2024 Toyota Corolla LE vs 2024 Honda Civic LX
Fuel economy, annual cost, and emissions compared side by side, based on official EPA data.
Toyota Corolla is more fuel efficient: 35 MPG combined versus 33 MPG for the Honda Civic.
Spec comparison
| Spec | 2024 Toyota Corolla LE | 2024 Honda Civic LX |
|---|---|---|
| Combined fuel economy | 35 MPG | 33 MPG |
| City / highway | 32 / 41 MPG | 30 / 37 MPG |
| Annual fuel cost estimate | $1,700 | $1,800 |
| CO2 emissions | 254 g/mi | 266 g/mi |
| Tank size | Not available from the EPA fuel economy data source used in this phase. To be sourced from manufacturer specifications in a future update. | Not available from the EPA fuel economy data source used in this phase. To be sourced from manufacturer specifications in a future update. |
How these compare
Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic are both cross shopped directly against each other. At 35 versus 33 MPG combined, the Toyota Corolla comes out 6% more fuel efficient, working out to roughly $100 less in EPA estimated annual fuel cost at 15,000 miles a year. The gap is real but modest, so price, features, and reliability history will likely matter more than fuel economy alone when choosing between these two.
Cost over time
That annual gap compounds the longer you own the vehicle. Over three years of ownership at the same 15,000 miles a year assumption, the fuel cost difference between the Toyota Corolla and the Honda Civic grows to roughly $300; over five years, it's closer to $500. These figures assume EPA's flat national average fuel price throughout, so treat them as a directional estimate rather than a precise forecast, since real fuel prices rise and fall over any multi-year period.
Emissions over time
At 15,000 miles a year, that emissions gap works out to about 3.8 metric tons of tailpipe CO2 annually for the Toyota Corolla versus 4.0 metric tons for the Honda Civic, a difference of roughly 0.2 metric tons a year. Over a typical five to seven year ownership period, that adds up to several metric tons of difference in direct tailpipe emissions alone, before accounting for how the electricity or fuel itself was produced.
Range and refueling
Neither vehicle here uses a conventional fuel tank, so a fill-up range comparison doesn't apply directly to either. Charging or refueling speed and availability matter more for day to day convenience in this case than a simple range figure.
Frequently asked questions
The Toyota Corolla is, rated at 35 MPG combined versus 33 MPG for the Honda Civic, a 6% difference.
Not necessarily. Fuel is only one part of ownership cost alongside purchase price, insurance, financing, and maintenance. A meaningfully lower purchase price or insurance premium on the less efficient vehicle can outweigh its higher fuel cost depending on how many miles you drive each year and how long you plan to keep it.
EPA's own estimate, assuming 15,000 miles a year at each vehicle's combined rating and EPA's assumed national average fuel price, puts the Toyota Corolla at $1,700 a year and the Honda Civic at $1,800 a year, a gap of roughly $100. Your own annual cost will differ based on your actual mileage and local fuel price.
The Toyota Corolla, at 254 grams of CO2 per mile versus 266 for the Honda Civic. CO2 emissions are calculated directly from fuel consumed, so the vehicle with better fuel economy always has the lower emissions rating within the same fuel type.
Based on EPA's annual estimate, about $100 a year at 15,000 miles of driving. Over a five year ownership period that's roughly $500, though your real saving depends on your own annual mileage and local fuel price.
It can shift the real comparison. The Toyota Corolla shows a 9 MPG spread between its city and highway ratings (32 city, 41 highway), while the Honda Civic shows a 7 MPG spread (30 city, 37 highway). If your driving leans heavily toward one condition rather than a typical mix, comparing the relevant city or highway figure directly can be more useful than the blended combined rating used above.
The percentage efficiency gap between the Toyota Corolla and the Honda Civic stays the same regardless of mileage, but the dollar amount scales directly with how much you actually drive. A driver covering 25,000 miles a year would see roughly 67% more of the annual cost gap shown above, while someone driving 7,500 miles a year would see about half of it.