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Sedans Honda Civic 08 Civic vs 09 Corolla
40 messages, Last post on Sep 14, 2009 at 1:27 PM
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Since you guys know way more than I do, I was hoping you can give me some input on these two cars. I can't get the 09 Civic yet, so that isn't really an option and I can't really wait until October when it's suppose to be in my area (Alberta, Canada) The 09 Corolla (looking at the sport and xrs) can be about a thousand or two cheaper, it's 09 compared to an 08, and we can pick the colour. I tend to like the look and feel of it a bit better. The 08 Civic has better ratings in safety, resale etc and everywhere I check it's rated higher (though Corollas have great ratings too). I find the reving nose the automatic to be loud when it shifts, and the cabin nose is higher than the Corollas. I like the 'name' of the Civic better and it looks a little more luxurious. The car will be for the wife and for the quick family holiday out of town. What would you recommend? Should I wait for an 09 Civic (not a great option for me....but doable)? Any idea on the prices I should be getting as the talk I'm getting from the dealers is that there is really no movement from the MSP (maybe a couple hundred) Thanks |
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Replying to: bloomfield (Jul 31, 2008 8:12 am) 2008 Civic pluses: The Civic offers far better handling than the Corolla, and the interior is much more refined. It's also more fun to drive. The whole car feels nicer overall. I guess it should be, as it's more expensive. However, since this is the end of the 2008 model year and the 2009 Civics are already on the way, you should be able to get a good deal on a 2008. I bought mine at Invoice price, nowhere near the MSRP. Your dealers may be digging in their heels at the moment, but they'll probably run a 2008 clearance sale right after they get your money. 2008 Civic minuses: The Civic has fairly low ground clearance in front, so you definitely have to be more careful not to let the front end crunch into any of those cement blocks that are used in parking lots to mark the ends of the stalls. It's best to stop early, rather than rolling forward until the wheels (or nose) hit the barrier. The Corolla has much better front ground clearance and shouldn't have this problem. The Civic also looks as though the front would be more likely to scrape when pulling out of those driveways that have a low spot at the bottom. I haven't scraped yet, but that's because I pull out slowly so as not to "bounce" the nose into the ground. If you check around, I think you will see that quite a few Civics have scraped-up front-ends from dealing with these types of situations. Bottom line: If you're careful you can avoid scraping, but if you don't want to be that careful, you're going to get some serious scrapes. I suppose it's not the end of the world, but ouch! Another issue that might make a difference to you, depending on the area you live in, is that Honda Civics are more theft-prone than Toyota Corollas. The darn thieves all seem to want to steal and strip Civics, although this was more of a problem with the earlier models before the engine immobilizer systems were improved. I haven't seen the latest statistics, but you might want to look into it, particularly for the area where you live. Maybe even add an alarm system. 2009 Corolla pluses: I've driven Corollas for many years and I have always been impressed with how well built and reliable they are, and I would expect the 2009 Corolla to continue that trend. That said, there's not a lot that actually stood out when I inspected and drove the car. Overall, the Corolla seemed like a perfectly fine car that would easily suit my needs, except for one little issue that I'll mention in the "minuses", below. I didn't get much "wow" factor, but for a commuter car you don't really need that. The low speed handling (i.e. parking, slow maneuvering) was fantastic. The electric power steering made those tasks so easy as to be almost effortless. 