If you’ve got a budget of 75,000 – 85,000 AED and you need a reliable economy car to drive around Dubai. There are various options but if we talk about the most popular and economical cars in the Middle East then Toyota corolla and Honda Civic are the two legendary Cars when it come to the reliability. They have been selling globally for over 40 years, their resale value is nowhere to be matched. Over the last few years, a lot of competitors have staked their claims, such as Kia Cerato, Nissan Sunny. Ford Focus and Hyundai Elantra. Yet, the reputation these two have built over the years has kept them increasingly relevant.
Both Civic and Corolla does not have any Style Statement, they are mostly called an Everyday cars. But this year Corolla has been working on its look significantly because of the competition with the cars like Kia Cerato and Hyundai Elantra, they are the most beautifully stylish and compact Sedans in the market
Because of its improved look Kia and Hyundai has earned the number 2 bestselling brand slot in UAE, Saudi Arabia and in other Gulf Regions. Corolla has responded well in terms of improving their look. The chief Engineer Mr Shinichi Yasui calls it an ‘emotional styling. ‘The front bumper indeed is much more stylish compared to the previous generation Corolla.
And then there is Honda Civic. Despite all new front and rear styling, Honda Civic still lags behind rivals when it comes to producing a stylish urban cruiser. There are LED on the side turn lights. Those wheel spokes are actually quite well designed compared to Corolla. Still, the body shape is that of an elongated Honda City and those rear lights are not that sporty anymore. The overall look is quite conventional compared to its competition. The new lower bumper with chrome accent is definitely an improvement when compared to the previous generation Honda Civic, but it’s not enough.
Despite the fact that both cars are underpowered, they are actually not bad individually for urban city driving. Both cars are good, reliable city commuters and do the job they are supposed to do. On highways both cars will expectedly struggle. Honda Civic has much better handling compared to Toyota Corolla; the steering gives at least some feedback on corners and turns whereas the Corolla steering has no feedback whatsoever. Honda Civic also has better brakes and road grip. Finally the 2.0 liter Corolla engine is a letdown due to its paltry 107 horsepower. Even Honda City has more power than that!
With better style, approximately 25% lower price and superior cabin space, Toyota Corolla edges out Honda Civic this comparison. Civic indeed has a better drive, yet the biggest factors driving compact sedan decisions are style, price and interior, where Corolla clearly stands out.
