Considering that sedans are swiftly being phased out to make room for trucks and SUVs, it’s not surprising that the automakers who aren’t scrapping their car division are getting more notice. Since Toyota and Honda are the two biggest automakers who are hanging in there, it only makes sense that consumers wonder who makes the better car.

It’s not exactly an easy call to make. Car and Driver ranked several vehicles from both Toyota and Honda’s lineup on its 25 Best-Selling Cars, Trucks, and SUVs of 2019 list, so they’re both making money off of their vehicles. U.S. News took things a step further by comparing the two automakers head-on. Let’s check out some of the facts.

Reliability

One of the biggest factors in whether a car is worth the money is whether it’s reliable or not. After all, why bother going through the hassle of test-driving, talking to banks about loans, and signing all the paperwork only to discover that your car won’t run?

Thankfully, U.S. News has figured out which brand is more reliable. In this case, the clear winner is Toyota. 

According to Consumer Reports reliability rankings, Toyota came in third out of thirty automakers. Honda came in 12th. That’s a huge difference, and while it might make it seem like Toyota is the better brand, there are other factors to be considered.

Performance

Another key area when choosing a car is performance. If you like speed, then you don’t want a Toyota. You want a Honda. According to U.S. News, the Civic is Honda’s least powerful car, and it can easily leave behind the Toyota Corolla. This is because the standard Civic has 19 more hp than the standard Corolla. 

AutoTrader continued the comparison between the Civic and the Corolla, and stated, “With a nicer, more modern look inside and out, much better engine options and more advanced technology, we like the 2019 Honda Civic more than the 2019 Toyota Corolla.” 

If you feel the need for speed, then Honda is the clear winner. But let’s check out some other factors before you rush out to buy a Honda.

Safety

Even if you don’t have little ones to think of, safety is one of the biggest factors to buying your next vehicle. It’s about more than the safety gadgets on a vehicle. Are the brakes going to bring the car to a stop when you press them? Are there blind spots that obscure your vision? 

According to U.S. News, Honda is the clear winner in the safety arena. The Accord, the Civic, and the Insight got a perfect 10 out of 10. Toyota performed well in the safety division as well, but it couldn’t quite keep up. 

Price

This may be the biggest factor of all. If price weren’t an issue, then more drivers would be cruising around in a Bugatti. It is a factor, though, and a big one. If you don’t have the money to buy what you want, you aren’t driving it off the lot. Not unless you’re just taking it for a test run, anyways. 

Toyota takes home the trophy in this division. Initially, it might seem like the prices aren’t that different, but once you check out what’s standard and what you have to shell out extra dough for, things become a little clearer. Honda requires drivers to pay more for safety equipment. Toyota, on the other hand, offers some of the same features standard. It’s a smart move for Toyota, especially since some consumers may find it hard to choose between the two brands. Knowing that you get more for the same price may be enough to swing buyers their way.

And the winner is….

According to U.S. News, Toyota comes out on top. It was a close race, but Toyota won more categories than Honda. Still, Honda blew Toyota out of the water in several categories. If you’re still on the fence, try test-driving each vehicle you’re interested in and make up your own mind.