The Toyota Camry and the Honda Civic
are very similar vehicles. When left with the choice of Camry vs. Civic, which
should you choose? Both are excellent cars, but the Camry comes out just a bit
ahead of the competition. From the inside out, the differences are small, but these
small things add up and make the choice clear.
Interior
Inside the cars are basically the same. They seat five and come in two interior
colors; power locks, windows, and mirrors are standard; and they have features that
are now considered basic, such as cup holders, center storage consoles, and 12-volt
power outlets via the cigarette lighter. In the interior, the Civic actually
has an advantage in safety thanks to a rearview camera. The Camry offers more
backseat legroom, a spacious 38.9 inches of it. The legroom in the front was
not sacrificed, however; 41.6 inches leaves room for almost anybody to fit
comfortably in the Camry.
Exterior
Both vehicles come in both four-door sedan and two-door coupe versions. The
Camry has nine colors to choose from, while the civic only offers seven. The
Camry has a slightly wider wheelbase, lending it slightly better handling. Overall,
the exteriors are very similar, and the vote of which is better comes down to
personal preference.
Engine
In the Camry vs. Civic battle, the Camry has trounced the Civic in the engine
department. They both have inline four-cylinder engines with the option of
manual or automatic transmissions. The Camry has 178 horsepower to the Civic’s
140 horses. The Camry also has a 2.7L engine versus the Civic’s 1.8L engine,
and both have 16 valves with variable timing. For those that hate gas stations,
the Camry also features a larger gas tank of 17 gallons; the Civic only has a
13.2-gallon tank.
Suspension
The Camry and Civic both have four-wheel independent suspension. They also have
front and rear stabilizer bars in common. Both vehicles are front wheel drive,
making them excellent all-weather cars. Overall, the suspension systems are
also almost identical from one car to the other.
Gas mileage, price, and warranty
The Camry has a slightly higher price point, at $22,000 MSRP. The Civic is only
$19,000 MSRP. However, for a small bit more, the Camry offers better gas
mileage with 25 miles per gallon city and 35 highway. You can go almost 500
miles before needing a gas station with the Camry; the Civic will take you
about 450. The Camry and Civic both offer a 3-year/36,000-mile basic warrantee,
as is standard on cars today.
Overall
Overall, the Camry vs. Civic debate is very close. The cars are similar, and
the attributing features that designate a clear winner are small. However, when
they are all compiled, the Toyota Camry is a slightly better deal than the
Honda Civic. If you are in the market for a new Toyota in the Dayton, New
Jersey area, Dayton Toyota has over 50 years in the business; they’ll put you
in the car of your dreams.
