Honda Accord vs Toyota Corolla | 2023 Comparison + The Best Model Year For Every Budget

The Accord and Corolla have one characteristic in common: they’re both considered mid-size sedans, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). But this is where the similarities stop. With at least 102.8 cubic feet inside, the Accord has a substantially larger cabin than the 88.6 cubic feet inside a Corolla sedan. 

However, for those who like the convenience of five doors, the Corolla does offer a hatchback body style, something that’s been unavailable with the Accord since the 1980s. Yet with 84.6 cubic feet, the Corolla Hatchback is even smaller than its four-door stablemate. 

Later in the article, I’ll explain how these differences in passenger volume translate into interior dimensions. 

Engine Options & Specifications:

It’s easy to sum up what’s under the hoods of Accords and Corolla in one sentence. Both automakers like hybrids, but Toyota isn’t keen on turbos like Honda. 

Honda gives the base Accord a 192-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine, enabling this Honda to reach 60 mph from zero in an almost zippy time of 7.2 seconds. Meanwhile, the base engine for the Corolla befits an entry-level vehicle. It’s a plain-Jane 169-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder powerplant (no turbos here) that meanders to 60 mph in 8.2 seconds. A one-second gap may not seem like much difference, but you’ll notice it behind the wheel. 

While both manufacturers use hybrids, they take separate paths with how the technology is used. Honda engineered the Accord Hybrid for a blend of performance and economy. Its 6.6-second time for a 60 mph run is impressive, especially for a mainstream family sedan. Equally as remarkable is the ability to squeeze up to 51 miles out of a gallon of gas from a vehicle this size. 

On the other hand, performance is an afterthought with the Corolla Hybrid. Its 0-60 mph time (9.0 seconds) is “pokey” at best. But that’s OK; its fuel economy, at up to 53 mpg, is notable, especially from a car that’s not an econobox. 

One way to explain the price difference between the Accord and Corolla for the 2023 model is what’s in the respective engine bays.

Transmission Options & Specifications:

Honda and Toyota read from the same playbook when it comes to transmissions for the Accord and Corolla. Both rely on a continuously variable transmission (CVT) for versions with a conventional gasoline engine. While the CVT self-shifts like a traditional automatic transmission, it depends on a belt system versus individual gears. Honda and Toyota use an electronic CVT (eCVT) for the hybrid versions of these cars. 

See the “Tech Talk” section below the charts to learn about CVTs and eCVTs.

TECH TALK: CVTs

A continuously variable transmission (CVT) does not use gears like a typical automatic transmission. Instead, it has two pulleys connected by a belt. One pulley connects to the engine, and the other connects to the wheels. The belt transfers the power between the pulleys. This setup allows the pulleys to continuously change positions as needed. The CVT automatically adjusts the pulleys as required, providing smooth and efficient power delivery.

An electronic continuously variable transmission (eCVT) uses electronic controls and electric motors to vary gear ratios instead of a belt and pulley system. Unlike a regular CVT, an eCVT has no physical pulleys or belts—the gear ratio is adjusted seamlessly by controlling the speeds of electric motors and generators. This electronic control allows faster, smoother gear ratio changes compared to a traditional CVT. An eCVT also provides more flexibility, needing less space and having fewer moving parts.

Honda lets you have any drivetrain with the Accord, as long as it’s front-wheel drive. There’s no other choice. On the contrary, Toyota has an all-wheel drive option for the Corolla Hybrid Sedan. Otherwise, Corollas are also front-wheel drive.

NHTSA Safety Ratings

Unsurprisingly, the Accord and Corolla are used chiefly for family transportation. FIXD surveys report that 52% of Accord owners use their cars to haul loved ones. It’s 43% for those with a Corolla in the driveway. Likewise, these cars are called upon for other tasks: commuting and long-distance driving (collectively referred to as “lots of driving” in the owner surveys). These activities account for 42% and 37% of the Accord’s and the Corolla’s use, respectively. 

All this time behind the wheel translates into a need for driving a safe vehicle. Both automakers readily understand that to successfully sell a “family car” in the U.S., it has to get a thumbs up for safety testing. 

There’s been no crash testing by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the 2023 Accord. This isn’t unusual because 2023 marks the first year of the 11th-generation Accord. Sometimes, government testing doesn’t happen until the second or third year of the new generation hits the market. So, for the moment, I can’t say how the latest Accord performs in government testing. Past models from recent years have done well, which is encouraging. But we’ll have to wait for definitive results. 

