My EG is bone stock.... no sway bar in the rear no strut bar nothing but at high speeds it handles better than my ae82 GT with factory sway bars,strut bars and body support....Double wishbone suspension makes alot of difference as it puts more rubber on ground which is always better for handling..So putting corolla in-front in terms of handling is unfair. And trust me there are no headaches in Honda suspension except extra cost which is totally understandable as civic has more moving parts in suspension. It is more complex in comparison to corolla but it is no rocket science.
Pakistani mechanics obviously try to downplay civic suspension because it more work for them in figuring out the problem and putting it back together.
This is coming out of a guy who has driven fwd 5th gen corolla most of his life and is absolutely in love with 5th gen corollas
ES is more comfortable because it has more space, Mac Pherson strut in front and improved sitting posture. All these things result in more comfortable journey during long drives in comparison to EG