The Toyota Corolla is the best-selling car of all time. However, while sales are still strong, it’s slipped a little over the past year. In America, there’s one small car that’s outselling the Corolla in 2023 so far: the Honda Civic.
2023 Honda Civic outsold the 2023 Toyota Corolla in the US in the first quarter of 2023
The 2023 Toyota Corolla and the 2023 Honda Civic are close competitors for the compact car segment. And this tight competition shows in the sales results for the first quarter of 2023.
In America this year, Toyota has sold 42,975 units of the Corolla, per Car and Driver. This is a 10% year-over-year drop in sales. While still respectable for a sedan in a market dominated by trucks and SUVs, this sales drop is undoubtedly a disappointment for Toyota.
With 45,548 units sold, the Civic edges out the Corolla as the best-selling small car in the United States for the first quarter of 2023. While the Corolla had a 10% sales drop, the Civic is going in the opposite direction — a 10% year-over-year increase.
Strengths of the Honda Civic over the Toyota Corolla
The 2023 Honda Civic and the 2023 Toyota Corolla compact cars have some similarities, including a practical design, reliability, high fuel economy, and affordability. However, the Civic has some strengths that make it an appealing choice for small car shoppers.
This includes better driving dynamics. The Civic delivers a more engaging driving experience than the Corolla with its responsive handling, agility, confident braking, and precise steering. It also provides a smoother ride. Additionally, the base-level turbo 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine in the Civic is more powerful (180 horsepower) than the base 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (169 horsepower) in the Corolla.
Furthermore, the Civic is a safer small car than the Corolla, with a wider range of safety and driving assistance features. This includes backup collision prevention brakes and a rear seat reminder feature. Also, the driving assistance technologies in the Civic are more autonomous than in the Corolla.
Another advantage of the Civic is its more upscale cabin. It has a more luxurious look and feel than in the Corolla. Plus, it’s more modern. Additionally, while both small cars offer seating for up to five people, the Civic has more passenger space. Its passenger volume is 99.0 cu-ft, compared to 88.6 cu-ft for the Corolla. Also, there’s more cargo space in the trunk of the Civic (14.8 vs. 13.1 cu-ft).
What’s the best-selling sedan in 2023?
The 2023 Honda Civic is outselling the 2023 Toyota Corolla for the small car segment. However, another model is the best-selling sedan in 2023 so far: the midsize 2023 Toyota Camry.
In the first quarter, Toyota sold 66,037 units of the Camry, which is a 7% year-over-year increase. Also, this sales total makes the Camry the top-selling vehicle in America that’s not a truck or SUV.
Other sedans with respectable sales in the U.S. include the Honda Accord (42,806 units), Chevy Malibu (37,438 units), and Nissan Altima (32,832 units), which are all midsize models.
