Honda Civic RS vs Toyota GR86

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
Toyota GR86 in South Africa

Toyota GR86

2.4 Automatic Petrol 6-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 799,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 173 kW 🔧 250 Nm ⛽ 10.9 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Honda Civic RS vs Toyota GR86: the short answer

Civic RS and GR86 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Civic RS starts ZAR 24,900 cheaper Civic RS from ZAR 725,000 · GR86 from ZAR 749,900

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Civic RS GR86
Maximum Power Civic RS178 kW GR86173 kW @ 7000 rpm
Maximum Torque Civic RS240 Nm GR86250 Nm @ 3700 rpm
Engine Size Civic RS1498 cc GR862387 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Civic RS16.1 km/l GR8610.9 km/l
Ground Clearance Civic RS134 mm GR86130 mm

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

Civic RS

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

GR86

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

Which One's Right for You?

Civic RS

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

GR86

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Civic RS GR86
Model Introduced Year 2022 2022
Generation Based on 11th generation platform Second generation GR86 with improved 2.4L engine
Facelift History Introduced with latest Civic generation Second generation introduced in 2022 with more power
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version 2022
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Sedan Sedan
Color Note White, Black, Silver, Blue, Red, Grey White, Red, Black, Grey, Blue
Dealer Stock Note Top grade in the South Africa lineup Top grade in the South Africa lineup
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active published
Segment Sedan Sedan
Tare Mass Kg 1350 kg 1270 kg
Vehicle Type Sedan Sedan
Spec Civic RS GR86
Length 4678 mm 4265 mm
Width 1802 mm 1775 mm
Height 1415 mm 1310 mm
Wheelbase 2735 mm 2575 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 134 mm 130 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 134 mm -
Fuel Tank Capacity 47 l 50 l
Boot/Cargo Space 495 l 237 l
Kerb Weight 1350 kg 1270 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1800 kg 1660 kg
Payload Capacity 430 kg -
Towing Capacity 1200 kg -
Seating Capacity 5 seats 4 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows -
Doors 4 doors 4 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.5 m 5.4 m
Front Headroom 955 mm -
Rear Headroom 942 mm -
Front Legroom 1074 mm -
Rear Legroom 950 mm -

In depth: how these cars differ

This Civic RS and GR86 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 GR86 67.

Efficiency index: Civic RS 63 vs GR86 45.

Safety-equipment index: Civic RS 92 vs GR86 96.

Practicality index: Civic RS 58 vs GR86 46.

Ownership-cover index: Civic RS 43 vs GR86 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.

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

Civic RS leads by 4 points

Civic RS and GR86 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 65 /100
Lead 4 points
Data 91% source coverage
65
#1 Evidence leader

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
Leads by 4 points
61
#2

GR86

79% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 96 Check Ownership 43
Performance 67
Efficiency 45
Safety 96
Practicality 46
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance GR86 +4 Efficiency Civic RS +18 Safety GR86 +4 Practicality Civic RS +12 Ownership Level

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Civic RS

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

GR86

Performance 67/100
Efficiency 45/100
Safety 96/100
Practicality 46/100
Ownership 43/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Honda Civic RS leads the specification evidence index with 65 pts vs 61 pts for GR86

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Civic RS leads. However, GR86 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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GR86 vs ES →
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Civic RS vs GR86 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.