Honda Civic RS vs Hyundai IONIQ 6

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.

Includes a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Hyundai IONIQ 6 Discontinued model
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
Hyundai IONIQ 6 in South Africa

Hyundai IONIQ 6

77kWh AWD Executive Electric Single-Speed Reduction Gear Discontinued model
ZAR 1,048,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 239 kW 🔧 605 Nm
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance IONIQ 6
Fuel Economy IONIQ 6
🛡 Safety IONIQ 6
📦 Practicality IONIQ 6
🔑 Ownership IONIQ 6
Recorded price context Civic RS: current from ZAR 725,000 · IONIQ 6: last listed from ZAR 799,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Civic RS IONIQ 6
Maximum Power 178 kW 239 kW
Maximum Torque 240 Nm 605 Nm
Engine Size 1498 cc Not Applicable
Combined Fuel Economy 16.1 km/l Not Applicable
Ground Clearance 134 mm 140 mm
Boot / Load Bay 495 l 401 l
Airbags 6 7
Kerb Weight 1350 kg 2155 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 3 5

= leads in this spec

Archived vehicles remain available for comparison. Verified specs stay visible; historical fields that were not source-confirmed are marked Not confirmed instead of being guessed.

The Bottom Line

IONIQ 6 holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over Civic RS.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance IONIQ 6 +37 pts
Efficiency IONIQ 6 +27 pts
Safety IONIQ 6 +6 pts
Practicality IONIQ 6 +1 pts
Ownership IONIQ 6 +22 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Civic RS

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
  • Lower published ownership cover
Best suited to: General Use
Catalogue-index leader

IONIQ 6

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
  • Stronger published ownership cover
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

Civic RS

  • Buyers who prefer this derivative's confirmed specification mix

IONIQ 6

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published warranty or service cover

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec Civic RS IONIQ 6
Model Introduced Year 2022 2023
Generation Based on 11th generation platform First generation Ioniq 6 on Hyundai's E-GMP skateboard platform; streamliner body achieves 0.21 Cd drag coefficient — class-leading aerodynamics
Facelift History Introduced with latest Civic generation Launched in SA in 2023; the first electric sedan from Hyundai in the local market; based on the E-GMP platform shared with the Ioniq 5
Facelift Launched Since Original current-generation version 2023
Facelift Version Ending Current Not confirmed
Body Style Sedan Not confirmed
Color Note White, Black, Silver, Blue, Red, Grey Not confirmed
Dealer Stock Note Top grade in the South Africa lineup Not confirmed
Model Year 2026 Not confirmed
Production Status published Not confirmed
Segment Sedan Not confirmed
Tare Mass Kg 1350 kg 2155 kg
Vehicle Type Sedan Not confirmed
Spec Civic RS IONIQ 6
Length 4678 mm 4855 mm
Width 1802 mm 1880 mm
Height 1415 mm 1495 mm
Wheelbase 2735 mm 2950 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 134 mm 140 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 47 l 77.4 l
Boot/Cargo Space 495 l 401 l
Kerb Weight 1350 kg 2155 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1800 kg Not confirmed
Towing Capacity 1200 kg Not confirmed
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 4 doors 4 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.5 m Not confirmed

Source-backed Catalogue Index

A transparent specification index shown only when every vehicle clears the minimum comparable-data threshold.

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

IONIQ 6 leads by 18 points

IONIQ 6 holds a noticeable catalogue-index lead over Civic RS.

Index leader 84 /100
Lead 18 points
Data 75% source coverage
84
#1 Index leader

IONIQ 6

75% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Performance 100 Check Practicality 61
Performance 100
Efficiency 90
Safety 98
Practicality 61
Ownership 65
Leads by 18 points
66
#2

Civic RS

88% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Ownership 43
Performance 63
Efficiency 63
Safety 92
Practicality 60
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance IONIQ 6 +37 Efficiency IONIQ 6 +27 Safety IONIQ 6 +6 Practicality IONIQ 6 +1 Ownership IONIQ 6 +22

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

IONIQ 6

Performance 100/100
Efficiency 90/100
Safety 98/100
Practicality 61/100
Ownership 65/100

Civic RS

Performance 63/100
Efficiency 63/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 60/100
Ownership 43/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Hyundai IONIQ 6 leads the catalogue index with 84 pts vs 66 pts for Civic RS

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, IONIQ 6 leads. However, Civic RS may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. 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

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.

Hagalu does not publish a guaranteed resale winner. Depreciation depends on age, mileage, condition, derivative, colour, supply and demand. Compare several current used-market listings and obtain trade-in valuations for equivalent examples before relying on a resale estimate.

Check the exact derivatives for drive type, ground clearance, tyres, approach and departure angles, wading depth and low-range gearing where officially disclosed. SUV styling or all-wheel drive alone does not prove that a vehicle is suitable for demanding off-road use.

Calculate each exact derivative using your monthly distance and a current fuel or electricity price, then add finance, insurance, scheduled service, tyres and licence costs. Hagalu does not claim a fixed monthly saving without those buyer-specific inputs.

It is worth more only when the exact price difference buys equipment, space, performance or ownership cover that matters to you. Compare like-for-like lifecycle states and derivatives; a current offer and a historical last-listed price are not directly equivalent.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

This Civic RS and IONIQ 6 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 IONIQ 6 100.

Efficiency index: Civic RS 63 vs IONIQ 6 90.

Safety-equipment index: Civic RS 92 vs IONIQ 6 98.

Practicality index: Civic RS 60 vs IONIQ 6 61.

Ownership-cover index: Civic RS 43 vs IONIQ 6 65.

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.