Honda Civic Type R 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 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
KIA Pegas in South Africa

KIA Pegas

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

At a Glance — Who Wins What

⚡ Performance Civic Type R
⛽ Fuel Economy Pegas
🛡 Safety Civic Type R
📦 Practicality Pegas
🔑 Ownership Pegas
Pegas starts ZAR 1021600 cheaper Civic Type R from ZAR 1,021,600 · Pegas from ZAR 239,995

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Civic Type R Pegas
Engine Power 315 kW 73 kW
Torque 420 Nm 132 Nm
Engine Size 1996 cc 1368 cc
Claimed Mileage 12 km/l 16.9 km/l
Ground Clearance 130 mm 148 mm
Boot / Load Bay 410 l 502 l
Airbags 6 6
Kerb Weight 1430 kg 1130 kg
Seating Capacity 4 5
Warranty 3 7 Years / 150,000 km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

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

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Civic Type R +54 pts
Efficiency Pegas +18 pts
Safety Civic Type R +12 pts
Practicality Pegas +11 pts
Ownership Pegas +20 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Civic Type R

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger safety package
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less practical in daily usage
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Highway Driving

Pegas

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

Which One's Right for You?

Civic Type R

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment

Pegas

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Civic Type R Pegas
Model Introduced Year 2023 2019
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. First generation; purpose-designed for emerging markets
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. Minor updates in 2022 including revised infotainment; no full facelift
Facelift Launched Since 2023 2022
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style Sedan Sedan
Color Note Sedan Clear White, Aurora Black Pearl, Silky Silver, Gravity Blue, Passion Red
Dealer Stock Note Flagship grade in the South Africa lineup Flagship 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 Pegas
Ground Clearance 130 mm 148 mm
Wheelbase 2735 mm 2570 mm
Length 4595 mm 4400 mm
Width 1890 mm 1700 mm
Height 1405 mm 1470 mm
Kerb Weight 1430 kg 1130 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight 1850 kg 1450 kg
Seating Capacity 4 5
Boot Space 410 l 502 l
Towing Capacity 0 kg -
Front Track Width - 1475 mm
Rear Track Width - 1475 mm
Turning Radius 5.7 m 10.4 m
Load Bed Length 410 l 502 l
Load Bed Width - -
Front Legroom - 1030 mm
Rear Legroom - 860 mm
Front Headroom - 990 mm
Rear Headroom - 950 mm
Front Shoulder Room - 1380 mm
Rear Shoulder Room - 1330 mm
Boot Space Seats Folded 410 l 502 l
Number of Doors 4 4
Max Payload - -
Boot Volume 410 l 502 l
Doors 4 4
Seats 4 5
Fuel Tank Capacity 47 l 40 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 1850 kg 1450 kg
Ground Clearance Max 130 mm 148 mm
Ground Clearance Min 130 mm 148 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 130 mm 148 mm
Height Mm 1405 mm 1470 mm
Length Mm 4595 mm 4400 mm
Loadbox Length Mm 410 l 502 l
Loadbox Width Mm - -
Payload Kg - -
Cargo Volume 410 l 502 l
Tare Mass Kg 1430 kg 1130 kg
Turning Circle 5.7 m 10.4 m
Turning Circle M 5.7 m 10.4 m
Width Mm 1890 mm 1700 mm
Front Overhang - 810 mm
Rear Overhang - 1020 mm
Boot Space Seats Folded 410 l 502 l

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

Civic Type R leads by 7 points

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

Winner 69 /100
Lead 7 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 7 points
62
#2

Pegas

93% data confidence 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 80 Check Performance 33
Performance 33
Efficiency 65
Safety 80
Practicality 67
Ownership 71
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Civic Type R +54 Efficiency Pegas +18 Safety Civic Type R +12 Practicality Pegas +11 Ownership Pegas +20

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

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

Pegas

Performance 33/100
Efficiency 65/100
Safety 80/100
Practicality 67/100
Ownership 71/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Honda Civic Type R wins with 69 pts vs 62 pts for Pegas

In structured scoring, Civic Type R emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Pegas 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 Pegas 65. 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, Pegas 80. 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, Pegas 71. 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, Pegas 67. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Civic Type R 87, Pegas 33. 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 Pegas in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Civic Type R scores 87 vs 33.

Efficiency: Civic Type R scores 47 vs 65.

Safety: Civic Type R scores 92 vs 80.

Practicality: Civic Type R scores 56 vs 67.

Ownership: Civic Type R scores 51 vs 71.

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