Honda Civic Type R vs Volkswagen Arteon
Verdict
At RM399,900 against RM291,012, the Honda Civic Type R asks RM108,888 more for a sharper mechanical brief: 315 hp, 420 Nm, a manual gearbox and 272 km/h top speed. The Volkswagen Arteon is almost as quick to 100 km/h at 5.6 seconds versus 5.5, but goes bigger on daily use with five seats, a 563-litre boot, all-wheel drive and a 66-litre tank. For a Malaysian buyer, this is track-flavoured CBU hatchback versus roomier CKD D-segment grand tourer.
Pick the Honda Civic Type R if you want the manual gearbox, higher 315 hp output and 272 km/h top speed more than rear-seat and boot space.
Pick the Volkswagen Arteon if you want five seats, all-wheel drive, a 563-litre boot and a much lower RM291,012 price.
Key differences
- Price: Honda Civic Type R RM399,900; Volkswagen Arteon RM291,012
- Output: Honda Civic Type R 315 hp/420 Nm; Volkswagen Arteon 276 hp/350 Nm
- Drivetrain: Honda Civic Type R front-wheel drive manual; Volkswagen Arteon all-wheel drive wet dual-clutch automatic
- Acceleration/top speed: Honda Civic Type R 5.5 s/272 km/h; Volkswagen Arteon 5.6 s/250 km/h
- Cabin and boot: Honda Civic Type R 4 seats/410 L; Volkswagen Arteon 5 seats/563 L
- Size: Honda Civic Type R 4,593 mm long/2,734 mm wheelbase; Volkswagen Arteon 4,862 mm long/2,837 mm wheelbase
Civic Type R
- Higher 315 hp and 420 Nm outputs
- Manual gearbox for driver involvement
- Higher 272 km/h top speed
- Costs RM108,888 more
- Four seats only
- Smaller 410-litre boot
Arteon
- RM291,012 price is far lower
- Five seats and 563-litre boot
- All-wheel drive with wet dual-clutch automatic
- Lower 276 hp and 350 Nm outputs
- Top speed capped at 250 km/h
- Slightly slower 5.6-second 0-100 km/h time
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM 399,900 | RM 291,012✓ |
| Body type | Hatchback | Hatchback |
| Segment | C-Segment | D-Segment |
| Seats | 4 | 5 |
| Assembly | CBU | CKD |
| Powertrain | ||
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Engine | 1,996 cc | 1,984 cc |
| Power | 315 hp✓ | 276 hp |
| Torque | 420 Nm✓ | 350 Nm |
| Transmission | Manual | Dual-clutch Automatic (Wet) |
| Driven wheels | Front Wheel Drive | All Wheel Drive |
| Performance | ||
| 0–100 km/h | 5.5 s✓ | 5.6 s |
| Top speed | 272 km/h✓ | 250 km/h |
| Efficiency | ||
| Fuel economy | — | 7.4 L/100km |
| CO₂ | — | 164 g/km |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,593 mm | 4,862 mm |
| Width | 1,890 mm | 1,871 mm |
| Height | 1,407 mm | 1,450 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,734 mm | 2,837 mm |
| Boot space | 410 L | 563 L✓ |
| Fuel tank | 47 L | 66 L |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | 6 | 7✓ |
| Auto emergency braking | Yes | Yes |
| Ownership | ||
| Warranty | 5 | 5 |
| Road tax / year | RM 378 | RM 372✓ |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration.
Civic Type R vs Arteon FAQ
Is the Honda Civic Type R or Volkswagen Arteon better?
The Honda Civic Type R is better for outright driver focus, with 315 hp, a manual gearbox and 272 km/h top speed. The Volkswagen Arteon is better for daily breadth, with five seats, a 563-litre boot and all-wheel drive.
What is the price difference?
The Honda Civic Type R costs RM399,900, while the Volkswagen Arteon costs RM291,012. That makes the Honda RM108,888 more expensive.
Which one is quicker from 0-100 km/h?
The Honda Civic Type R is marginally quicker, doing 0-100 km/h in 5.5 seconds. The Volkswagen Arteon takes 5.6 seconds, so the difference is just 0.1 seconds.