Toyota 2 litre hybrid vs Honda 2 litre hybrid

[Spo2]

Hi all,

I am wondering if anyone has driven Honda 2 litre hybrid in Civic, and if so how does it compare to Toyota's 2 litre hybrid in Corolla or C-HR? Either way, I would adhere to Toyota for its long warranty but would be keen to know the experience of those who have driven both.

Thanks,

Sol

[forkingabout]

Remember the Toyota 2 litre hybrid is about to launch with 23 MY Corolla in new updated 5th generation system with 193 bhp.

[Popama]

The gear simulation achieved through Honda's electric engine might be more pleaseant to most people. 

[TonyHSD]

Perhaps best to do to find out how Honda hybrids drive is to book a test drive and see if you like it or not, you can do your comparison in person and you can share with us later. Auto journalists already started to like Honda more , but they never liked Toyota hybrids anyway. 👍

For me Honda hybrids are fake cars.
If you want a simulator car then they are ok. I like Toyota hybrids for what they are and how they drive. I don’t want something that is a modern car but actually faked the old technology and produce fake noises and simulated gear changes. Why would you take that over something completely different, smooth, quiet, relaxed and reliable. Also any other hybrids to date including latest from all manufacturers are more complex than their petrol or diesel equivalents , so full stop for me. Toyota hybrids and the Electric cars are taking over because of simplicity, reliability, comfort, ease of drive, minimal maintenance etc. You want some gears and f..rts there are golf R, Audi s3 , bmw s plenty, and they will do much better job for what they had been made. 👌

[Wetherfell]

Yes, as a potential buyer I had a drive in both recently.

As mentioned on another thread, I have driven many 2 pedal cars over the years but never been motivated to actually own one. Decreasing availability of manuals, plus increasing arthritis in my clutch foot is making me reappraise matters, however, and if looking at autos, why not hybrids also?

So I approached the exercise with an open mind, driving a Design Corolla on 17s, and a Civic Sport on 18s (like the GR Sport Corolla, this still has standard suspension), both 2.0 and similar 180 ps or so system total.

Very impressed with both. Two different views on Honda's "simulation" from Marian and Tony above. It does indeed mess with your head and trick you into thinking it's more of a  "normal" auto, but I did find it worked on me!

Other pluses for the Honda were, I felt, marginally tauter "feel", more perceived quality to the interior, better instrument displays.

The "biggy" in more senses than one was size. If you need more boot space, the Civic is the one. Downside to that for me is it is a physically larger car and on my deliberately chosen "tight" test route, felt it.

Other minuses for me were the PRND buttons - I much prefer the selector lever on the Corolla - and try as I might to avoid it, I kept banging my elbow on the centre armrest during enthusiastic wheel twiddling.

The Corolla boot (in the 2.0) is on the small size but I could live with that. I did prefer the more compact feel of the Corolla which did seem more manageable in tight corners or just when parking on the dealership forecourt after the test drive. (As an aside, I did find both hybrids more controllable in slow speed manoeuvring which I have always found a drawback with autos, especially the dual-clutch variety.)

This will probably be my last ICE car and a long term buy so the Toyota warranty is a plus versus Honda's 5 year.

Its a shame 2023 MY Corolla demos were not available, so I feel I may to some extent have been "comparing apples and pears". My dealer has promised to let me know when the MY23 Corolla arrives so I can repeat the exercise, though I may not re-test the Honda if happy with the updated Corolla.

I would certainly recommend a test drive of the Civic to anyone interested - we all have different priorities.

 

 

 

 

 

[forkingabout]

23 MY Corolla demo vehicles are meant to be appearing at dealerships later this month.

[RobertR]

I don't drive the current honda civic hybrid but every car's reviews put this car in the first place...I think it's the superior drivetrain, it's not fake or a simulator at all, it's basically an electric car with a petrol generator on the board. The only downside (generally) is noise during long high power demand ( going uphill on highways etc) and high prices.

If you are a driver-oriented customer, honda is definitely better than Toyota hybrids which are boring to drive sporty.

[Mojo1010]

Is the cat exhaust on the honda easy to get to? The civic is a lot of money, top spec 33k. Think this price is very bad value.

[Wetherfell]

13 minutes ago, Mojo1010 said:

The civic is a lot of money, top spec 33k. Think this price is very bad value.

The same must therefore equally apply to top spec Corollas at £34k+ for Excel and GR Sport 2.0 hatches according to the 2023MY price list?

[DC_Ms]

The Honda Civic hybrid is actually getting very very good reviews , and the maximum torque what you can get with the 2 L engine. I can just assume that is a very enjoyable car to drive. 

[TonyHSD]

Honda Civic hybrid it’s a brand new tech without proven reliability record. If you are buying privately with your own cash this is a huge factor that should play a role and Corolla wins here by all means. I looked at Honda drive train also in Hyundai and Kia hybrids as they have also interesting models but all of them have parts and components that with time and mileage they will wear out and require expensive replacement, no other way around. While Toyota has eliminated those with very few exceptions here and there but in general Toyota hybrids are reliable as much as electric cars or at a least as reliable as can be a hybrid where all others had their weaker components like friction clutches , starter motors, drive belts and pulleys, etc. If you buying on pcp or as company car on a short term ownership 3 years or so perhaps these would not matter to you but for a private owners who plan to keep the car for longer than 5 years Toyota wins again. If I try the Honda I am sure I will like it as much as Corolla, probably for the time being even more , as I did liked Hyundai ioniq hybrids but I didn’t go for one because as a car they are slightly nicer than Prius but as hybrid tech not even close although they are as efficient not as reliable in a long run. 

