Honda Amaze vs Honda Civic Type R

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 Type R in South Africa

Honda Civic Type R

2.0T Type R Manual Petrol Manual
ZAR 1,021,600 ex-showroom
⚡ 315 kW 🔧 420 Nm ⛽ 12 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Civic Type R
Fuel Economy Amaze
🛡 Safety Civic Type R
📦 Practicality Amaze
🔑 Ownership Tie
Amaze starts ZAR 1021600 cheaper Amaze from ZAR 254,900 · Civic Type R from ZAR 1,021,600

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Amaze Civic Type R
Engine Power 66 315
Torque 110 420
Engine Size 1199 1996
Claimed Mileage 18.2 12
Ground Clearance 170 130
Boot Space 420 410
Airbags 2 6
Kerb Weight 980 1430
Seating Capacity 5 4
Warranty 3 3

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

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

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Civic Type R +61 pts
Efficiency Amaze +22 pts
Safety Civic Type R +47 pts
Practicality Amaze +2 pts
Ownership Equal

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Amaze

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

Civic Type R

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

Which One's Right for You?

Amaze

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Civic Type R

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Amaze Civic Type R
Model Introduced Year 2018 2023
Generation Based on Honda’s compact car platform optimized for affordability, efficiency, and ease of use 2.0L VTEC Turbo: 235 kW / 420 Nm. 0–100 km/h in 5.4 seconds. Top speed 275 km/h. 6-speed manual only — no automatic option.
Facelift History Introduced in South Africa as a practical entry sedan with minor updates over time in features and safety FL5 generation launched globally in 2023 — sixth generation Type R. Major redesign from the aggressive FK8. Cleaner exterior with mature styling but improved performance.
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version 2023
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Sedan Sedan
Color Note White, Silver, Grey, Red, Blue Sedan
Dealer Stock Note Top grade in the South Africa lineup Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status published published
Segment Sedan Sedan
Vehicle Type Sedan Sedan
Spec Amaze Civic Type R
Ground Clearance 170 mm 130 mm
Wheelbase 2470 mm 2735 mm
Length 3995 mm 4595 mm
Width 1695 mm 1890 mm
Height 1498 mm 1405 mm
Kerb Weight 980 kg 1430 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight 1420 kg 1850 kg
Seating Capacity 5 4
Boot Space 420 l 410 l
Towing Capacity 900 kg 0 kg
Front Track Width Not Applicable Not Applicable
Rear Track Width Not Applicable Not Applicable
Turning Radius Not Applicable 5.7 m
Load Bed Length Not Applicable Not Applicable
Load Bed Width Not Applicable Not Applicable
Front Legroom Not Applicable Not Applicable
Rear Legroom Not Applicable Not Applicable
Front Headroom Not Applicable Not Applicable
Rear Headroom Not Applicable Not Applicable
Front Shoulder Room Not Applicable Not Applicable
Rear Shoulder Room Not Applicable Not Applicable
Boot Space Seats Folded 420 l 410 l
Number of Doors 4 4
Max Payload Not Applicable Not Applicable
Boot Volume 420 l 410 l
Doors 4 4
Seats 5 4
Fuel Tank Capacity 35 l 47 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 1420 kg 1850 kg
Ground Clearance Max 170 mm 130 mm
Ground Clearance Min 170 mm 130 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 170 mm 130 mm
Height Mm 1498 mm 1405 mm
Length Mm 3995 mm 4595 mm
Loadbox Length Mm Not Applicable Not Applicable
Loadbox Width Mm Not Applicable Not Applicable
Payload Kg Not Applicable Not Applicable
Cargo Volume 420 l 410 l
Tare Mass Kg 980 kg 1430 kg
Turning Circle Not Applicable 5.7 m
Turning Circle M Not Applicable 5.7 m
Width Mm 1695 mm 1890 mm

Overall Verdict Score

Decision-grade view of the winner, score gap and category strengths.

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Civic Type R leads by 21 points

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

Winner 69 /100
Lead 21 points
Data 91% confidence
69
#1 Winner

Civic Type R

91% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Efficiency 47
Performance 87
Efficiency 47
Safety 92
Practicality 56
Ownership 51
Leads by 21 points
48
#2

Amaze

95% data confidence 0 strong categories
Best at Efficiency 69 Check Performance 26
Performance 26
Efficiency 69
Safety 45
Practicality 58
Ownership 51
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Civic Type R +61 Efficiency Amaze +22 Safety Civic Type R +47 Practicality Amaze +2 Ownership Level

Moderate difference between the models.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Civic Type R

Performance 87/100
Efficiency 47/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 56/100
Ownership 51/100

Amaze

Performance 26/100
Efficiency 69/100
Safety 45/100
Practicality 58/100
Ownership 51/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Honda Civic Type R wins with 69 pts vs 48 pts for Amaze

In structured scoring, Civic Type R 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 Type R 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 69 vs Civic Type R 47. 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 45, Civic Type R 92. 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 51, Civic Type R 51. 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 58, Civic Type R 56. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Amaze 26, Civic Type R 87. 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 Type R edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Civic Type R 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 Type R in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Amaze scores 26 vs 87.

Efficiency: Amaze scores 69 vs 47.

Safety: Amaze scores 45 vs 92.

Practicality: Amaze scores 58 vs 56.

Ownership: Amaze scores 51 vs 51.

Final structured scoring gives Civic Type R the advantage in this comparison.