2009 Corolla minuses: The Corolla has only a 4-speed automatic transmission, as compared to the Civic's 5-speed. The Civic's 5th gear quite tall, such that at 60mph the engine turns over at just under 2000 rpm. I don't remember the exact rpms, but I'm pretty sure the Corolla was revving a bit more than that at the same speed. I suppose it's not that big of a deal, as long as you get that great Corolla mileage. I think the Honda engine delivers more power and has greater fuel consumption, and Honda tries to make up for it by reducing the ground clearance, dramatically streamlining the car and adding a tall 5th gear. Here's what turned out to be the deal breaker for me, although you may not mind it as much as I did: I couldn't get used to the feel of the Corolla's electric power steering. I loved it during low-speed parking lot maneuvers, but the actual driving part felt kind of weird. There just wasn't enough steering feel. For example, I found that there was very little increased "tug" on the wheel when I deliberately tightened a corner, and thus I wasn't getting the feedback that normally tells you when you're pushing too hard. I couldn't try this during my test drives, but I think that eventually I would have just broken into a front (understeer) skid and found my limits that way. (With good road feel, you can feel your limits approaching. Without it, you have to find out by pushing past them.) Another thing that I didn't particularly like was the steering wheel's reduced ability to automatically straighten out after a turn. This, of course, is directly related to the steering wheel's lack of feedback, or "tug", during the turn. It wasn't really that bad, just different. I think that I eventually would have gotten used to it. It's probably fine for a commuter car that won't be aggressively driven. The problem that I couldn't get past, however, was the steering response at higher speeds. I really wanted this car, so I did several test drives in several different 2009 Corollas, but in every case the Corolla showed a tendency to wander out of its lane at highway speeds. Oh, I could keep it in its lane, but I had to watch it every second. What would that be like during a long drive? Probably not so good, was my guess. It seemed to me that there just wasn't enough center-position "slack" in the steering, so every little twitch was transferred directly to the tires. The car was just too eager to please. "What's that, did your finger just twitch, do you want a lane change? OK, here we go. Enjoy!" What's the answer: Less twitchy drivers? Zen-like focus? Bionic arms? In my opinion, the Corolla's electric power steering is just too precise. It's a strange complaint, but I think it has some merit. Give us some slack, Toyota, we're only human! Anyway, this issue may or may not affect you, depending on what kind of driver you are, what the roads are like where you drive, whether or not your front alignment is set properly, whether or not your tires are in good condition, etc. The best I can advise is to do another test drive and make sure you're ok with the steering feel. Many others in the Corolla forums have said that the 2009's electric power steering doesn't bother them at all, so my opinion is hardly definitive. I was completely ready to buy the 2009 Corolla until I came up against this issue, but finally, almost grudgingly, I chose the 2008 Civic. Now that I've driven the Civic for awhile I'm actually very happy with it and I can't believe that I ever even considered buying the Corolla, but that's hindsight for you. Good luck with your decision! |
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Replying to: bloomfield (Jul 31, 2008 8:12 am) So the most important question to answer is: which one does your WIFE like better? |
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Replying to: bloomfield (Jul 31, 2008 8:12 am)  . How you plan to pay for it? Corolla currently does not have special rate, yet Civic has a better finance rate in Canada with way higher MSRP. Overall, with interest and everything they are priced very similar if you are going to finance it. If you are pay in full, corolla definitely is a better deal. If you want to know the invoice(dealer cost) for both vehicles, go check Carcostcanada.com . Driving experience: Corolla is more isolated with less road noise. It feels smooth through the bumps and rough roads. The downside is it has absolutely no steering feedback. The TPMS is standard on all corollas whereas Civic lacks in Canada. Trip computer is also standard on Corolla, but the clock is stuck in there along with Odometer. Despite Civic has a tall 5th gear, Corolla still has the upper hand on highway fuel economy under real world driving. http://www.canadiandriver.com/50litre/main.htm Civic has better steering feel. I found it has slightly better visibility. The engine feels smoother toward the red-line, whereas Toyota feel rough above 3500+ rpm. I heard from the news that over 60% of the women have influence/participate in the buy decision. So, are you deciding or your wife is? 