On the other hand, the 2023 Corolla aced in crash tests with NHTSA. Not only did it receive a perfect 5 (out of 5) in overall performance, but the frontal and side-impact tests were equally admirable. If there’s one area for improvement, it’s a 4 in rollover testing. Other cars in its class, like the 2023 Honda Civic, received a perfect rating in this area.

IIHS Awards:

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) takes a somewhat different approach to safety testing. In particular, it focuses on its small frontal overlap crash test, which the organization feels represents a more real-world scenario (a single car running into a fixed object). IIHS also looks at side impact crashes, roof strength, headlight effectiveness, and advanced driver safety technologies (like automatic emergency braking). 

While tested vehicles receive a Good, Acceptable, Marginal, or Poor grade, the true measure comes if a car gets a Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ designation. If “Good” is a “B” grade, Top Safety Pick notches things up to an “A-,” and the Top Safety Pick+ signifies an “A+.”

With a Top Safety Pick+ award, the 2023 Honda Accord edges out the Top Safety Pick achievement of the 2023 Toyota Corolla.

Airbags & Head Restraints:

Airbags are a staple of every family car, so naturally, they’re abundant in the Accord and Corolla. In addition to front-row airbags, both vehicles have side curtain units that protect occupants in case of a side collision or rollover. Honda and Toyota get bonus points for equipping the second row with side impact airbags, a feature once reserved for pricier cars. The Accord and Corolla have front knee airbags that position occupants to minimize injuries during a frontal collision. However, the Accord has knee airbags for both front passengers (the Corolla only has it for the driver). 

Neither the Accord nor the Corolla comes with overhead airbags. This newer technology replaces traditional front-row units (steering wheel and dashboard) with overhead devices. Active head restraints are usually found in specialty and high-end vehicles to minimize whiplash injuries. Mainstream cars like the Accord and Corolla aren’t usually equipped with this feature.

Semi-Autonomous Driving:

Don’t expect high-tech features like hands-free driving in the Accord or Corolla. But these cars do have some elements of semi-autonomous driving. Primarily, these Hondas and Corollas come with adaptive cruise control (ACC), or a fancier-sounding Dynamic Radar Cruise Control in Toyota-speak. 

ACC automatically adjusts a vehicle’s speed to maintain a safe distance from the car in front. It uses sensors to detect how fast and how close the next vehicle is, then applies brakes or accelerates accordingly to keep the car a safe distance away. A driver must still hold the steering wheel and always be alert. 

The Accord and Corolla include lane-keeping assist technology (although the Corolla’s system is active only with ACC) and road departure mitigation (which signals the driver and applies subtle steering correction). 

Driver Warning Systems & Telematics:

Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are standard in most new cars. Honda bundles this tech under the Honda Sensing name, while Toyota calls its system Safety Sense (Toyota Safety Sense).

In the 2023 Accord and Corolla, these systems at least include forward collision warning (FCW), automatic emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection,  lane departure warning (LDW), and traffic sign recognition (TSR).

However, other driver-assist features are reserved for the options list or pricier trims. Neither base models of the Accord nor the Corolla get blind-spot monitoring (BSM) and rear cross-traffic alert (RCTA). This helpful tech is extra with all other Accords and most Corolla trims (BSM and RCTA are standard on select Corolla editions).

If ADAS technology appears like alphabet soup, check out an effort from AAA, Consumer Reports, J.D. Power, and other groups working to standardize the terminology for these systems. 

Road Visibility Features:

LED headlights provide brighter, whiter light and use less energy compared to standard halogen headlights. They’re standard on all Accord and Corolla trims. Automatic high beams are included, too. 

But you’ll have to select the top-tier Accord (the Touring Hybrid) for more advanced visibility features. This Honda gets a head-up display (which projects important driving information like speed and navigation directions onto the windshield in front of the driver) and rain-sensing windshield wipers.

Interior Features:

Honda and Toyota realized that cell phones are necessary for today’s drivers, so Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on all 2023 Accord and Corolla trims.  

However, you’ll have to be more selective if heated front seats are a must-have. They’re standard with all Accord trims except the LX and Sport Hybrid. Meanwhile, only two Corolla Sedan editions (XLE and Hybrid XLE) and one hatchback version (XSE) get this feature. 

