Honda vs. Toyota Comparison
Honda and Toyota are the two biggest non-domestic automotive brands in the US market. That makes the competition between these two fierce, and it might not be entirely clear which one is the better buy. That’s why we’ve put together this guide, using data from independent third-party sources to show why there is only one answer to this question. We hope you find it informative.
Car & Driver 10Best
Over the last 40 years, the Car & Driver 10Best list has become an institution in the US automotive market, a yardstick for mainstream car brands. This is especially true for Honda, since it has won more 10Best awards than any other brand, and it’s not even close. The Accord alone has won more than all but a handful of brands, and Toyota isn’t one of those. In total, Honda has 89 wins, with 37 of those going to the Accord. Toyota has 19, and they’re mostly for low-production performance models. The two awards that Toyota won in 2023 are prime examples, as they are for the GR Corolla and GR Supra. Honda won three this year1, with the Accord, Civic, and CR-V, all mainstream models. Car & Driver probably said it best themselves in the January 2023 issue:
”What’s the old saying? Nothing is certain but death, taxes, and the Accord making C/D’s 10Best list?“
Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Awards
The Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Awards are given out every year to the brands that create the most enthusiasm among consumers. Exciting vehicles, advanced technologies, and attractive designs are all a part of this award. There are a few different categories, but Honda and Toyota both compete for the Best Value Brand award. Honda2 took the award for 2023, as Honda has every year since 2015. Honda is also a frequent winner of the Best Overall Brand award, and 2023 was no exception.
Cars.com American Made Index
When we said in the introduction that Honda and Toyota are the two biggest non-domestic brands, that was going by a slightly outdated definition of domestic. While Honda wasn’t founded in the US, the Honda models sold in the US are assembled here. Cars.com does a thorough breakdown of how much American labor goes into building not just the vehicles themselves, but the components too, and ranks them according to US-made content3. Of the top 20 vehicles assembled in the US, no other carmaker has more models on the list than Honda. In fact, once you factor in the models made by Acura, a Honda subsidiary, 9 of the top 20 vehicles are made by Honda. That’s compared to 2 from both Toyota brands combined (not that any Lexus models made the top 20). Buying American means supporting local communities, not to mention better availability of parts for repairs and maintenance, and Honda is the clear winner in this category as well.
Winner – Honda
Honda and Toyota might look similar on paper, both make safe and reliable vehicles. But when you dig into the details, and get the facts from independent third parties, it really isn’t so close. Reviewers rave about Honda, and they do so consistently, year after year. Let Germain Honda of Surprise show you why Honda generates so much excitement.