Compare the2025 Honda Civic SiVS 2024 Lexus IS

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

Safety

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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 IS 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 IS’ side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The Civic Si’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The IS doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Civic Si and the IS have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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 and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Honda Civic Si is safer than the Lexus IS:

	Civic Si	IS
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	30%	35%
Neck Stress	241 lbs.	429 lbs.
Neck Compression	23 lbs.	60 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	189/372 lbs.	599/675 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.5 inches
Neck Injury Risk	25%	41%
Neck Compression	61 lbs.	81 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	275/164 lbs.	399/459 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Honda Civic Si is safer than the Lexus IS:

	Civic Si	IS
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.7 inches	1 inches
Hip Force	286 lbs.	406 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	15 inches
HIC	260	293

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

There are over 4 times as many Honda dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Civic Si’s warranty.

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Civic Si’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the IS’ camshafts. If the IS’ belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Civic Si gets better mileage than the IS:

			MPG
Civic Si
	FWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	27 city/37 hwy
IS
		5.0 V8	17 city/25 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/31 hwy
		3.5 DOHC V6	20 city/28 hwy
	AWD	350 F Sport 3.5 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy
		300 AWD 3.5 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Civic Si’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 IS doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Honda Civic Si uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The IS requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 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 IS doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Transmission

The Civic Si offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and sportiness. The IS doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

Brakes and Stopping

The Civic Si stops shorter than the IS:

	Civic Si	IS
100 to 0 MPH	312 feet	320 feet	Car and Driver
70 to 0 MPH	156 feet	159 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	110 feet	117 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Civic Si’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the IS 300’s standard 45 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

The Civic Si handles at .97 G’s, while the IS 500 Performance pulls only .89 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Chassis

The Honda Civic Si may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 750 to 950 pounds less than the Lexus IS.

To almost totally eliminate engine vibration in the passenger area, the Civic Si has a liquid-filled front engine mount. The liquid helps further dampen engine harshness. The IS uses conventional solid rubber engine mounts.

Passenger Space

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

The Civic Si has 6.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the IS (96.6 vs. 90.2).

The Civic Si has 1.1 inches more front shoulder room, .2 inches more rear headroom, 5.2 inches more rear legroom and 2.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the IS.

Cargo Capacity

The Civic Si has a much larger trunk than the IS (14.1 vs. 10.8 cubic feet).

Ergonomics

The Civic Si’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 IS’ cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Civic Si’s speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The IS’ standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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 IS doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Civic Si owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Civic Si will cost $2820 to $10625 less than the IS over a five-year period.

The Civic Si will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Civic Si will retain 60.14% of its original price after five years, while the IS only retains 53.95% to 59.37%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Honda Civic Si will be $12450 to $43977 less than for the Lexus IS.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Honda Civic Si and the Lexus IS, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Civic was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2024 and 9 more times in the last 40 years. The IS has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

The Honda Civic outsold the Lexus IS by almost 9 to one during 2023.

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