[Mojo1010]

12 minutes ago, Wetherfell said:

The same must therefore equally apply to top spec Corollas at £34k+ for Excel and GR Sport 2.0 hatches according to the 2023MY price list?

 

[TonyHSD]

1 minute ago, Mojo1010 said:

 

Carwow civic will also be reduced right? 

[TonyHSD]

10 minutes ago, DC_Ms said:

The Honda Civic hybrid is actually getting very very good reviews , and the maximum torque what you can get with the 2 L engine. I can just assume that is a very enjoyable car to drive. 

And the interior looks very well put together plus plusher than Toyota most interiors, although Corolla excel and gr sport are also well made. 

[Mojo1010]

That is the reduce price. Corolla wins by a big margin.

On another forum someone suggest the jazz hybrid is the better car than the Yaris mk4 due to better interior and softer setup. I said interior digital dash and softer yes perhaps. Yaris beats it in all other department: Styling, power, economy, tech and handling. The jazz gets cat stolen as well. 

[Wetherfell]

10 minutes ago, Mojo1010 said:

That is the reduce price. Corolla wins by a big margin.

Interesting. When I was doing the test drives (in late November), on list price at least, the Civic was looking better value than the Corolla. 

Have just downloaded the latest Civic price list and note that prices have been hiked by about £2k on each model.

[Mojo1010]

Crazy price, who is going to pay that for a civic? Don't expect much sales, at least the corolla is more respectable. That was the sort of money the rav4 2.5 hybrid excel were going for a year ago. Rav4 has gone up just like every car. 

[DC_Ms]

38 minutes ago, TonyHSD said:

I looked at Honda drive train also in Hyundai and Kia hybrids as they have also interesting models but all of them have parts and components that with time and mileage they will wear out and require expensive replacement, no other way around. While Toyota has eliminated those with very few exceptions here and there but in general Toyota hybrids are reliable as much as electric cars or at a least as reliable as can be a hybrid where all others had their weaker components like friction clutches , starter motors, drive belts and pulleys, etc.

Yes Tony , and this is why I went with the Corolla again after I owned an Auris before …  

[TonyHSD]

Civic seems like bigger car than Corolla hatchback and similar to Skoda Octavia although these cars are hatchbacks I never directly compared them to golf or Astra or Corolla or 308 but only to their estate variants or saloon if been offered. Space wise Honda Civic wins as its actually a lift back or sport back as was called last lancer from Mitsubishi and these body types including Prius and ioniq has larger boot and longer wheel base than other models based on the same chassis. Octavia has never been a direct competition to golf but to Jetta instead in my eyes. Jazz also not a direct competitor to Yaris, perhaps if Yaris had a Verso variant. Jazz is huge inside, it’s bigger than Corolla and Yaris cross. , it’s an small mpv not a small hatchback. That’s about sizes while waiting for more opinions especially from people who have  tried the civic. 👍

[Yugguy1970]

All that medium hatch size of cars are getting of a similar price.  

Even the Ford Focus is now pushing 30k for a decent spec one.   

[Wetherfell]

22 minutes ago, TonyHSD said:

Civic seems like bigger car than Corolla hatchback and similar to Skoda Octavia

Yes, this size thing is getting silly. I had a Civic about 20 years ago and the new one is about half a metre longer and effectively the size the Accord was back then.

I'm currently in a Mk 8 Fiesta which is not far off what the Focus was in its first generation.

[RobertR]

It's not all about the raw value and tables with numbers when you sit in a new civic, it looks and feels much plush and more expensive than Toyota corolla. And about that being a news hybrid system, not that new in japan world (actually it's 3rd gen hybrid). I don't expect any problem with this drivetrain over Toyota one, if nothing it's even simpler than Toyota. Yes, Toyota has now 5th gen hybrid but that doesn't mean it's more reliable than 4th gen, they change everything over time, and they make some parts less robust because they proved to be reliable enough and they put cost saving on this part, heavenly, etc, they changing lots of things over the generation and don't expect such high extensive testing for entry-level Toyota hybrids compare to big and strong (that's are usually used in big Lexus or USA Toyotas) hybrids.
Just go to a dealership and try both cars and do a test drive. Both cars will be great and reliable. I have considered HRV or Yaris cross but it was just too big a price gap, I vent with YC, for someone maybe the price for honda be justifiable.

[JayCee88]

I’ve sat in the “Advance” spec of the civic hybrid and must say I’m impressed. It comes with Bose Speakers which sounds amazing and the interior does feel upmarket. 
However I am after an estate, plus personally think the price point is a little too high.

I like to keep my cars as long as possible, and pay cash hence reliability is absolute key. From research Toyota seem to have better track record. I am sure Honda is catching up, or just as good. Who knows if they make an estate version I might be interested 🙂

[AisinW]

Ride quality, interior, power delivery, and MPG in Honda is excellent. Rear passanger room is also bigger than Corolla TS.  Civic serial hybrid is in the 3rd iteration since 2015 Accord hybrid USA. It has been prooven reliable too.  The direct injection only is the only thing I reconsider it over Corolla TS 2.0L.  Although, statistics shows it is not much less problematic than 1.2Turbo Toyota. Honda direct injection design is more reliable than VW, Toyota, or BMW. 

For me, Civic and Corolla TS are even, depends what you need and preference. The starting price of Civic is too high, similar to Accord hybrid (Camry class). Top trim Corolla is also too expensive. 

[forkingabout]

58 minutes ago, AisinW said:

The direct injection only is the only thing I reconsider it over Corolla TS 2.0L. 

Sooner or later it will coke up, especially if lightly used.

More & more vehicle manufacturers are now starting to copy the Toyota D-4S system.