Price
Winner: 2018 Toyota Corolla
The Corolla is priced to start at $18,550 for the base Corolla L and spans to $22,730 for the top-tier XSE with all the bells and whistles, including a 7-inch touch screen and navigation. Five configurations in between include a fuel-efficient LE Eco at $19,385 and the SE at $21,715, which has a six-speed manual transmission. This Corolla is priced in the middle compared to others in the compact car class, but its most expensive model is less expensive than the base Camry.
The Camry is priced to start at $23,495, which is above average compared to others in the midsize car class. The XSE V6 tops out the line at $34,950. At that price, you get a bundle of upgraded features, like a panoramic moonroof and a high-end infotainment system. The Camry is offered in five trims.
Reliability
Winner: Inconclusive
Predicted reliability scores have not been posted for either the 2018 Toyota Corolla or the 2018 Toyota Camry. Historically, Toyota has produced cars that earn the highest predicted reliability ratings compared to their rivals.
For the past three years, the Corolla and Camry have earned an average predicted reliability rating of 4.5 out of five or higher from J.D. Power and associates. In 2017, the Camry earned a perfect five out of five. However, since the Camry has been redesigned for 2018, its previous scores can’t give an accurate representation of how it will score now.
Seat Comfort
Winner: 2018 Toyota Corolla
Both Toyotas seat five passengers. In the Corolla, the front seats are spacious, while the optional sport seats can be a bit narrow. However, the back seat has good space for adults, with legroom to stretch out – more than the Camry, in fact.
Seating is comfortable in the Camry, though on the firm side. The seats are positioned lower than in previous model years, which may make getting in and out of the car a bit of a challenge. The back seat is also tighter, especially for tall passengers looking for expansive legroom.
Cargo Space
Winner: 2018 Toyota Corolla
The Camry has more trunk space than the Corolla sedan, which may be expected when comparing a midsize car to a compact car. However, the new Camry has less cargo space than previous models at 15.1 cubic feet, and less than other cars in the midsize class. The Camry comes with split-folding seats in every trim except the base model, allowing you to carry long cargo like golf clubs.
The Corolla sedan has 13 cubic feet of space in its trunk, which is typical for its class. The Corolla has a wide trunk opening, which makes it easy to load cargo. Split-folding rear seats add to flexible cargo space.
The Camry would take this category. However, the Corolla has an ace up its sleeve: The hatchback iM model, which has 21 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats.
Interior Quality
Winner: 2018 Toyota Camry
The redesigned Camry takes on a more refined quality than past generations. The Camry has a mix of higher-end textures and fewer plastics. When sitting in the car, visibility is excellent in all directions. Strategically placed buttons and knobs add to the user-friendly infotainment system. Upper-trims offer top-level finishes, including tiger eye wood and red leather upholstery.
The Corolla doesn’t have has many soft-touch materials as rivals in its class; it features many hard plastics in the cabin. Higher-end, premium fabrics are available as an upgrade, and they can spruce up the interior.
Interior Features
Winner: 2018 Toyota Camry
The base Camry and Corolla both include an array of standard infotainment technology, like a six-speaker stereo system, a USB port, and Bluetooth. The Corolla has a 6.1-inch touch screen that comes standard. The Camry has a bit more, including a 7-inch touch screen with the Toyota Entune infotainment system and Toyota’s Scout GPS Link app navigation, which connects to your smartphone.
Acceleration
Winner: 2018 Toyota Camry
The Camry comes equipped with a 203-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. With the four-cylinder, the Camry is quick. Choose the available 301-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 and get one of the most powerful midsize cars in the class. An eight-speed automatic transmission comes standard.
The Corolla’s acceleration can be underwhelming. It is equipped with a 132-horsepower 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine. The Eco model gets 140 horsepower. It may be okay for daily commuting around town, but it lacks the acceleration you want for merging onto the highway. The Corolla can also get noisy when revving at higher rpms.
Fuel Economy
Winner: Tie
Toyota delivers when it comes to fuel-efficient cars. Both the Camry and Corolla are above-average in their class. The Corolla’s Eco models get 30 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway. The base Corolla also has good ratings for a compact car, at 28 mpg city and 36 mpg highway.
The Camry gets 28 mpg in the city and 39 mpg on the highway, which are among the best numbers for the midsize class. When equipped with the V6 engine, fuel economy slips a bit to 22 mpg city and 32 mpg highway.
Safety
Winner: 2018 Toyota Camry
The Camry has Toyota Safety Sense P, an extensive package of standard advanced safety technology, which is more than the average midsize car offers. The new Camry has not yet been crash tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), though the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) named it a Top Safety Pick+.
The 2018 Corolla also comes with a standard bundle of advanced safety features. The Corolla earns four out of five stars in the NHTSA’s frontal and rollover tests, but a five-star rating overall. It hasn’t been tested by the IIHS yet.
The Winner Is …
2018 Toyota Camry
The redesigned 2018 Toyota Camry is a solid choice as a reliable sedan that offers good performance, top safety scores, and a refined interior. If you can swing the higher price tag, it’s well worth it.
Shoppers looking for a low-priced car that is comfortable and reliable should consider the 2018 Toyota Corolla. You can get many of the same safety and infotainment features found in the Camry, and a fully loaded Corolla costs less than the base Camry.
More Shopping Tools From U.S. News & World Report
See how the top Toyota vehicles fare in the U.S. News new car rankings. Check out the U.S. News Best Price Program to help you find a dealership that is offering the lowest prices in your area. Shoppers have saved an average of $3,279 off of their new car purchase with the assistance of the Best Price Program.
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Camry vs. Corolla: Which of Toyota’s Best-Selling Sedans Is Right for You?
Japanese automaker Toyota has a loyal following for good reason. The brand has a solid reputation for producing reliable, safe vehicles. The Toyota Corolla and Toyota Camry are two of the brand’s most pooular cars.
The 2018 Corolla has a low starting price, which makes it a good car for first-time buyers. It is currently ranked No. 19 in the U.S News best compact car rankings. The redesigned 2018 Camry is the top-ranked midsize car. Like any siblings, the Camry and the Corolla have their similarities and differences. We’ll examine them in the following slides, using U.S. News scoring data and the categories that are most important to car buyers. Keep in mind that the scores mentioned in this slideshow may change as new data and expert reviews become available.
The Camry is a larger car, but is bigger better? Click on the following slides to find out.