What Makes the Honda Civic Perfect for You?

When shopping for your next vehicle, if you’re not looking for something big like an SUV or the power and capabilities of a truck, then a conventional car is the perfect way to go. A great sedan is the ideal daily driver that can get you to and from work, help you take care of errands, and let you make the most of your days off.

 

With that in mind, a compact car like the Honda Civic is the way to go when you want something small and nimble that’s perfect for navigating city streets, keeping your gas costs low, and finding parking spots wherever you go. Obviously, we love the Civic and we’re partial to the Honda lineup, but even when you compare the 2025 Honda Civic vs 2025 Toyota Corolla, one of its top competitors, it’s easy to see why the Civic is the better overall option.

As you start looking at small cars, it’s easy to assume that you have to accept underwhelming performance along with them—these aren’t sports cars or full-size trucks, after all. Fortunately, Honda makes it easy to get something you’ll love driving each day with the Civic and its impressive powertrains. The standard engine for the 2025 Civic is a 2.0L I-4 engine that provides 150 hp and 133 lb-ft of torque. Looking at the 2025 Toyota Corolla, it also comes with a 2.0L I-4 engine, offering 169 hp and 151 lb-ft of torque.

 

Where the Civic takes things to the next level, however, is with its available hybrid engine and the remarkable performance it provides. This is a 2.0L I-4 hybrid engine that delivers 200 hp and 232 lb-ft of torque, ensuring you have a great time zipping along the road each day. Toyota also offers a 1.8L I-4 hybrid engine for the Corolla, but it provides just 138 hp and far less torque than Honda’s hybrid. We don’t think you should have to sacrifice power just to get remarkable fuel efficiency, and Honda clearly agrees with us.

 

Going even further, Honda also offers a couple of performance-focused versions of the Civic in case you’re interested in a truly impressive driving experience. The Civic Type R is the star of the show in this regard, with its turbocharged engine that delivers a fantastic 315 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. We’ll admit that the Type R isn’t for everyone, but if you’re looking for a small car that feels absolutely amazing on the road, then this is the one for you. The Type R is based on the hatchback rather than the sedan version, and speaking of which…

One thing we love about the Civic is that you’re free to choose between two different body types to get the kind of driving experience you prefer. There’s the Civic Sedan that is the quintessential car, providing you with good looks and a spacious interior that you’ll love driving each day. If you want something with more space for cargo, then there’s a Civic Hatchback model with a design that fits somewhere between a conventional sedan and a small SUV.

 

Toyota also offers sedan and hatchback versions of the Corolla, but we prefer the overall design and styling that you get with the Civic. What’s more, while Toyota only offers its hybrid engine with the Corolla Sedan, you’re free to get either Civic model with its fantastic hybrid powertrain.

Speaking of our preference for overall style, one good look at the modern Civic is all it takes to appreciate what Honda’s designers have done with this car. Both Civic models feature sleek lines and a gorgeous design that pulls your eyes from front to back, grabbing your attention and refusing to let go. Although 16-inch wheels are standard on the Civic, trims beyond the starting one come with larger 18-inch wheels for a bolder stance and more aggressive looks. You get LED headlights, daytime running lights, and power-adjustable side mirrors—most models also have heated side mirrors.

 

Looking at the Corolla, it’s clear that Toyota’s designers have worked hard to make something nice, but they don’t quite match what Honda has done. The styling is a bit more conservative on the Corolla, creating a look that’s very much what we’d expect from Toyota without breaking new ground or making something especially striking. The Corolla also has 16-inch wheels standard with 18-inch wheels available, but features like LED daytime running lights are available rather than provided as standard, like you’ll find with the Civic. Overall, the Corolla looks fine, but the sweeping curves and snappy looks of the Civic simply stand out more.

As you’re driving around each day, you want something you’ll enjoy getting into before hitting the road, precisely what the Honda Civic delivers. Standard features include automatic climate control to keep you and your passengers comfortable, push button start, illuminated steering wheel-mounted controls, and room inside for five passengers. You get a seven-inch infotainment display joined by a second seven-inch Driver Information Interface screen, plus a four-speaker sound system, and more, all standard.

 

Available options and features on higher trims let you upgrade what you’ll find inside the Civic to take your daily drive to another level. You can get a nine-inch infotainment display along with a 10.2-inch Driver Information Interface screen, plus a stunning 12-speaker Bose Premium sound system and a wireless phone charger. Leather-trimmed seating is available, with an eight-way power driver’s seat, four-way power front passenger seat, and heated front seats that are perfect for winter. Toyota offers some nice features inside the Corolla, like an eight-inch Toyota Audio Multimedia system, JBL sound system, and SofTex-trimmed seating, but the standard 4.2-inch driver display (with a seven-inch screen available) leaves much to be desired.

It should come as no surprise that the 2025 Civic is an incredibly safe vehicle, with a fantastic selection of standard and available driver-assistance features. Every Civic comes with a Collision Mitigation Braking System with a Forward Collision Warning and Brake Assist. You also get a Road Departure Mitigation System with a Lane Departure Warning and Lane Keeping Assist System. Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow is standard, along with Traffic Jam Assist, Auto High-Beam Headlights, and a Driver Attention Monitor to warn you if you seem to be distracted or tired.

 

Available features take safety further with a Blind Spot Information System and Rear Cross Traffic Monitor, both of which are included with all models beyond the starting trim. You can also get Low-Speed Braking Control as well as Front and Rear Parking Sensors for additional protection. We’re pleased to see that Toyota also includes a good selection of standard safety technologies like a Pre-Collision System, Lane Departure Alert, and Automatic High Beams. Further options like a Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert are available; this is still optional even on the second trim, rather than included like it is on the comparable Civic trim.

We would never say the Corolla is a bad car; it’s clear that Toyota knows what they’re doing and their modern lineup has plenty to like. But when you check it out alongside the 2025 Civic and see how its hybrid engine falls behind, how much smaller the driver displays are, and other similar features, it becomes clear that Honda simply gives you more.

 

In fairness, as a Honda dealership we’re probably a bit biased in this regard, but that’s why we’re happy to show you the Civic and everything it has to offer so you can make your own decision. All it takes is one test drive for you to realize how much fun the Civic can make your daily commute, and then you’ll be ready to make this remarkable car a part of your routine for many years to come.