Honda Civic RS vs Mazda CX-60

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

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
VS
Mazda CX-60 in South Africa

Mazda CX-60

2.5 Individual Edition Auto AWD Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 902,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 141 kW 🔧 261 Nm ⛽ 13.0 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Honda Civic RS vs Mazda CX-60: the short answer

Civic RS and CX-60 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Civic RS starts ZAR 65,200 cheaper Civic RS from ZAR 725,000 · CX-60 from ZAR 790,200

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Civic RS CX-60
Maximum Power Civic RS178 kW CX-60141 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque Civic RS240 Nm CX-60261 Nm @ 3000 rpm
Engine Size Civic RS1498 cc CX-602488 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Civic RS16.1 km/l CX-6013.0 km/l
Ground Clearance Civic RS134 mm CX-60178.8 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

Independent editorial assessment

Hagalu editorial ratings

When a variant is selected, its rating out of five applies only to that exact derivative; a model-range review is not inherited. Editorial ratings are separate from the Specification Evidence Index out of 100 and are not customer ratings.

Honda Civic RS

1.5T RS CVT

Hagalu editorial rating Not yet rated

No complete editorial rating is published for this exact variant. This is not a zero score.

How Hagalu rates cars

Mazda CX-60

2.5 Individual Edition Auto AWD

Hagalu editorial rating Not yet rated

No complete editorial rating is published for this exact variant. This is not a zero score.

How Hagalu rates cars

Not yet rated means a complete review is not published; it does not mean the vehicle scored zero. Read the rating methodology.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Civic RS

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

CX-60

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

Which One's Right for You?

Civic RS

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

CX-60

  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Civic RS CX-60
Model Introduced Year 2022 2023
Generation Based on 11th generation platform First-generation KH-series Mazda CX-60 on Mazda's Large Product architecture
Facelift History Introduced with latest Civic generation Mazda introduced the CX-60 locally in 2023, added the six-cylinder Takumi in 2024 and revised suspension and drivetrain calibration for the 2025 update.
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version 2023
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Sedan SUV
Color Note White, Black, Silver, Blue, Red, Grey -
Dealer Stock Note Top grade in the South Africa lineup -
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active Active
Segment Sedan Premium mid-size SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1350 kg 1470 kg
Vehicle Type Sedan SUV
Spec Civic RS CX-60
Length 4678 mm 4745 mm
Width 1802 mm 1890 mm
Height 1415 mm 1687.5 mm
Wheelbase 2735 mm 2870 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 134 mm 178.8 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 134 mm -
Fuel Tank Capacity 47 l 58 l
Boot/Cargo Space 495 l 477 l
Kerb Weight 1350 kg 1470 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1800 kg 2342 kg
Payload Capacity 430 kg 872 kg
Towing Capacity 1200 kg 1500 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows -
Doors 4 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.5 m 5.85 m
Front Headroom 955 mm -
Rear Headroom 942 mm -
Front Legroom 1074 mm 1058 mm
Rear Legroom 950 mm 990 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This Civic RS and CX-60 comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: Civic RS 63 vs CX-60 59.

Efficiency index: Civic RS 63 vs CX-60 51.

Safety-equipment index: Civic RS 92 vs CX-60 98.

Practicality index: Civic RS 58 vs CX-60 68.

Ownership-cover index: Civic RS 43 vs CX-60 not separately scored.

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.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

CX-60 leads by 5 points

Civic RS and CX-60 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 70 /100
Lead 5 points
Data 81% source coverage
70
#1 Evidence leader

CX-60

81% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 98 Check Efficiency 51
Performance 59
Efficiency 51
Safety 98
Practicality 68
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 Civic RS +12 Safety CX-60 +6 Practicality CX-60 +10

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

CX-60

Performance 59/100
Efficiency 51/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 68/100

Civic RS

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index Mazda CX-60 leads the specification evidence index with 70 pts vs 65 pts for Civic RS

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, CX-60 leads. However, Civic RS may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

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Civic RS vs CX-60 questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa 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.