Compact cars · 10 model years, 2014 to 2026
Honda Civic vs Toyota Corolla: problems and reliability
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Civic looks better on 3 and the Corolla on 2, with 2 too close to call.
Newest report Sep 24, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026
Scorecard
| Measure, 2014 to 2026 | Civic | Corolla |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints that report a crash | 4.9% | 19% |
| Complaints that report a fire | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Complaints that report an injury | 2.5% | 12% |
| Median miles when problems are reported | 36,000 | 33,000 |
| Recall campaigns per model year | 1.8 | 1.1 |
| Do-not-drive recalls | 0 | 0 |
| NHTSA investigations | 4 | 2 |
The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.
What owners complain about
The system Civic owners complain about most is steering; for the Corolla it is airbags. Complaints citing steering make up 40% of all Civic complaints, against 5.4% on the Corolla. The Corolla leans the other way on airbags: 22% of its complaints, against 5.2% for the Civic.
Honda CivicToyota Corolla
Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
The most reported problems
The most reported problem on the Civic is sticky steering (30% of its complaints). On the Corolla it is airbag problems (22% of its complaints), against 5.1% on the Civic.
| Problem | Civic | Corolla |
|---|---|---|
| Steering sticks, feels notchy or jerks | 30% 1,418most in 2022 · 36k mi | 0 |
| Airbag warning light or recall | 5.1% 244most in 2015 · 42k mi | 22% 388most in 2014 · 36k mi |
| Brakes grind, pulse or wear early | 5.8% 274most in 2016 · 23k mi | 8.9% 159most in 2016 · 19k mi |
| A/C blows warm or the compressor fails | 11% 508most in 2016 · 40k mi | 1.6% 2931k mi |
| Engine stalls or loses power while driving | 5.1% 241most in 2018 · 43k mi | 5.6% 99most in 2019 · 30k mi |
| Power steering cuts out or goes heavy | 8.1% 386most in 2022 · 40k mi | 0.4% 7 |
| Engine overheats or leaks coolant | 0.3% 1343k mi | 8.2% 146most in 2020 · 51k mi |
| Seat belt or seat problems | 1.2% 5717k mi | 6.3% 113most in 2016 · 30k mi |
Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.
When problems start
Problems show up at about the same mileage on both. Half the Civic complaints that give a mileage come before 36,000 miles, and half the Corolla complaints before 33,000. 65% of Civic reports and 66% of Corolla reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.
Honda CivicToyota Corolla
Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 1,817 for the Civic and 849 for the Corolla.
Worst and best years
The 2022 Civic draws 3.3 times the complaints of a typical Civic year for its age. The 2020 Corolla draws 2.2 times the complaints of a typical Corolla year for its age.
Honda CivicToyota Corolla
Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.
Recalls and investigations
The Civic draws more recalls: 1.8 campaigns per model year against 1.1 for the Corolla. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.
Honda Civic
18 recall campaigns and 4 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: fuel system (3), airbags (3) and steering (3).
- 26V-332 (airbags) covers 7 model years
- 23V-858 (fuel system) covers 6 model years
Investigations
- EA23003: Momentary increased steering effort (closed, led to a recall)
- PE23005: Momentary increased steering effort (closed)
- EA21002: Desiccated air bag inflator rupture (open)
Toyota Corolla
11 recall campaigns and 2 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: airbags (2), equipment (2) and fuel system (2).
- 20V-024 (airbags) covers 6 model years
- 19V-503 (equipment) covers 3 model years
Investigations
- EA21002: Desiccated air bag inflator rupture (open)
- EA19001: Electrical overstress (closed, led to a recall)
Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Crashes, fires and injuries
A larger share of Corolla complaints report a crash: 19%, against 4.9% for the Civic. Fire reports: 27 for the Civic and 14 for the Corolla. Complaints on file report 1 death in the Civic and 4 in the Corolla for these model years.
Honda CivicToyota Corolla
Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.
Questions
Is the Honda Civic or the Toyota Corolla more reliable?
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Civic looks better on 3 and the Corolla on 2, with 2 too close to call. NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the Civic has 4,764 complaints and the Corolla 1,781 for the 10 model years from 2014 to 2026 that both have on file, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.
Which has more recalls, the Civic or the Corolla?
The Civic has 18 recall campaigns and the Corolla 11 across the 10 model years from 2014 to 2026 that both have on file. The Civic draws more recalls: 1.8 campaigns per model year against 1.1 for the Corolla.
What are the most common problems on the Civic and the Corolla?
The most reported problem on the Civic is sticky steering (30% of its complaints). On the Corolla it is airbag problems (22% of its complaints), against 5.1% on the Civic.
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