Honda Civic RS vs Rolls-Royce Ghost

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 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
Rolls-Royce Ghost in South Africa

Rolls-Royce Ghost

Ghost Series II Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
Price on request
⚡ 420 kW 🔧 850 Nm ⛽ 6.37 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Honda Civic RS vs Rolls-Royce Ghost: the short answer

Ghost has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Civic RS remains close.

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Civic RS Ghost
Maximum Power Civic RS178 kW Ghost420 kW @ 5000 rpm
Maximum Torque Civic RS240 Nm Ghost850 Nm @ 1600 rpm
Engine Size Civic RS1498 cc Ghost6749 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Civic RS16.1 km/l Ghost6.37 km/l
Ground Clearance Civic RS134 mm Ghost118 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Civic RS

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

Ghost

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

Which One's Right for You?

Civic RS

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

Ghost

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • 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 Ghost
Model Introduced Year 2022 2020
Generation Based on 11th generation platform Second-generation Ghost in standard-wheelbase Series II form
Facelift History Introduced with latest Civic generation The second-generation Ghost was introduced in South Africa in 2020 and evolved into Ghost Series II in October 2024
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version 2024
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Sedan Four-door luxury saloon
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 Full-size super-luxury saloon
Tare Mass Kg 1350 kg -
Vehicle Type Sedan Internal-combustion passenger car
Spec Civic RS Ghost
Length 4678 mm 5545 mm
Width 1802 mm 1998 mm
Height 1415 mm 1573 mm
Wheelbase 2735 mm 3295 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 134 mm 118 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 134 mm 118 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 47 l 90 l
Boot/Cargo Space 495 l 500 l
Kerb Weight 1350 kg 2490 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1800 kg 3130 kg
Payload Capacity 430 kg 640 kg
Towing Capacity 1200 kg 0 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 4 doors 4 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.5 m 6.5 m
Front Headroom 955 mm 1030 mm
Rear Headroom 942 mm 990 mm
Front Legroom 1074 mm 1060 mm
Rear Legroom 950 mm 1075 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This Civic RS and Ghost 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: Civic RS 63 vs Ghost 100.

Efficiency index: Civic RS 63 vs Ghost 30.

Safety-equipment index: Civic RS 92 vs Ghost 99.

Practicality index: Civic RS 58 vs Ghost 64.

Ownership-cover index: Civic RS 43 vs Ghost 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

Ghost leads by 11 points

Ghost has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Civic RS remains close.

Evidence leader 76 /100
Lead 11 points
Data 79% source coverage
76
#1 Evidence leader

Ghost

79% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Performance 100 Check Efficiency 30
Performance 100
Efficiency 30
Safety 99
Practicality 64
Leads by 11 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 Ghost +37 Efficiency Civic RS +33 Safety Ghost +7 Practicality Ghost +6

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Ghost

Performance 100/100
Efficiency 30/100
Safety 99/100
Practicality 64/100

Civic RS

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index Rolls-Royce Ghost leads the specification evidence index with 76 pts vs 65 pts for Civic RS

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

Related comparisons

Continue with closely related South African models and comparable body styles.

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Civic RS vs Ghost questions

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.