Toyota VS Honda

In the battle of the Japanese automakers—Toyota vs Honda—there’s a lot to consider. Should you be spending more time test-driving one brand over the other? Our comparison guide does a deep drive; we’re here to help you figure out which automaker best meets your demands.

Best Prices: Toyota

When you look at a side-by-side comparison of competing Toyota and Honda models, their price tags actually look pretty similar. But, when you really look at what each model is offering as standard equipment, that picture starts to change.

Just about every Toyota offers its Safety Sense package as part of its standard lineup. That means you get a wealth of high-tech driver aids designed to spot danger (cars in your blind spot, an accidental swerve out of your lane, an oncoming crash) at no extra cost. To get the same gear on most Hondas, you’re forced to upgrade and, therefore, to spend more than necessary.

And sometimes you don’t even need to look at each Toyota’s equipment to get a sense of how much you’re saving. For example, the popular Toyota Tacoma costs thousands of dollars less than the Honda Ridgeline.

Most Dependable: Toyota

There’s a reason you can trust in the Toyota name: these cars, trucks, crossovers, SUVs, and minivans live up to their reputation for dependability.

And that’s not just us talking. According to J.D. Power, Toyotas continuously earn reliability scores of 4 or more—well above average. The only Honda that could come close was the Accord. Every other Honda earned a 3 or 3.5.

If you’re looking for a vehicle you can hang onto for quite some time, choosing a Toyota puts you at an advantage.

Safety First: Honda

Speaking strictly in terms of crash-test safety scores, Toyota and Honda consistently earn high marks. And, as we mentioned, Toyota has made many high-tech safety systems standard equipment, so there’s no need to pay extra for these protective features.

However, if you look at safety scores from U.S. News, Hondas consistently scores slightly higher marks than Toyotas. Three Hondas—the Insight, Accord, and Civic—earned perfect 10-out-of-10 safety scores. Only one Toyota could match this perfection: the Camry.

Best in Show: Toyota

With 23 models to Honda’s 13 (and that includes three types of Honda Civic—the Civic, Civic Si, and Civic Type R), Toyota brings a more robust lineup to the table. There’s a Toyota for virtually every kind of driver, from the thrifty Yaris to the sporty 86.

Toyota is also the more rugged automaker. While Honda does offer the midsize Ridgeline pickup truck, Honda doesn’t have any rugged models to match Toyota’s full-size Tundra truck and sporty Sequoia and Land Cruiser SUVs.

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