Compare the2023 Volkswagen GTIVS 2023 Honda Civic Si

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The GTI’s standard pretensioning seatbelts also sense rear collisions and remove slack from the seatbelts to help protect the occupants from whiplash and other injuries. The Civic Si doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The GTI has a standard Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Civic Si doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The GTI has standard Maneuver Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Civic Si doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The GTI has standard Car-Net, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Civic Si doesn’t offer a GPS response system, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the GTI and the Civic Si have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the GTI the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 164 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Civic Si has not been tested, yet.

Warranty

The GTI comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car. The Civic Si’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The GTI’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Civic Si’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Reliability

The Volkswagen GTI’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the Civic Si’s engine uses an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the GTI has a standard 680-amp battery. The Civic Si’s 500-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Volkswagen vehicles are more reliable than Honda With 13 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Volkswagen higher than Honda.

Engine

The GTI’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 41 more horsepower (241 vs. 200) and 81 lbs.-ft. more torque (273 vs. 192) than the Civic Si’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Volkswagen GTI is faster than the Honda Civic Si (manual transmissions tested):

	GTI	Civic Si
Zero to 60 MPH	6.1 sec	7.1 sec
Quarter Mile	14.6 sec	15.3 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	99.8 MPH	92.8 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the GTI’s fuel efficiency. The Civic Si doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the GTI Automatic’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Civic Si doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

Transmission

The GTI offers an optional automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. The Civic Si doesn’t offer an automatic transmission.

The GTI offers an optional sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Civic Si doesn’t offer an SMG.

The GTI Automatic’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Civic Si doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the GTI’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Civic Si:

	GTI	Civic Si
Front Rotors	13.4 inches	12.3 inches
Rear Rotors	12.2 inches	11.1 inches

The GTI’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Civic Si are solid, not vented.

The GTI stops much shorter than the Civic Si:

	GTI	Civic Si
70 to 0 MPH	150 feet	160 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	127 feet	134 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	141 feet	147 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The GTI Autobahn’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Civic Si’s 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the GTI Autobahn has standard 19-inch wheels. The Civic Si’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

The GTI has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Civic Si; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

The GTI offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The Civic Si’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The GTI Autobahn handles at .98 G’s, while the Civic Si pulls only .94 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The GTI executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the Civic Si (25 seconds @ .74 average G’s vs. 26.3 seconds @ .67 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the GTI’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the Civic Si’s (35.8 feet vs. 38.1 feet).

Chassis

The GTI is 1 foot, 3.2 inches shorter than the Civic Si, making the GTI easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The GTI has .9 inches more front headroom and 1 inch more rear headroom than the Civic Si.

Cargo Capacity

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the GTI’s hatch uses gas strut supported hinges that don’t intrude into the cargo area. The Civic Si’s useful trunk space is reduced by its intrusive beam hinge.

Ergonomics

When three different drivers share the GTI (except S), the optional memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for all three. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Civic Si doesn’t offer a memory system.

The GTI (except S)’s optional easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Civic Si doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The GTI’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Civic Si does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The GTI Autobahn has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Civic Si doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The power windows standard on both the GTI and the Civic Si have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the GTI is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Civic Si prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The GTI’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Civic Si’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The GTI’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Civic Si’s passenger power window switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The GTI’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Civic Si’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the GTI to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Civic Si doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the GTI has a standard rear wiper. The Civic Si doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the GTI has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Civic Si doesn’t offer cornering lights.

When the GTI with available tilt-down mirrors is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Civic Si’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The GTI’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Civic Si doesn’t offer the luxury of automatic dimming mirrors.

The GTI has standard heated front and second row seats (second row heated seats on Autobahn) extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated seats aren’t available in the Civic Si.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the GTI (except S) keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Civic Si doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the GTI’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Civic Si doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The GTI Autobahn’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Civic Si doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the GTI and the Civic Si offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the GTI has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Civic Si doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To direct the driver from any location to a given street address, a GPS navigation system is standard on the GTI SE/Autobahn. The GTI’s navigation system also has a real-time traffic update feature that offers alternative routes to automatically bypass traffic problems. (Service not available in all areas.) The Civic Si doesn’t offer a navigation system.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Volkswagen GTI has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Civic Si doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The GTI Autobahn’s Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Civic Si doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

The GTI was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 16 of the last 16 years. The Civic Sport hasn’t been picked since 2019.

Motor Trend selected the GTI as their 2015 Car of the Year. The Civic Si was Car of the Year in 2006.