Honda Civic RS vs KIA Pegas

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
KIA Pegas in South Africa

KIA Pegas

1.4 EX Auto Petrol 4-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 274,995 ex-showroom
⚡ 73 kW 🔧 132 Nm ⛽ 16.9 km/l
Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Honda Civic RS vs KIA Pegas: the short answer

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

Pegas starts ZAR 485,005 cheaper Civic RS from ZAR 725,000 · Pegas from ZAR 239,995

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Civic RS Pegas
Maximum Power Civic RS178 kW Pegas73 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque Civic RS240 Nm Pegas132 Nm @ 4200 rpm
Engine Size Civic RS1498 cc Pegas1368 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Civic RS16.1 km/l Pegas16.9 km/l
Ground Clearance Civic RS134 mm Pegas148 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
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Lower published ownership cover
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Practicality

Pegas

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

Which One's Right for You?

Civic RS

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

Pegas

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published warranty or service cover

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Civic RS Pegas
Model Introduced Year 2022 2019
Generation Based on 11th generation platform First generation; purpose-designed for emerging markets
Facelift History Introduced with latest Civic generation Minor updates in 2022 including revised infotainment; no full facelift
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 Clear White, Aurora Black Pearl, Silky Silver, Gravity Blue, Passion Red
Dealer Stock Note Top grade in the South Africa lineup Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status active active
Segment Sedan Sedan
Tare Mass Kg 1350 kg 1130 kg
Vehicle Type Sedan Sedan
Spec Civic RS Pegas
Length 4678 mm 4400 mm
Width 1802 mm 1700 mm
Height 1415 mm 1470 mm
Wheelbase 2735 mm 2570 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 134 mm 148 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 134 mm 150 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 47 l 40 l
Boot/Cargo Space 495 l 475 l
Kerb Weight 1350 kg 1130 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1800 kg 1450 kg
Payload Capacity 430 kg 425 kg
Towing Capacity 1200 kg 1000 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 10.4 m
Front Headroom 955 mm 990 mm
Rear Headroom 942 mm 950 mm
Front Legroom 1074 mm 1030 mm
Rear Legroom 950 mm 860 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This Civic RS and Pegas 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 Pegas 33.

Efficiency index: Civic RS 63 vs Pegas 65.

Safety-equipment index: Civic RS 92 vs Pegas 72.

Practicality index: Civic RS 58 vs Pegas 57.

Ownership-cover index: Civic RS 43 vs Pegas 71.

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 7 points

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

Evidence leader 65 /100
Lead 7 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 7 points
58
#2

Pegas

99% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 72 Check Performance 33
Performance 33
Efficiency 65
Safety 72
Practicality 57
Ownership 71
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Civic RS +30 Efficiency Pegas +2 Safety Civic RS +20 Practicality Civic RS +1 Ownership Pegas +28

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

Pegas

Performance 33/100
Efficiency 65/100
Safety 72/100
Practicality 57/100
Ownership 71/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Honda Civic RS leads the specification evidence index with 65 pts vs 58 pts for Pegas

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

Civic RS vs Pegas 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.