Honda Civic RS vs Ford Territory

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
Ford Territory in South Africa

Ford Territory

1.8T Dark Edition DCT Petrol Automatic
ZAR 733,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 140 kW 🔧 320 Nm ⛽ 13.5 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Civic RS
Fuel Economy Civic RS
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Territory
🔑 Ownership Territory
Territory starts ZAR 725000 cheaper Civic RS from ZAR 725,000 · Territory from ZAR 520,000

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Civic RS Territory
Engine Power 178 140
Torque 240 320
Engine Size 1498 1798
Claimed Mileage 16 13.5
Ground Clearance 134 190
Boot Space 495 448
Airbags 6 6
Kerb Weight 1350 1635
Seating Capacity Available Available
Warranty 3 4

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Territory

68
/ 100
+1
pts
#2

Civic RS

67
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

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

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Civic RS +1 pts
Efficiency Civic RS +4 pts
Safety Equal
Practicality Territory +2 pts
Ownership Territory +4 pts

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Territory

Performance 13/20
Efficiency 8/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 13/20
Ownership 16/20

Civic RS

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

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Civic RS

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less practical in daily usage
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency
🏆 Overall Winner

Territory

Strengths
  • More practical for daily use
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Civic RS

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency

Territory

  • Large families needing more practicality and usability
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Civic RS Territory
Ground Clearance 134 190
Wheelbase 2735 2716
Length 4678 4630
Width 1802 1935
Height 1415 1706
Kerb Weight 1350 1635
Gross Vehicle Weight 1800 2150
Seating Capacity 5 5
Boot Space 495 448
Towing Capacity 1200 1200
Turning Radius 5.5 Available
Number of Doors 5 5
Boot Space Seats Folded 1500 1500
Front Track Width 1550 1550
Rear Track Width 1540 1540
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 Territory
Engine 1.5L Turbo Petrol 1.8L Turbocharged Petrol
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Turbocharged Inline 4 Turbocharged
Displacement 1498 1798
Cylinders 4 4
Compression Ratio 10.3:1 10.5:1
Power 178 140
Torque 240 320
Fuel System Direct Injection Direct Injection
Turbocharger Single Turbo Available
Top Speed 210 185
0-100 km/h 8.5 9.8
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 150 150
Torque @ RPM 400 400
Engine Position Available Available
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?

🏆 Ford Territory wins with 68 pts vs 67 pts for Civic RS

In structured scoring, Territory emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Civic RS 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 Territory 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 Territory 8. 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, Territory 18. 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, Territory 16. 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, Territory 13. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Civic RS 14, Territory 13. 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 Territory edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Territory 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 Territory in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Civic RS scores 14 vs 13.

Efficiency: Civic RS scores 12 vs 8.

Safety: Civic RS scores 18 vs 18.

Practicality: Civic RS scores 11 vs 13.

Ownership: Civic RS scores 12 vs 16.

Final structured scoring gives Territory the advantage in this comparison.