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Thursday / 13 February 2025
HomeFeaturesSporty sedans the new Honda Civic RS competes against

Sporty sedans the new Honda Civic RS competes against

Honda has launched the next-generation Civic in South Africa in one trim, the sporty-looking RS at a starting price of R669,000.

This puts the Civic at the more affordable end of the country’s athletic four-doors, which has been a shrinking segment for the past few years.

Under the hood, the new Honda makes do with a 1.5-litre, turbo-petrol powerplant pushing 131kW and 240Nm.

It turns the front wheels only through a CVT transmission with built-in “steps” for a more natural gearbox feel, and with a 35mm-longer wheelbase than the outgoing generation, the sedan also offers improved handling and stability.

Pedal to the metal the Civic now sprints to 100km/h in 8.3 seconds and tops out at 200km/h, with average fuel consumption sitting at 6.2l/100km.

Around the outside, the modern look is enhanced by matte black 18-inch wheels, RS-exclusive bumpers and side skirts, a dual-exhaust outlet, and a boot spoiler – while inside the cabin a leather/suede upholstery and a honeycomb-mesh insert in the dash continue the sporty aesthetic.

Prospective owners can also expect to find a variety of standard equipment in the new Honda, including a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, a 9-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 12-speaker Bose sound system, a wireless charger, a heated and electric driver seat, automatic LED headlights, all-round parking sensors, a reverse camera, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and a driver attention monitor.

R700,000 sporty sedans

At around R700,000 there aren’t many sporty sedans in the South African new car market.

The new Civic RS will therefore have to compete against the four vehicles below to guarantee a spot in your garage.


Audi A3 Sedan 35TFSI S Line

  • PriceR645,300
  • Power – 110kW/250Nm
  • 0-100km/h – 8.2 seconds
  • Top speed – 227km/h


BMW 218i Gran Coupe

  • PriceR671,072
  • Power – 103kW/220Nm
  • 0-100km/h – 8.7 seconds
  • Top speed – 213km/h


Mercedes-Benz A200 Sedan Progressive

  • PriceR730,358
  • Power – 120kW/250Nm
  • 0-100km/h – 8.1 seconds
  • Top speed – 230km/h


Subaru WRX 2.4T

  • PriceR759,000
  • Power – 202kW/350Nm
  • 0-100km/h – 6.0 seconds
  • Top speed – 250km/h


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