Which Car Is Better Honda Or Toyota?

Why choose between a Honda and Toyota when you can buy the two? Well, this is not a smart move, except you are playing the status game or have a need for two cars at the same time. So how do you know which car is better, Honda or Toyota?

Now it’s true that both cars have a lot in common. For instance, Both are Japanese brands. Secondly, there is a rivalry of over 8 decades between them. Finally, they are easily the most common car brands in the world. You will discover that at least 3 out of 9 cars gracing our roads are either a Toyota or Honda model.

Still trying to decide what to choose between a Honda or Toyota? Carry on with this in-depth analysis of both car bands. It will help you filter the facts away from the hype, making it easier to choose the car that best meets your expectation. You may also want to read an article about the luxurious version of Toyota, read it here.

Here’s a highlight of this article:

Honda Versus Toyota: Basis Of Comparison
Pros And Cons Of Owning A Honda Versus Toyota
The War Between Honda And Toyota
Discussing Your Options With A Honda And Toyota
Conclusion

Honda Versus Toyota: Basis Of Comparison

Reliability, speed, and comfort.

Speed

Honda’s founder was an Engineer whose focus was making “rockstar vehicles” that outperformed competitors in the aspect of speed. For the lovers of pace, this is good news. But, unfortunately, it means you’ll have to spend more time visiting service stations. According to research, fast-paced acceleration wears out the engine faster than gentle acceleration.

Reliability

“If you want a car for longevity’s sake, you should opt for a Toyota.” Well, this was true 20 years ago. Let’s see how much it’s still relevant today even though Honda and Toyota are very quality brands. Honda falls short on the reliability index. Even the experts at Automotive News confirm this to be true.

Nonetheless, it’s not all roses with Toyota engines. There have been some recalls in recent years due to problems like engine cracks.

Safety

Whatever Honda lost to Toyota in the reliability index, it makes it up on the Safety ratings. Automotive News report that Honda is rated as being safer than Toyota. In its 2022 Top Safety Picks, The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave Honda a slight nod above Toyota due to headlight and seatbelt reminder issues.

Figure 1: Chart showing the numbers of Toyota and Honda models on the 2022 Top Safety Pick+ List

Merely looking at the chart, Toyota performed better than Honda. But there’s more to it. Toyota has more models than Honda, which means Honda cars actually fared better than Toyota if you judge their features against their individual total available models.

Cost of Maintenance

If you want a car that will last you many years, consider getting a Toyota or a Honda. These durable options will save you money on expensive maintenance or repairs. Nonetheless, Honda isn’t as reliable as Toyota.

Using the first 10-year period as a case study, Honda costs about $7500 to maintain, which is $1500 higher than what it would cost to maintain a Toyota model within the same time frame.

Available models

On a neck-to-neck comparison, Honda and Toyota match each other very closely. Yet, Honda does not have as many models as Toyota, which makes it unfair to compare them on a model vs. model basis.

Toyota has exactly twenty-three models, while Honda has just fourteen. Here are some of their popular models. Camry, Corolla, Venza, Tacoma, Sienna, Yaris, and 4Runner are some of the popular line-ups Toyota has on the market. On the other hand, Accord, Insight, Fit, Civic, Passport, Pilot, and Odyssey are among the most popular options for Honda.

Price points

Both brands are affordable. They are the perfect choice for low-to-middle-class income earners. Even the crème de la crème of the society have them in ther collection. Toyota’s cheapest car is the Camry, priced at $25,845, while the honda line-up starts from $25,845. (You can check their websites for more information on prices. Please know that these prices are subject to change.)

Engine power

This review will not cover an in-depth engine power analysis because of the available models’ discrepancies in features. Even the model trims that are comparable have lots of differences. So it’s better to read detailed reviews on specific models and compare them against others in the same class.

Pros And Cons Of Owning A Honda Versus Toyota

Benefits of owning a Honda

They are exceptionally dependable and can last more than 10 years.
Its models have advanced safety features ranked among the best in the industry.
The vehicles have spacious cabins
They have a wide variety of models.
Affordable for their quality
Honda vehicles are a leading brand to turn to for environmentally friendly vehicles.

Problems with Honda

Excessive oil consumption in V6 engines
Power transmission problems
The dashboard dims and eventually darkens out over time.
The brake wears out fast and the vehicle
Faulty door locks
Infotainment systems are challenging to navigate.

Why Toyota is a popular option

Fitted with advanced safety features that protect you from accidents.
If you are tight on budget, you can get one that fits your financial capabilities.
They have many models you can choose from.
Very efficient on fuel.
They have hybrid options if you want a green vehicle.
They are quite reliable and can last up to two decades.
They are more liquid on the secondary market.

Toyota problems

The brake wears out fast
Sludge build-up in engines over time.
Water pump malfunctions
Poor oil and fuel consumption
Suspension problems
Faulty HVAC system.

The War Between Honda And Toyota

Not many know this, but Honda was once a major supplier of engines to Toyota prior to World War II. After the events of the second world war, every industry in Japan suffered the consequences of losing, including the automobile industry.

This prompted Soichiro Honda to end his contractual relationship with Toyota, and to the disdain of Kiichiro Toyota, he proceeded to enjoy a human holiday. But this won’t be for long. Later, the founder of Toyota died at age 57 upon his return to Toyota after resigning a few years before due to labor actions. Toyota proceeded to realize the dream of its dead founder by launching a passenger car in the USA.

The model was a failure and only managed to sell roughly 1300 units 18 months after its launch in 1958. Toyota limped off the American battlefield only to face a growing threat at home from its former supplier, Honda, who partnered with a business guru, Takeo Fujisawa, to launch state-of-the-art automobiles in the country. And since then, the competition between the two has continued to rage.

Discussing Your Options With A Honda And Toyota

Looking at the inventory of these two auto giants, you’d notice a huge discrepancy —That Toyota has a larger inventory of automobiles than Honda. But what Honda misses in this regard is that it makes up a wider product range that includes motorcycles, ATVs, and even Helicopters.

The first thing to figure out is your car needs. Do you want a big, medium, or small-sized car? If you want a small car, Corolla, Accord, Camry, and Civic are options to consider. If you want a spacious vehicle, Honda generally allows more space in their vehicles than Toyota. But if you want a Toyota, you may be better off getting a medium-sized car or bigger ones like Sequoia, 4Runner, or Prado.