime running lights/taillights
• Disc brakes
• Power windows/locks
• Hill-start assist
• Forward-collision warning
• Automatic emergency braking
• Pedestrian detection
• Lane-departure warning
• Lane-centering assistance
• Automatic high beams
• Full-speed radar-based adaptive cruise control
• Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
• Amazon Alexa
• Wi-Fi hotspot
• Bluetooth
• One USB port
• Satellite radio
• 7-inch touchscreen

The Honda Sensing Suite gives you a similar level of safety features for the drive when compared to what’s offered in the Corolla.

Which One of these Cars Should You Drive?

Another benefit to the Toyota Corolla is two years of complimentary maintenance, which gets things started. Because we are looking at the maintenance costs of each of these two models, this quality can help you save a little money.

Will you drive the Honda Civic or the Toyota Corolla? Both cars are extremely reliable, offer impressive resale value, and bring you efficient driving on any road. By comparison of maintenance costs, base price, and features packaged, the Corolla is the car that you should drive. Of course, if you’re looking for a vehicle that’s a little sportier, the Civic is the model you’ll want to take home today.