Toyota
continues to dominate car sales and its new GR86 aims to help it remain at the top. Although the GR86 comes off the line faster and produces greater pull to win drag races, Honda won the year, literally, by winning the 2022 Kelley Blue Book (KBB) Car of the Year Award
. Few people expected either Toyota or Honda to create a muscle car
, but both did.While the GR86 won the quarter-mile, the Civic Si offers the better buy overall. You won't necessarily win any drag races, but you also won't break the bank filling your gas tank—just like you shouldn’t break the bank paying for car insurance
. The battle continues between Toyota and Honda
On YouTube, you can find Throttle House drag races going back to 2019 between the Toyota and the Civic Si. Motor1
reports that the Toyota GR86 vs. The Civic Si contest became a thing a while back. While the Civic Si lost this year's Throttle House drag race, its drivers lauded the Honda, comparing its drivability to that of a Triumph. That's a major muscle car compliment. So, did Toyota really build a better car, or was it just faster? The contest pits two affordably-priced vehicles against one another. The Civic Si Sport CV starts at $23,100, while the Toyota GR86 starts at $27,700. Technically, you could nab a non-sports car trim of the Civic Si for less, but we're going for an apples-to-apples comparison. You could pick up its LX CVT trim for $21,700.
The two cars have quite a lot in common. Both are fun to drive and offer sleek and sophisticated interiors, as well as a six-speed manual transmission. However, you'll get more engine power from the Toyota. Let's look at both cars in detail.
Toyota's muscle car eradicates torque issue
Toyota offers the GR86 as a rear-wheel-drive coupe. The GR86 provides a bigger engine than the Civic Si—a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, according to Edmunds
. It out-produces the Civic Si on horsepower, generating 228 hp, but it loses to the Honda on torque, generating 184 lb-ft. The GR86 costs more on the lot than the Civic Si, plus you'll pay more to fill it up at the pump. This Toyota gets just 20 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. You'll also need to grocery shop alone since the trunk provides 6.3 cubic feet of cargo space.
Civic Si offers commuter-friendly gas mileage
For those who prefer a four-door vehicle, the Civic Si offers that, in addition to more cargo space—14.4 to 14.8 cubic feet. This sedan has a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, which only produces slightly less horsepower than the Toyota—200 horsepower—and more torque than the GR86 at 192 lb-ft.
You can save a little money at the pump driving the Civic Si, since it gets 26 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway. You can also choose from three trim levels with the Civic Si, all of which use a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The trims include the aforementioned LX CVT and Sport CVT plus its luxury model, the EX CVT for $24,700.
Get Jerry to find cheap car insurance
You don't need to drive a modern muscle car to need top-quality auto insurance at a sweet price. No matter what car you have, Jerry
can help you find the auto insurance you need to protect your ride. Let Jerry help you find cheap car insurance with top coverage in under a minute. Drivers who use Jerry's insurance website save an average of over $800 a year!
4.7
