Toyota Vs. Honda Reliability: One Clear Winner, But Not By Much
For decades, Toyota and Honda have built their reputation on perfecting the art of the dependable daily driver. But while they both appeal to a similar target market, their products have distinctly different core traits. Toyota is synonymous with impressive durability, backed by well proven mechanical components. Honda, meanwhile, pushes an engineering-first philosophy, attracting buyers with more engaging driving dynamics, and sporty yet efficient powertrains.
Both brands enjoy a reputation for quality, but the gap between them in terms of long-term durability has fluctuated in recent years. To see whether Toyota can still lay claim to being the most reliable automaker around, we pitted their most popular models against each other across five key segments. To accurately compare them, we used data sourced solely from Consumer Reports. As a non-profit organization that buys every car it tests and aggregates survey data from hundreds of thousands of actual vehicle owners, it is widely considered the most unbiased and trusted resource for predicting future repair needs and identifying mechanical issues.
Compact SUVs: RAV4 vs. CR-V
- Toyota RAV4 Consumer Reports Reliability Score: 66/100
- Base MSRP:$31,900
- Honda CR-V Consumer Reports Reliability Score: 54/100
- Base MSRP:$30,920
These two SUVs are top sellers in the ultra-competitive compact SUV segment, and the Toyota RAV4 takes an early lead in the reliability stakes. While the Honda CR-V is often praised for its superior interior space and smoother ride, it has suffered from issues with its 1.5-liter turbocharged engine, and occasional infotainment glitches. The RAV4's 2.5-liter naturally aspirated engine and traditional automatic transmission, as well as the e-CVT in hybrid trims has been refined over several years, leading to fewer reported mechanical failures and a higher predicted reliability score. However both models could still improve on these scores.
Midsize Sedans: Camry vs. Accord
- Toyota Camry Consumer Reports Reliability Score: 70/100
- Base MSRP:$29,300
- Honda Accord Consumer Reports Reliability Score: 66/100
- Base MSRP:$28,395
The battle of the midsize sedans is a close one, but Toyota edges out another win. The Camry has long been the go-to choice for dependable sedans and the latest generation continues that trend thanks to its robust powertrain and well-proven components. The Honda Accord remains a reliable choice as well and is considered by many as the better car to drive; however, reports of electronic gremlins and interior trim wear have kept it just a few points behind the Camry in the latest Consumer Reports rankings.
Midsize Trucks: Tacoma vs. Ridgeline
- Honda Ridgeline Consumer Reports Reliability Score: 45/100
- Base MSRP:$40,795
- Toyota Tacoma Consumer Reports Reliability Score: 43/100
- Base MSRP:$32,245
The truck segment sees lower scores for both brands, but the Honda Ridgeline manages to eke out a win here compared to the Tacoma. The Ridgeline, uses a more car-like unibody platform and an older, very well-developed V6 engine, so it benefits from a more mature production cycle. The Tacoma, meanwhile, recently underwent a massive redesign, introducing a new turbocharged powertrain that has experienced some first-year growing pains. That said, the scores for both of these midsize trucks are well below the sedans, so there is a lot of room for improvement here.
Midsize SUVs: Highlander vs. Pilot
- Toyota Highlander Consumer Reports Reliability Score: 50/100
- Base MSRP:$45,870
- Honda Pilot Consumer Reports Reliability Score: 40/100
- Base MSRP:$42,195
In the three-row family hauler category, the Toyota Highlander secures a decent lead over the Honda Pilot, and this is partly due to a few issues with Honda's 10-speed automatic transmission and some frustrations with the in-car electronics. Its well-established 3.5-liter V6 is still impressively reliable, and the Pilot does offer more passenger and cargo space but recalls for the 2021 and 2025 model years have pushed its overall score down. However, many owners also reported many miles of trouble-free motoring in their Pilots, so hopefully this reliability figure will trend upwards as the niggling issues are resolved.
The Highlander, while slightly smaller inside, benefits from Toyota's conservative approach to updates, and both its turbocharged and hybrid engines have few reported issues. This generation has also been around since 2020, which means that most technical and reliability issues should have been dealt with by now. But once again, scoring just 50/100 is not exactly a glowing result for what should be one of Toyota's better performers.
Compact Cars: Corolla vs. Civic
- Toyota Corolla Consumer Reports Reliability Score: 67/100
- Base MSRP:$23,125
- Honda Civic Consumer Reports Reliability Score: 48/100
- Base MSRP:$24,695
When it comes to compact cars, the Toyota Corolla remains the model to beat for long term reliability. It significantly outpaces the Honda Civic which has suffered from issues with its steering system and electronics. The Civic remains the more stylish and fun-to-drive option, but if you are looking for a solid daily driver, then the Corolla is the better choice.
When looking at the results across these five categories, we see that Toyota retains its crown as the reliability champ and wins 4:1. That said, some of the segments were close fought, and some of the results weren't exactly stellar for either brand. Things can also change as new tech and refreshed models are introduced in the coming years, but as it stands, Toyota edges Honda out in this matchup.
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This story was originally published April 29, 2026 at 1:00 PM.