Honda Civic RS vs Toyota GR Supra

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 Automatic
ZAR 725,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 178 kW 🔧 240 Nm ⛽ 16 km/l
VS
Toyota GR Supra in South Africa

Toyota GR Supra

3.0T Manual Petrol Manual
ZAR 1,561,600 ex-showroom
⚡ 285 kW 🔧 500 Nm ⛽ 12.0 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance GR Supra
Fuel Economy Civic RS
🛡 Safety GR Supra
📦 Practicality Civic RS
🔑 Ownership Tie
Civic RS starts ZAR 1524800 cheaper Civic RS from ZAR 725,000 · GR Supra from ZAR 1,524,800

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Civic RS GR Supra
Engine Power 178 285
Torque 240 500
Engine Size 1498 2998
Claimed Mileage 16 12.0
Ground Clearance 134 117
Boot Space 495 290
Airbags 6 9
Kerb Weight 1350 1545
Seating Capacity Available Available
Warranty 3 3

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Civic RS

67
/ 100
+1
pts
#2

GR Supra

66
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

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

Where They Actually Differ

Performance GR Supra +6 pts
Efficiency Civic RS +6 pts
Safety GR Supra +2 pts
Practicality Civic RS +3 pts
Ownership Equal

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Civic RS

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

GR Supra

Performance 20/20
Efficiency 6/20
Safety 20/20
Practicality 8/20
Ownership 12/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Civic RS

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

GR Supra

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?

Civic RS

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

GR Supra

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

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Civic RS GR Supra
Ground Clearance 134 117
Wheelbase 2735 2470
Length 4678 4380
Width 1802 1865
Height 1415 1294
Kerb Weight 1350 1545
Gross Vehicle Weight 1800 1870
Seating Capacity 5 2
Boot Space 495 290
Towing Capacity 1200 Not Available
Turning Radius 5.5 6.3
Number of Doors 5 5
Boot Space Seats Folded 1500 1500
Front Track Width 1550 1617
Rear Track Width 1540 1607
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 Civic RS GR Supra
Engine 1.5L Turbo Petrol 3.0L Turbo Petrol Inline-6
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Turbocharged Inline 6 Cylinder Turbocharged
Displacement 1498 2998
Cylinders 4 6
Compression Ratio 10.3:1 12.0:1
Power 178 285
Torque 240 500
Fuel System Direct Injection Direct Injection Turbocharged
Turbocharger Single Turbo Single Turbo
Top Speed 210 250
0-100 km/h 8.5 4.3
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
Valves per Cylinder Available 4
Power @ RPM 150 5000 rpm
Torque @ RPM 400 1800 rpm
Engine Position Available Front Longitudinal
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?

🏆 Honda Civic RS wins with 67 pts vs 66 pts for GR Supra

In structured scoring, Civic RS emerges as the stronger overall package. However, GR Supra 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 RS 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: Civic RS 12 vs GR Supra 6. 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: Civic RS 18, GR Supra 20. 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: Civic RS 12, GR Supra 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: Civic RS 11, GR Supra 8. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Civic RS 14, GR Supra 20. 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 RS edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

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

Performance: Civic RS scores 14 vs 20.

Efficiency: Civic RS scores 12 vs 6.

Safety: Civic RS scores 18 vs 20.

Practicality: Civic RS scores 11 vs 8.

Ownership: Civic RS scores 12 vs 12.

Final structured scoring gives Civic RS the advantage in this comparison.