Honda Civic Type R 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 Type R in South Africa

Honda Civic Type R

2.0T Type R Manual Petrol Manual
ZAR 1,021,600 ex-showroom
⚡ 315 kW 🔧 420 Nm ⛽ 12 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 Tie
Fuel Economy Civic Type R
🛡 Safety GR Supra
📦 Practicality Civic Type R
🔑 Ownership Tie
Civic Type R starts ZAR 1524800 cheaper Civic Type R from ZAR 1,021,600 · GR Supra from ZAR 1,524,800

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Civic Type R GR Supra
Engine Power 315 285
Torque 420 500
Engine Size 1996 2998
Claimed Mileage 12 12.0
Ground Clearance 130 117
Boot Space 410 290
Airbags 6 9
Kerb Weight 1430 1545
Seating Capacity Available Available
Warranty 3 3

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Civic Type R

69
/ 100
+3
pts
#2

GR Supra

66
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

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

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Equal
Efficiency Civic Type R +3 pts
Safety GR Supra +2 pts
Practicality Civic Type R +2 pts
Ownership Equal

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Civic Type R

Performance 20/20
Efficiency 9/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 10/20
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 Type R

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Less comprehensive safety features
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency Family Usage

GR Supra

Strengths
  • Stronger safety package
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

Civic Type R

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

GR Supra

  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Civic Type R GR Supra
Ground Clearance 130 117
Wheelbase 2735 2470
Length 4595 4380
Width 1890 1865
Height 1405 1294
Kerb Weight 1430 1545
Gross Vehicle Weight 1850 1870
Seating Capacity 4 2
Boot Space 410 290
Towing Capacity 0 Not Available
Turning Radius 5.7 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 Type R GR Supra
Engine 2.0L Turbo Petrol 3.0L Turbo Petrol Inline-6
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Turbocharged VTEC Inline 6 Cylinder Turbocharged
Displacement 1996 2998
Cylinders 4 6
Compression Ratio 9.8:1 12.0:1
Power 315 285
Torque 420 500
Fuel System Direct Injection Direct Injection Turbocharged
Turbocharger High-Performance Single Turbo Single Turbo
Top Speed 272 250
0-100 km/h 5.4 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 Type R wins with 69 pts vs 66 pts for GR Supra

In structured scoring, Civic Type R 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 Type R 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 Type R 9 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 Type R 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 Type R 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 Type R 10, GR Supra 8. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

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

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

Performance: Civic Type R scores 20 vs 20.

Efficiency: Civic Type R scores 9 vs 6.

Safety: Civic Type R scores 18 vs 20.

Practicality: Civic Type R scores 10 vs 8.

Ownership: Civic Type R scores 12 vs 12.

Final structured scoring gives Civic Type R the advantage in this comparison.