Honda Civic Type R 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 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 GR86 in South Africa

Toyota GR86

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

At a Glance — Who Wins What

⚡ Performance Civic Type R
⛽ Fuel Economy Civic Type R
🛡 Safety Civic Type R
📦 Practicality Civic Type R
🔑 Ownership Civic Type R
GR86 starts ZAR 1021600 cheaper Civic Type R from ZAR 1,021,600 · GR86 from ZAR 749,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Civic Type R GR86
Engine Power 315 kW 173 kW
Torque 420 Nm 250 Nm
Engine Size 1996 cc 2387 cc
Claimed Mileage 12 km/l 10.9 km/l
Ground Clearance 130 mm 130 mm
Boot / Load Bay 410 l 237 l
Airbags 6 7
Kerb Weight 1430 kg 1270 kg
Seating Capacity 4 4
Warranty 3 3 years / 100 000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Civic Type R has a slight advantage, but GR86 remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Civic Type R +20 pts
Efficiency Civic Type R +2 pts
Safety Civic Type R +9 pts
Practicality Civic Type R +10 pts
Ownership Civic Type R +8 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Civic Type R

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger safety package
  • More practical for daily use
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency Family Usage

GR86

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

Civic Type R

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

GR86

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Civic Type R GR86
Model Introduced Year 2023 2022
Generation 2.0L VTEC Turbo: 235 kW / 420 Nm. 0–100 km/h in 5.4 seconds. Top speed 275 km/h. 6-speed manual only — no automatic option. Second generation GR86 with improved 2.4L engine
Facelift History FL5 generation launched globally in 2023 — sixth generation Type R. Major redesign from the aggressive FK8. Cleaner exterior with mature styling but improved performance. Second generation introduced in 2022 with more power
Facelift Launched Since 2023 2022
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Sedan Sedan
Color Note Sedan White, Red, Black, Grey, Blue
Dealer Stock Note Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup Top grade in the South Africa lineup
Model Year 2026 2026
Production Status published published
Segment Sedan Sedan
Vehicle Type Sedan Sedan
Spec Civic Type R GR86
Ground Clearance 130 mm 130 mm
Wheelbase 2735 mm 2575 mm
Length 4595 mm 4265 mm
Width 1890 mm 1775 mm
Height 1405 mm 1310 mm
Kerb Weight 1430 kg 1270 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight 1850 kg 1660 kg
Seating Capacity 4 4
Boot Space 410 l 237 l
Towing Capacity 0 kg Not Rated
Front Track Width - 1520 mm
Rear Track Width - 1540 mm
Turning Radius 5.7 m 5.4 m
Load Bed Length 410 l 237 l
Load Bed Width - -
Front Legroom - -
Rear Legroom - -
Front Headroom - -
Rear Headroom - -
Front Shoulder Room - -
Rear Shoulder Room - -
Boot Space Seats Folded 410 l 237 l
Number of Doors 4 4
Max Payload - -
Boot Volume 410 l 237 l
Doors 4 4
Seats 4 4
Fuel Tank Capacity 47 l 50 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 1850 kg 1660 kg
Ground Clearance Max 130 mm 130 mm
Ground Clearance Min 130 mm 130 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 130 mm 130 mm
Height Mm 1405 mm 1310 mm
Length Mm 4595 mm 4265 mm
Loadbox Length Mm 410 l 237 l
Loadbox Width Mm - -
Payload Kg - -
Cargo Volume 410 l 237 l
Tare Mass Kg 1430 kg 1270 kg
Turning Circle 5.7 m 5.4 m
Turning Circle M 5.7 m 5.4 m
Width Mm 1890 mm 1775 mm

Overall Verdict Score

Decision-grade view of the winner, score gap and category strengths.

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Civic Type R leads by 10 points

Civic Type R has a slight advantage, but GR86 remains highly competitive.

Winner 69 /100
Lead 10 points
Data 91% confidence
69
#1 Winner

Civic Type R

91% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 92 Check Efficiency 47
Performance 87
Efficiency 47
Safety 92
Practicality 56
Ownership 51
Leads by 10 points
59
#2

GR86

85% data confidence 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 83 Check Ownership 43
Performance 67
Efficiency 45
Safety 83
Practicality 46
Ownership 43
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Civic Type R +20 Efficiency Civic Type R +2 Safety Civic Type R +9 Practicality Civic Type R +10 Ownership Civic Type R +8

Moderate difference between the models.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

Civic Type R

Performance 87/100
Efficiency 47/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 56/100
Ownership 51/100

GR86

Performance 67/100
Efficiency 45/100
Safety 83/100
Practicality 46/100
Ownership 43/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Honda Civic Type R wins with 69 pts vs 59 pts for GR86

In structured scoring, Civic Type R emerges as the stronger overall package. However, GR86 may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

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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 47 vs GR86 45. 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 92, GR86 83. 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 51, GR86 43. 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 56, GR86 46. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Civic Type R 87, GR86 67. 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 GR86 in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Civic Type R scores 87 vs 67.

Efficiency: Civic Type R scores 47 vs 45.

Safety: Civic Type R scores 92 vs 83.

Practicality: Civic Type R scores 56 vs 46.

Ownership: Civic Type R scores 51 vs 43.

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