Toyota Camry 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.

Includes a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Toyota Camry Discontinued model
Toyota Camry in South Africa

Toyota Camry

2.5 Hybrid XSE CVT Hybrid e-CVT Discontinued model
ZAR 749,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 160 kW 🔧 221 Nm ⛽ 19.2 km/l
VS
Honda Civic RS in South Africa

Honda Civic RS

1.5T RS CVT Petrol CVT Current
ZAR 725,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 178 kW 🔧 240 Nm ⛽ 16.1 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Civic RS
Fuel Economy Camry
🛡 Safety Camry
📦 Practicality Camry
🔑 Ownership Tie
Recorded price context Camry: last listed from ZAR 659,900 · Civic RS: current from ZAR 725,000

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Camry Civic RS
Maximum Power 160 kW @ 5700 rpm 178 kW
Maximum Torque 221 Nm @ 3600 rpm 240 Nm
Engine Size 2487 cc 1498 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 19.2 km/l 16.1 km/l
Ground Clearance 140 mm 134 mm
Boot / Load Bay 493 l 495 l
Airbags 9 6
Kerb Weight 1575 kg 1350 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 3 3

= leads in this spec

Archived vehicles remain available for comparison. Verified specs stay visible; historical fields that were not source-confirmed are marked Not confirmed instead of being guessed.

The Bottom Line

Camry and Civic RS are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Civic RS +4 pts
Efficiency Camry +16 pts
Safety Camry +6 pts
Practicality Camry +8 pts
Ownership Equal

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index leader

Camry

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
Best suited to: Published Efficiency Published Practicality

Civic RS

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance

Which One's Right for You?

Camry

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Civic RS

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec Camry Civic RS
Model Introduced Year 2019 2022
Facelift History Latest generation with hybrid technology Introduced with latest Civic generation
Tare Mass Kg 1575 kg 1350 kg
Generation Not confirmed Based on 11th generation platform
Facelift Launched Since Not confirmed Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Not confirmed Current
Body Style Not confirmed Sedan
Color Note Not confirmed White, Black, Silver, Blue, Red, Grey
Dealer Stock Note Not confirmed Top grade in the South Africa lineup
Model Year Not confirmed 2026
Production Status Not confirmed active
Segment Not confirmed Sedan
Vehicle Type Not confirmed Sedan
Spec Camry Civic RS
Length 4885 mm 4678 mm
Width 1840 mm 1802 mm
Height 1445 mm 1415 mm
Wheelbase 2825 mm 2735 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 140 mm 134 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 60 l 47 l
Boot/Cargo Space 493 l 495 l
Kerb Weight 1575 kg 1350 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2055 kg 1800 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Minimum Turning Radius 5.8 m 5.5 m
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) Not confirmed 134 mm
Payload Capacity Not confirmed 430 kg
Towing Capacity Not confirmed 1200 kg
Number of Rows Not confirmed 2 rows
Doors Not confirmed 4 doors
Front Headroom Not confirmed 955 mm
Rear Headroom Not confirmed 942 mm
Front Legroom Not confirmed 1074 mm
Rear Legroom Not confirmed 950 mm

Source-backed Catalogue Index

A transparent specification index shown only when every vehicle clears the minimum comparable-data threshold.

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

Camry leads by 5 points

Camry and Civic RS are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Index leader 70 /100
Lead 5 points
Data 83% source coverage
70
#1 Index leader

Camry

83% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 98 Check Ownership 43
Performance 59
Efficiency 79
Safety 98
Practicality 66
Ownership 43
Leads by 5 points
65
#2

Civic RS

91% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Ownership 43
Performance 63
Efficiency 63
Safety 92
Practicality 58
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Civic RS +4 Efficiency Camry +16 Safety Camry +6 Practicality Camry +8 Ownership Level

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

Camry

Performance 59/100
Efficiency 79/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 66/100
Ownership 43/100

Civic RS

Performance 63/100
Efficiency 63/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 58/100
Ownership 43/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Toyota Camry leads the catalogue index with 70 pts vs 65 pts for Civic RS

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, Camry leads. However, Civic RS may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. 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

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.

Hagalu does not publish a guaranteed resale winner. Depreciation depends on age, mileage, condition, derivative, colour, supply and demand. Compare several current used-market listings and obtain trade-in valuations for equivalent examples before relying on a resale estimate.

Check the exact derivatives for drive type, ground clearance, tyres, approach and departure angles, wading depth and low-range gearing where officially disclosed. SUV styling or all-wheel drive alone does not prove that a vehicle is suitable for demanding off-road use.

Calculate each exact derivative using your monthly distance and a current fuel or electricity price, then add finance, insurance, scheduled service, tyres and licence costs. Hagalu does not claim a fixed monthly saving without those buyer-specific inputs.

It is worth more only when the exact price difference buys equipment, space, performance or ownership cover that matters to you. Compare like-for-like lifecycle states and derivatives; a current offer and a historical last-listed price are not directly equivalent.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

This Camry and Civic RS comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: Camry 59 vs Civic RS 63.

Efficiency index: Camry 79 vs Civic RS 63.

Safety-equipment index: Camry 98 vs Civic RS 92.

Practicality index: Camry 66 vs Civic RS 58.

Ownership-cover index: Camry 43 vs Civic RS 43.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.