The Toyota Corolla and the Honda Civic are longtime competitors — and leading choices for the compact car segment. The 2023 Honda Civic has many things going for it. However, the 2023 Toyota Corolla has one big thing the Civic doesn’t offer in the United States: an efficient hybrid powertrain.

Unlike the US-spec 2023 Honda Civic, the 2023 Toyota Corolla offers an efficient hybrid powertrain 

If you place a premium on high fuel economy when choosing a compact car, then the 2023 Toyota Corolla is a great choice for you. While gasoline is not as expensive as it was earlier in 2022, it’s still one of the most significant costs of vehicle ownership. An efficient car like the Corolla Hybrid can save you a great deal of money over the long haul.

Honda offers a Civic Hybrid in international markets, but not currently in the U.S. The Japanese automaker might bring back the Civic Hybrid to America in the future. However, for the 2023 model year, the Civic only offers fully-gas powered models in America. 

2023 Corolla Hybrid gets higher gas mileage than the 2023 Civic

The hybrid powertrain in the Corolla Hybrid combines a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors. It enables the compact car to get a fuel-sipping estimated gas mileage of up to 53 city/46 highway mpg. Fuel economy for the Corolla Hybrid is also aided by a regenerative braking system, which captures energy created by the friction from braking, and then routes it to the battery. Additionally, the Corolla Hybrid has an Eco driving mode.

In comparison, the 2023 Honda Civic gets an estimated gas mileage of up to 33 city/42 highway mpg. While this fuel economy is similar to the fully-gas powered version of the Corolla (31 city/40 highway mpg), it’s significantly less than the Corolla Hybrid, especially for city driving. Compared to the Civic, the Corolla Hybrid gets 10 more mpg for city driving and four more mpg for highway driving.

An additional benefit of the high gas mileage of the Corolla Hybrid is convenience. With lower fuel consumption, it can travel farther on a tank of gas than the Civic. This means fewer trips to the fuel pump.

Corolla also offers an all-wheel drive system, but all Civic models have front-wheel drive

Another thing the 2023 Toyota Corolla compact car offers, but is not available for the 2023 Honda Civic, is an all-wheel drive system. While the Corolla offers a choice of either all-wheel drive or front-wheel drive, all Civic models have front-wheel drive.

The available all-wheel drive system for the Corolla provides enhanced traction on uneven surfaces and slippery roads. The AWD-equipped Corolla is a particularly good choice for drivers that live in a place that has harsh winters with snowy and icy conditions.

Additional strengths of the Toyota Corolla over the Honda Civic

Along with its available hybrid powertrain and all-wheel drive system, the 2023 Corolla has some other strengths over the 2023 Civic. It’s slightly more reliable, with a J.D. Power reliability rating of 85/100, compared to 82/100 for the Civic. Greater reliability means the Corolla is less likely to have mechanical problems. Also, it has a much-deserved reputation for lasting many miles and years.

Additionally, the Corolla is more affordable. It has a starting price of $21,550 MSRP for the fully gas-powered version and $22,800 MSRP for the hybrid model, compared to $24,650 MSRP for the Civic. Plus, with its many standard features, the Corolla offers excellent value.

The available hybrid powertrain is a big strength that the 2023 Toyota Corolla has over the 2023 Honda Civic. For American compact car shoppers that want very high fuel economy, this is an important consideration.