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i own a 08civic lx. i bought mine january(before the release of the 09 corolla). I have seen the 09 corolla in and out, has new "body kit" looks alright , perfect commuter car. I suggest buying a civic because, its more sporty, cute and the inside is more exciting with digital speedomoter and more of a "space craft" feel. With Honda u get great mileage and performance. GOod luck. |
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It really depends upon what you like. I doubt the 09 Civic will be significantly different than the 08. The 09 Corolla is a bit quieter than the Civic. The Civic is more fun to drive, IMHO. I found the Civic's engine to be a bit smoother (less NVH) than the Corolla's, but the Corolla had less wind and road noise than the Civic. The crash test ratings for the 09 Corolla are significantly better than the 08, and are very close to the 08 Civic. http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=603 http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=928 http://www.safercar.gov/portal/site/safercar/menuitem.db847bd57e3dc1f885dfc38c35- a67789/?vgnextoid=c95df2905bf54110VgnVCM1000002fd17898RCRD http://www.safercar.gov/portal/site/safercar/menuitem.94b0130be143aeb342252f0835- a67789/?vgnextoid=68adf2905bf54110VgnVCM1000002fd17898RCRD If the car is for your wife, then she should be the one deciding between the two. Both are good cars. The Corolla is new and the one that I drove had a fair number of rattles (probably early production problems). The Civic has been out for several years and as a result might have higher initial quality.
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has been moved from duplicate discussion, so it's a bit out of order. This discussion is now available on both the Civic board and Corolla board. |
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I have test driven both cars, and became very familiar with the 09 Corolla. I think I have read every review there is on the 09 Corolla. I own an 05 Corolla LE, and had planned to trade it for the 09 Corolla XLE. Two things really turned me off about the 09 Corolla, the steering, and the armrest on the doors. I have summarized below. 09 Corolla Good things: Engine refinement, it's Toyota at its best Quietness comfortable seats attactive both outside and inside Bad things : The steering. Major issue. Do not not ignore the reviews. Arm rest. In my opinion Toyota was more interested in making them look like the Camry's than making them useful. They are too far back and not at the right level. Steering wheel - does not go back far enough for full comfort. Hard plastic that looks like a minivan's steering wheel. Unless you get the XLE, the interior leaves you wanting for more. They went backwards instead of moving forward. 08 Honda Civic LX Good things : This car feels stable, solid. It hungs the road. Excellent steering feel and handling. Excellent driving position. Excellent armrest support. Upscale materials used in the interior. Very fun to drive. Bad things : Road noise seems too loud. Way louder than my 05 Corolla. Brakes seemed weak, but I know they work. no key for the trunk. You have to open it from inside the car. I really wanted to like the Corolla. I had ordered an XLE , but cancelled because of the steering issue. After driving the Civic , I would buy the Civic over the Corolla in a heartbeat. The Civic is more comfortable and more fun to drive. The Civic has a better interior, with no steering or armrest issues to worry about. The only thing that stopped me from buying was the road noise and I could live with that, but not ready to give up my 05 Corolla until they make a quieter Civic. I might be waiting until the redesign of 2011, I know. I hope the steering is always good, no matter when I buy.
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Replying to: johnc27 (Aug 15, 2008 7:18 pm) However, I fully agree that the 2008 Civic LX produces more road noise than a 2003-2008 Corolla, and most likely the 2009 Corolla as well. On smooth roads it's unnoticeable, but on a rough road surface a considerable amount of low-frequency road/tire noise is transmitted directly into the interior. It seems to come right up through the floor. After doing a bit of research I found that the tires supplied with the Civic have a reputation for being noisy, so I'm looking forward to wearing them down and changing to a quieter model such as the Goodyear Assurance ComforTred or some other known quiet design. I've heard that this helps quite a bit. I've also heard that a few Civic owners have chosen to install aftermarket sound-deadening mats in the interior and that this quiets things down remarkably, basically turning the Civic into an Accord in terms of interior sound levels. Kind of a chore to install, though. |
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Does anyone have any experience or thougths on how electric power steering might affect a drivers ability to detect hydroplaning? This would be a huge concern of mine. Thanks 
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