1997 Honda Civic vs 1997 Toyota Tercel
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 1997 Honda Civic | 1997 Toyota Tercel |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 373 | 20 |
| Recall campaigns | 1 | 0 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 132 | 36 |
| Investigations | 1 | 0 |
| Crash reports | 67 | 5 |
| Fire reports | 2 | 0 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 27–34 | 27–31 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 89,000 mi | — |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Honda Civic | Toyota Tercel |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 140 | 8 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 38 | 0 |
| Visibility | 33 | 1 |
| Electrical System | 30 | 0 |
| Tires | 27 | 2 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 25 | 3 |
| Power Train | 25 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 22 | 2 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Airbag warning light | 16 | 0 |
| Stalling | 10 | 0 |
| Check engine light | 10 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 10 | 0 |
| Vibration / shaking | 10 | 0 |
1997 Honda Civic
1997 Toyota Tercel
Compare all Honda Civic vs Toyota Tercel years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.