Compare the2025 Toyota PriusVS 2025 Honda Civic

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

© 1999 - 2025Advanta-STAR Automotive Research, all rights reserved. This vehicle comparison and all of the content in it are provided only by license from Advanta-STAR Automotive Research Corporation of America (“Advanta-STAR”). If you are not a legally licensed user of this vehicle comparison, it is against federal law to access it, copy it, forward it, or use it in any manner whatsoever. Any unauthorized use of this vehicle comparison is a violation of U.S. and international law and is punishable criminally and civilly. Removal of this watermark/notification without prior written license and approval received from Advanta-STAR is an agreement, understanding, and/or stipulation by the person(s), entities, agents, attorneys, and any other persons involved in the removal of this watermark/notification (including but not limited to Search Optics, LLC and any and all parent entities, sister entities, and subsidiary entities of Search Optics, LLC and/or any other entity, agent, attorney, and persons related in any manner to Search Optics, LLC) to: 1) an agreed upon amount of liquidated monetary damages of a minimum of $1,250,000.00 US Dollars in favor of Advanta-STAR; 2) the jurisdiction and enforcement of any legal claims associated with this matter asserted by Advanta-STAR in the United States Federal District Court in Portand, Oregon; and 3) service of process of any legal claims asserted by Advanta-STAR associated with this matter may be accomplished by First-Class Postage by the United States Postal Service or comparable service. UAOMJ-W8VWV 2a06:98c0:3600::103 2025/02/22

With its standard Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 with Pre-Collision, the Toyota Prius is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Honda Civic, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

	Prius	Civic
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Crossing Child - DAY
12 MPH	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
	Crossing Adult - NIGHT
12 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
12 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	-10 MPH
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-22 MPH
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	-21 MPH
	Parallel Adult - NIGHT
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
37 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
37 MPH Low beams	-34 MPH	-18 MPH
Warning Issued-Low beams	1.9 sec	1.1 sec

The Prius has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Civic doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The Prius has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Civic doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The Prius Limited offers an optional Panoramic View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Civic only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Prius has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert to warn the driver of approaching traffic and automatically engage the brakes to help avoid a collision. Rear cross-path warning is not offered on the CivicLX and the Civic’s Rear Cross Traffic Monitor does not include automatic braking.

The Prius has standard Safety Connect™, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Civic doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Prius and the Civic have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and driver alert monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Prius is safer than the Honda Civic:

	Prius	Civic
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	163	325
Neck Injury Risk	23%	30%
Neck Stress	237 lbs.	241 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	131/151 lbs.	189/372 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	348	444
Neck Stress	151 lbs.	189 lbs.
Neck Compression	23 lbs.	61 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	249/159 lbs.	275/164 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Prius is safer than the Honda Civic:

	Prius	Civic
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	167	195
Abdominal Force	128 lbs.	286 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	50 G’s	79 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	11 inches	12 inches
Spine Acceleration	34 G’s	51 G’s
Hip Force	666 lbs.	805 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Prius for 1 year and 13000 miles longer than Honda pays for maintenance for the Civic (2/25000 vs. 1/12000).

There are over 15 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Honda dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Prius’ warranty.

Reliability

The battery on the Prius is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the Prius’ battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Civic’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Prius’ reliability 24 points higher than the Civic.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota second in reliability, above the industry average. With 59 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is ranked 18th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Honda is ranked fifth.

Engine

The Prius’ standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 44 more horsepower (194 vs. 150) than the Civic’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Toyota Prius 2.0 is faster than the Honda Civic 4 cyl.:

	Prius	Civic
Zero to 60 MPH	7.2 sec	9.6 sec
Quarter Mile	15.5 sec	17.4 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	91.7 MPH	84.1 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Prius gets better mileage than the Civic Sedan:

			MPG
Prius
	FWD	LE 2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	57 city/56 hwy
		XLE/Nightshade/Limited 2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	52 city/52 hwy
	AWD	LE 2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	53 city/54 hwy
		XLE/Nightshade/Limited 2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	49 city/50 hwy
Civic Sedan
	FWD	2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	50 city/47 hwy
		LX 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	32 city/41 hwy
		Sport 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	31 city/39 hwy

On the EPA test cycle the Prius gets better mileage than the Civic Hatchback:

			MPG
Prius
	FWD	LE 2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	57 city/56 hwy
		XLE/Nightshade/Limited 2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	52 city/52 hwy
	AWD	LE 2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	53 city/54 hwy
		XLE/Nightshade/Limited 2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	49 city/50 hwy
Civic Hatchback
	FWD	2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	50 city/45 hwy
		2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	30 city/38 hwy
		Sport 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	31 city/39 hwy

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Prius higher (7 out of 10) than the Honda Civic (6). This means the Prius produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Civic every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Prius AWD-e’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Civic:

	Prius AWD-e	Civic
Front Rotors	12 inches	11.1 inches
Rear Rotors	11 inches	10.2 inches

The Prius stops shorter than the Civic:

	Prius	Civic
70 to 0 MPH	171 feet	180 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Prius LE has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Civic LX Sedan. The Prius XLE/Nightshade/Limited’s 19-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Civic Sport/Touring.

Suspension and Handling

The Prius XLE handles at .88 G’s, while the Civic Sport Sedan pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Prius XLE executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the Civic Sport Sedan (26.8 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 27.9 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Prius LE’s turning circle is 1.7 feet tighter than the Civic LX/Sport Hybrid’s (34.4 feet vs. 36.1 feet). The Prius XLE/Nightshade/Limited’s turning circle is 2.7 feet tighter than the Civic Sport/Sport Touring Hybrid’s (35.4 feet vs. 38.1 feet).

Chassis

The front grille of the Prius uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Civic doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The Prius has .9 inches more front legroom, .4 inches more front hip room and 2.8 inches more rear hip room than the Civic.

Cargo Capacity

The Prius has a much larger trunk than the Civic Sedan (23.8 vs. 14.8 cubic feet).

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the Prius’ hatch uses gas strut supported hinges that don’t intrude into the cargo area. Its intrusive beam hinge reduces the Civic’s useful trunk space.

The Prius’ standard folding rear seats are split to accommodate bulky cargo. The Civic LX Sedan’s standard single piece folding rear seat is not as flexible; long cargo and a passenger can’t share the rear seat.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Prius Limited has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Civic doesn’t offer a power trunk.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the Prius Limited, the memory seats make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position. The Civic doesn’t offer memory seats.

The Prius Limited’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Civic doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The power windows standard on both the Prius and the Civic have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Prius is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Civic prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Prius’ front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Civic’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Prius the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Civic can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Prius’ standard Pushbutton Start allow you to unlock the doors from the driver’s outside door handle and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Pushbutton Start standard on the Civic only offers hands-free access for the ignition, none to unlock the car.

The Prius LE’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Civic LX/Sport’s standard fixed intermittent wipers only have one fixed delay setting, so the driver will have to manually switch them between slow and intermittent.

The Prius’ standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Honda only offers heated mirrors on the Civic Sport/Sport Touring.

Both the Prius and the Civic offer available heated front seats. The Prius Limited also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Civic.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Prius Limited keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Civic doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the Prius XLE/Nightshade/Limited’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Civic doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Prius Limited’s optional Advanced Park can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Civic doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

Both are recommended, but Consumer Reports® chose the Toyota Prius as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.

Motor Trend selected the Prius as their 2024 Car of the Year. The Civic was Car of the Year in 2006.

See Available Inventory