And speaking of heated seats, some automakers offer this feature through a subscription service. This hasn’t yet happened in the U.S., but in certain countries, BMW offered heated seats for a monthly fee. The advantage is you can shut off the service during warm months, but you’ll need to keep paying (or pay a one-time upfront fee) to activate the heated seats. Recently, BMW announced it was backing away from this practice. Moving forward, the automaker will only charge a subscription for software-based services (like upgraded navigation). Hardware-based features will be part of the vehicle’s initial purchase price. 

One industry study shows mixed results for consumer acceptance of features on demand (FoD), with about one-fifth not even being aware of the concept. 

Interior Dimensions:

If maximum rear legroom is mandatory, you’ll need to cough up the bucks for the Accord. The extra 5.8 inches in the Accord’s backseat over the Corolla Sedan is substantial. This difference is even more significant against the Corolla Hatchback, which has only 30 inches of rear legroom (the Accord has 40.8 inches). Similarly, the Accord excels with greater shoulder and hip room in both rows. 

However, the front seat is another matter, as the spaces in these cars are almost identical. The Accord has 42.3 inches of front legroom, compared to 42 inches for the Corolla (Sedan and Hatchback). 

There’s also less contrast with cargo space. The Accord’s trunk is 3.6 cubic feet larger than the Corolla Sedan. At the same time, the Corolla Hatchback’s 17.8 cubic-foot cargo area just tops the Accord’s 16.7 cubic-foot trunk.

Exterior Features:

Wheels may also be an afterthought for many car buyers. But wheel size can impact ride quality. Larger rims can translate into better traction and cornering but may result in a bumpier ride. Bigger wheels also offer better aesthetics by filling out the wheel wells more completely. This is why the higher the trim, the larger the wheel. Different materials (steel or alloy) and finishes also help separate the wheels among the various trim levels. 

Color choices for family cars like the Accord and Corolla are filled with the typical monotone lineup: black, white, gray, and silver. If that’s too boring, there are options for blue or red. The relatively more exciting options lie with the Corolla Hatchback: Finish Line Red or Inferno orange.  

Exterior Dimensions:

The Honda’s interior space advantages obviously come from a bigger exterior. At 195.7 inches long, the Accord is substantially larger than the 182.0-inch Corolla Sedan. Compared to the 172-inch Corolla Hatchback, this Honda is just shy of being two feet longer. Of course, the Accord is wider (by more than three inches over the Corolla Sedan). 

Owners who park in suburban lots and plus-sized garages may not care about these differences. However, someone who has to deal with compact parking spaces and cramped urban public garages will be concerned. The decision process needs to include where and how you use a car. 

Yet, there’s another trade-offs to consider. The Corolla’s reduced length translates into a shorter wheelbase. So, its ride is choppier than the Accord (especially on less-even road surfaces, like highway expansion strips).  

At first glance, the factory warranty coverage appears identical. Both cars are protected by a three-year or 36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and five years or 60,000 miles of powertrain safeguards for the engine, transmission, and drive. There’s some difference with roadside assistance, as Honda provides an extra year and 11,000 more miles of coverage. 

However, a closer inspection reveals something important to hybrid buyers. Honda protects the hybrid battery (sometimes called the traction battery) for eight years or 100,000 miles, while Toyota covers its hybrid batteries for ten years or 150,000 miles. It’s vital if you’re the car owner who buys a vehicle and keeps it for a long time.

There are active discussions on Reddit about how the Honda Accord and Toyota Corolla stack up. Here’s an overview of some of the conversations from r/whatcarshouldIbuy.

The Honda Accord is generally preferred over the Toyota Corolla for its superior driving dynamics, interior spaciousness, and ease of access. As one Redditor noted, the Accord “would be much easier to get in and out of compared to smaller cars, especially in parking lots,” emphasizing the importance of testing passenger entry and exit during a test drive. Additionally, another user preferred the Honda Accord, citing the way Honda drives compared to Toyota. 

However, it was also pointed out that “if driving dynamics and space are not major factors, then the Corolla would be a suitable choice.” The Toyota Corolla remains a very practical option for buyers who don’t require a large amount of interior room or prioritize performance and handling over efficiency and value.