The New Toyota Corolla Is Cheaper Than Honda's Civic But Probably Not As Good

The low price, a sporty look, and a healthy list of standard features are a bid to win buyers away from the Civic, which has outsold the Corolla so far in 2013.

Doing so won't be easy. In June, KBB named the 2013 Honda Civic the sixth best sedan under $25,000. The Corolla did not make the top ten.

Consumer Reports said the outgoing Corolla "is a good small sedan, although it is rather bland," and gave it a 70/100 review score. It gave the Civic scored a 71, saying the latest freshening of the compact "made the car much better."

And based on the Motor Trend's review of the 2014 Corolla, the new offering isn't as good as its competitor:

The new car isn't thrilling to drive, but has more space than its predecessor, adds a more modern interior and has better fuel efficiency. The car remains more of an improvement for those who will only drive a Toyota than a real Civic- or Forte-challenger, even with those neat LED headlights and a well-tuned CVT.

With a variety of transmission types and premium packages, there are actually 12 different versions of the 2014 Corolla. The most expensive starts at $20,100.