Honda Amaze vs Honda Civic RS

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Honda Amaze in South Africa

Honda Amaze

1.2 Comfort CVT Petrol Automatic
ZAR 289,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 66 kW 🔧 110 Nm ⛽ 18.2 km/l
VS
Honda Civic RS in South Africa

Honda Civic RS

1.5T RS CVT Petrol Automatic
ZAR 725,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 178 kW 🔧 240 Nm ⛽ 16 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Civic RS
Fuel Economy Civic RS
🛡 Safety Civic RS
📦 Practicality Amaze
🔑 Ownership Tie
Amaze starts ZAR 725000 cheaper Amaze from ZAR 254,900 · Civic RS from ZAR 725,000

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec Amaze Civic RS
Engine Power 66 178
Torque 110 240
Engine Size 1199 1498
Claimed Mileage 18.2 16
Ground Clearance 170 134
Boot Space 420 495
Airbags 2 6
Kerb Weight 980 1350
Seating Capacity Available Available
Warranty 3 3

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Civic RS

67
/ 100
+21
pts
#2

Amaze

46
/ 100

Moderate difference between the models.

The Bottom Line

Civic RS holds a noticeable edge over Amaze, especially in key ownership areas.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Civic RS +9 pts
Efficiency Civic RS +1 pts
Safety Civic RS +12 pts
Practicality Amaze +1 pts
Ownership Equal

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Civic RS

Performance 14/20
Efficiency 12/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 11/20
Ownership 12/20

Amaze

Performance 5/20
Efficiency 11/20
Safety 6/20
Practicality 12/20
Ownership 12/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Amaze

Strengths
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less comprehensive safety features
Best suited to: Family Usage
🏆 Overall Winner

Civic RS

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger safety package
Weak Spots
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

Amaze

  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Civic RS

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Amaze Civic RS
Ground Clearance 170 134
Wheelbase 2470 2735
Length 3995 4678
Width 1695 1802
Height 1498 1415
Kerb Weight 980 1350
Gross Vehicle Weight 1420 1800
Seating Capacity 5 5
Boot Space 420 495
Towing Capacity 900 1200
Number of Doors 5 5
Boot Space Seats Folded 1500 1500
Front Track Width 1550 1550
Rear Track Width 1540 1540
Turning Radius Available 5.5
Load Bed Length Available Available
Load Bed Width Available Available
Front Legroom Available Available
Rear Legroom Available Available
Front Headroom Available Available
Rear Headroom Available Available
Front Shoulder Room Available Available
Rear Shoulder Room Available Available
Max Payload Available Available
Boot Volume Available Available
Doors Available Available
Seats Available Available
Front Overhang Available Available
Fuel Tank Capacity Available Available
Rear Overhang Available Available
Spec Amaze Civic RS
Engine 1.2L i-VTEC Petrol 1.5L Turbo Petrol
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated Inline 4 Cylinder Turbocharged
Displacement 1199 1498
Cylinders 4 4
Valves per Cylinder 4 Available
Power 66 178
Torque 110 240
Fuel System Multi-Point Fuel Injection Direct Injection
Top Speed 170 210
0-100 km/h 14.5 8.5
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline 4 (I4)
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Turbocharged
Engine Code Standard Standard
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 10.3:1
Cylinder Bore 82.0 82.0
Piston Stroke 92.0 92.0
Fuel Grade Required Petrol Petrol
Power @ RPM 150 150
Torque @ RPM 400 400
Turbocharger Available Single Turbo
Engine Position Available Available
Engine Oil Capacity Available Available
Power 150 150
Variable Valve Timing Available Available
Maximum Engine RPM Available Available
Engine Type Config Available Available
0–100 km/h Available Available
Battery Capacity Available Available
Charging Port Available Available
AC Charging Time Available Available
Engine Displacement Available Available
EV Range Available Available

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Honda Civic RS wins with 67 pts vs 46 pts for Amaze

In structured scoring, Civic RS emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Amaze may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the Civic RS edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: Amaze 11 vs Civic RS 12. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: Amaze 6, Civic RS 18. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: Amaze 12, Civic RS 12. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: Amaze 12, Civic RS 11. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Amaze 5, Civic RS 14. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The Civic RS edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Civic RS scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between Amaze and Civic RS in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Amaze scores 5 vs 14.

Efficiency: Amaze scores 11 vs 12.

Safety: Amaze scores 6 vs 18.

Practicality: Amaze scores 12 vs 11.

Ownership: Amaze scores 12 vs 12.

Final structured scoring gives Civic RS the advantage in this comparison.