Toyota Camry vs. Honda Civic: Which is Better?

There are a number of classic debates in the world: Batman vs. Superman; Professor X vs. Magneto; etc. And then, outside of the world of comic book superheroes, we have another on our hands that has gone on for too long: The Toyota Camry vs the Honda Civic.

Both have their merits. Both are renowned for their dedication to quality and reliability. But like the Celtics and the Lakers or the Red Sox and the Yankees, there’s a bit of fun in the rivalry. However, today we aim to put the argument to rest. Read on to see who is the champion in this Camry vs. Civic Comparison.

Toyota Camry vs. Honda Civic: Specs

For starters, let’s look at the power these vehicles possess. The Honda Civic ships with a 2.0L four-cylinder engine that’s worth 150 horsepower. In order to get a little extra muscle out of the engine, you need to step up to one of the Honda Civic Hybrid options. Those come with the same 2.0L engine but gets two electric motors paired with it, and that gives you control of 200 horsepower, a nice step up. All Honda Civics come with front-wheel drive only; there’s no option for all-wheel drive.

By comparison, the Toyota Camry is only available as a hybrid, which means a little extra power. The base engine, which powers front-wheel drive, is a 2.5L, four-cylinder model with two electric motors worth 225 horsepower. The all-wheel drive Toyota Camry adds a third electric motor for the rear axle, netting 232 horsepower. In the debate for Toyota Camry vs. Honda Civic, in terms of specs, the Toyota Camry wins out of the gate immediately.

Toyota Camry vs. Honda Civic: Fuel Economy

We’ll keep this quick. Even using the Civic Hybrid’s fuel economy numbers, which clock in at 50 MPG in the city and 47 MPG on the highway, the Camry outperforms easily with 53 MPG in the city and 50 MPG on the highway. See? Quick.

Toyota Camry vs. Honda Civic: Size

When it comes to size, these two vehicles are pretty much neck-and-neck.

  • The Honda Civic has 99.0 cubic feet of passenger volume.
  • The Toyota Camry has 99.9 cubic feet of passenger volume.

The Toyota Camry is just slightly larger than the Civic, but a win is a win. In terms of cargo space, the Toyota Camry edges out a win too. The Civic offers 14.8 cubic feet of cargo in the trunk, while the Camry offers 15.1 cubic feet of cargo space. While similarly sized, the Camry is a little larger, which may come in handy for comfort or packing.

Toyota Camry vs. Honda Civic: Interior

Looking inside the Toyota Camry and Honda Civic, the entry-level trims come with cloth seats, and leather seating is available in the higher-end trims. Heated seats are also available on the upper trims. Wireless charging and a push-button start are standard on the Camry, but only available on certain trims of the Civic. For those who want an elevated ride, both vehicles offer available ambient lighting and a moonroof. Overall, the Camry’s interior looks more refined, while the Civic opts for a sportier look. 

Toyota Camry vs. Honda Civic: Technology

The standard infotainment system on the Civic is a 7” model with a 9” model available on higher trims. Wired Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ come with the 7”, while the 9” gets wireless connectivity. The Touring Hybrid trim gets Google built-in navigation, and wireless charging is available only in this trim. The standard digital cluster is 7”, while the Touring Hybrid gets a 10.2” gauge display. 

The Toyota Camry ships with an 8” infotainment system, but the Camry XLE and Camry XSE get the 12.3” display. Wireless Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ are standard, regardless of trim. The standard digital display for gauges is 7”, but the higher trims get the larger 12.3” display. The Camry gets five USB ports, while the Civic gets only two. The Camry also has an available head-up display; the Civic does not offer this. 

Toyota Camry vs. Honda Civic: Safety Ratings

This is a pretty quick draw (mostly): both the Toyota Camry and Honda Civic received Top Safety Pick+ awards from the IIHS and five-star ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The edge the Camry gets is standard blind-spot monitoring and rear-cross traffic alerts; these features are only available on higher trims for the Civic. 

Toyota Camry vs. Honda Civic: Price

Here are all the trims and their prices broken down for the Civic and Camry (which features the Toyota Safety Sense suite)

Honda Civic

  • Honda Civic LX: $24,250
  • Honda Civic Sport: $26,250
  • Honda Civic Sport Hybrid: $28,950
  • Honda Civic Sport Touring Hybrid: $31,950

Toyota Camry

  • Toyota Camry LE: $29,000
  • Toyota Camry SE: $31,300
  • Toyota Camry Nightshade: $32,300
  • Toyota Camry XLE: $34,000
  • Toyota Camry XSE: $35,200

Considering that to get anywhere near the same fuel efficiency and power, you’d have to start by looking at the Civic Sport Hybrid. While it comes in slightly under the entry Camry, the Civic lacks many of the features the Camry has standard. For the slight increases in price, you get a lot more out of the Camry.  

Explore the Toyota Camry Today

Think the Toyota Camry is the winner? Whether you say yes or no, we encourage you to visit our showroom at Molle Toyota to take a test drive of the Toyota Camry to see why it’s one of the most reliable and exciting sedans on the market today. Contact us to learn more and to get started on your Toyota Camry journey.