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.

Toyota Camry in South Africa

Toyota Camry

2.5 Hybrid XSE CVT Hybrid Automatic
ZAR 749,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 160 kW 🔧 221 Nm ⛽ 19.2 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 Tie
🛡 Safety Camry
📦 Practicality Camry
🔑 Ownership Tie
Camry starts ZAR 725000 cheaper Camry from ZAR 659,900 · Civic RS from ZAR 725,000

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Camry Civic RS
Engine Power 160 178
Torque 221 240
Engine Size 2487 1498
Claimed Mileage 19.2 16
Ground Clearance 140 134
Boot Space 493 495
Airbags 9 6
Kerb Weight 1575 1350
Seating Capacity Available Available
Warranty 3 3

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Camry

69
/ 100
+2
pts
#2

Civic RS

67
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

Both Camry and Civic RS are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Civic RS +1 pts
Efficiency Equal
Safety Camry +2 pts
Practicality Camry +1 pts
Ownership Equal

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Camry

Performance 13/20
Efficiency 12/20
Safety 20/20
Practicality 12/20
Ownership 12/20

Civic RS

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Camry

Strengths
  • Stronger safety package
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
Best suited to: Family Usage

Civic RS

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Highway Driving

Which One's Right for You?

Camry

  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

Civic RS

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Camry Civic RS
Ground Clearance 140 134
Wheelbase 2825 2735
Length 4885 4678
Width 1840 1802
Height 1445 1415
Kerb Weight 1575 1350
Gross Vehicle Weight 2055 1800
Seating Capacity 5 5
Boot Space 493 495
Towing Capacity Not Rated 1200
Front Track Width 1575 1550
Rear Track Width 1580 1540
Turning Radius 5.8 5.5
Number of Doors 5 5
Boot Space Seats Folded 1500 1500
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 Camry Civic RS
Engine 2.5L Hybrid Petrol-Electric 1.5L Turbo Petrol
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder DOHC Hybrid Inline 4 Cylinder Turbocharged
Displacement 2487 1498
Cylinders 4 4
Valves per Cylinder 4 Available
Power 160 178
Power @ RPM 5700 rpm 150
Torque 221 240
Torque @ RPM 3600 rpm 400
Fuel System Direct + Port Injection Direct Injection
Turbocharger Not Applicable Single Turbo
Top Speed 180 210
0-100 km/h 8.3 8.5
Compression Ratio 14.0:1 10.3:1
Engine Position Front Transverse Available
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline 4 (I4)
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Turbocharged
Engine Code Standard Standard
Cylinder Bore 82.0 82.0
Piston Stroke 92.0 92.0
Fuel Grade Required Petrol Petrol
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?

🏆 Toyota Camry wins with 69 pts vs 67 pts for Civic RS

In structured scoring, Camry emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Civic RS 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 Camry 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: Camry 12 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: Camry 20, 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: Camry 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: Camry 12, Civic RS 11. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Camry 13, 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 Camry edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

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

Performance: Camry scores 13 vs 14.

Efficiency: Camry scores 12 vs 12.

Safety: Camry scores 20 vs 18.

Practicality: Camry scores 12 vs 11.

Ownership: Camry scores 12 vs 12.

Final structured scoring gives Camry the advantage in this comparison.