Honda makes some of the most reliable, safe, and fun-to-drive sedans in the world. But, because of how many great cars that Honda makes, American customers will ultimately have to choose between one or the other. Here’s a look at the Honda Civic and the Honda Accord, two of Honda’s most popular cars.

What the two Honda vehicles have in common

Off the bat, the obvious similarity between the Honda Civic and the Honda Accord is that they’re both sedans made by the same automaker. As a result, all the good things that are expected from a Honda are present and available in both cars. However, the same is true for all the bad things about having a sedan. While for most people, a sedan is a great car for daily driving, there are obvious drawbacks to owning one.

For example, both cars are extremely safe like any Honda is, and CarGurus says that they both have a similar crash test rating, though the Accord did slightly better in its crash tests than the Civic did. But, due to the simple fact that they’re sedans, they don’t have that much room, especially compared to the roomiest Honda models like the Odyssey. 

CarGurus says that both cars can seat five people and both offer roughly similar front and back legroom at about 40 inches. Both of their engines are also almost the same despite different horsepower outputs. CarGurus says that both have a gas-powered 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine. 

What’s different between the two?

While the Honda Accord and the Civic have a lot in common, the Accord is still a larger sedan than the Civic is. As a result, a lot of their differences are a result of that size difference. For instance, despite having engines that are the same size, the Accord’s engine is more powerful than the Civic’s. CarGurus says that the Accord’s engine gets 192 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque, while the Civic gets 174 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque. 

That extra power actually allows the Accord to tow some cargo. CarGurus says that the Accord can tow about 1,100 lb of cargo while the Civic doesn’t even have a towing capacity. It’s a similar story for their cargo capacity. Due to the Accord’s size, it has 16.7 cubic feet of cargo capacity, and the Civic has 11.9 cu. ft. of cargo capacity. 

That extra space primarily comes from the Accord’s larger frame. The Accord is longer, wider, and taller than the Civic is. That said, that extra size does hurt the Accord’s fuel economy a bit compared to the Civic. CarGurus says that the Accord gets 30 MPG in the city and 38 MPG on highways. The Civic, on the other hand, gets 31 MPG in the city and 40 MPG on highways.

One other minor difference between the two is that the Accord does have a powered-driver seat while the Civic doesn’t. And, of course, due to all of those differences, the Accord costs significantly more than the Civic does. CarGurus says that the Accord starts at about $28,000 while the Civic starts at about $24,000.

Which Honda is better?

Like any other car purchase, it ultimately depends on what you’re looking for. Obviously, both cars are going to be very safe and very reliable, and in terms of their fuel economies, cargo capacity, and engines, they’re also very similar. 

However, it’s also clear that the Accord is roomier and likely more comfortable for all persons than the Civic is, simply due to their size difference. The Accord is also more practical as it can actually tow stuff. So, while both cars are great for daily driving, the Honda Accord is a clear upgrade over the Civic, but the Civic is still a great affordable car to own.