Compare the2022 Honda Civic SiVS 2021 Mercedes AMG A-Class

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Honda Civic Si are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Mercedes AMG A-Class doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Civic Si are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The AMG A-Class doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Civic Si deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Civic Si’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The AMG A-Class’ airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Civic Si’s standard rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The AMG A-Class doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

Both the Civic Si and the AMG A-Class have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and driver alert monitors.

Honda’s powertrain warranty covers the Civic Si 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the AMG A-Class. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the AMG A-Class ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 3 times as many Honda dealers as there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Civic Si’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda 17th in initial quality. With 29 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is ranked 25th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 15 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

On the EPA test cycle the Civic Si gets better fuel mileage than the AMG A 35 (27 city/37 hwy vs. 22 city/29 hwy).

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Honda Civic Si uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The AMG A-Class requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Civic Si has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The AMG A-Class doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

The Honda Civic Si may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 pounds less than the Mercedes AMG A-Class.

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Civic Si a Mid-size car, while the AMG A-Class is rated a Compact.

The Civic Si has 3.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the AMG A-Class (96.6 vs. 93).

The Civic Si has .5 inches more front legroom, 1.9 inches more front shoulder room, 3.5 inches more rear legroom and 2 inches more rear shoulder room than the AMG A-Class.

The Civic Si has a much larger trunk than the AMG A-Class (14.4 vs. 8.6 cubic feet).

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Civic Si has standard extendable sun visors. The AMG A-Class doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Civic Sport was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2 of the last 4 years. The AMG A-Class has never been a Car and Driver “Top Ten” pick.

The Civic Si was chosen as one of Automobile Magazine’s “All Stars” for 2 of the last 25 years. The AMG A-Class has never been an “All Star.”

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Civic Si as the 2016 North American Car of the Year. The AMG A-Class has never been chosen.