Compare the2025 Honda Civic Type RVS 2025 Mercedes AMG CLA

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Honda Civic Type R 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 CLA doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Civic Type R 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 Type R’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The AMG CLA’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The Civic Type R’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the AMG CLA.

Both the Civic Type R and the AMG CLA 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, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

The Honda Civic Type R has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2025 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and an “Acceptable” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The AMG CLA has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2025.

Honda’s powertrain warranty covers the Civic Type R 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the AMG CLA. 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 CLA 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 Type R’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 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 above average in initial quality. With 25 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes With 12 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Honda higher than Mercedes.

The Civic Type R’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 13 more horsepower (315 vs. 302) and 15 lbs.-ft. more torque (310 vs. 295) than the AMG CLA 35’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

On the EPA test cycle the Civic Type R gets better fuel mileage than the AMG CLA 45 (22 city/28 hwy vs. 20 city/28 hwy).

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Honda Civic Type R uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The AMG CLA requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Honda Civic Type R higher (5 out of 10) than the Mercedes AMG CLA (2 to 5). This means the Civic Type R produces up to 20.8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the AMG CLA every 15,000 miles.

For better traction, the Civic Type R has larger tires than the AMG CLA (265/30R19 vs. 235/40R18). The Civic Type R’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the AMG CLA (265/30R19 vs. 255/35R19).

The Civic Type R’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 30 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the AMG CLA’s standard 40 series tires. The Civic Type R’s tires are lower profile than the AMG CLA’s optional 35 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Civic Type R has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the AMG CLA.

The Civic Type R offers an available 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 AMG CLA; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed. Some tire options on the AMG CLA don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

The Civic Type R Touring handles at 1.03 G’s, while the AMG CLA 45 S pulls only .99 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Honda Civic Type R may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 500 to 600 pounds less than the Mercedes AMG CLA.

The Civic Type R is 3.9 inches shorter than the AMG CLA, making the Civic Type R easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Civic Type R a Large car, while the AMG CLA is rated a Compact.

The Civic Type R has 10 cubic feet more passenger volume than the AMG CLA (99 vs. 89).

The Civic Type R has .8 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front legroom, 1.9 inches more front shoulder room, 1.4 inches more rear headroom, 3.5 inches more rear legroom and 2 inches more rear shoulder room than the AMG CLA.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Honda service is better than Mercedes. J.D. Power ranks Honda 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 7% lower rating, Mercedes is ranked 14th.

The Civic Type R’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 AMG CLA does not have an oil pressure gauge.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Civic Type R has a standard rear wiper. The AMG CLA doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

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

The Civic was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2025 and 10 more times in the last 41 years. The AMG CLA has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Civic as the 2025 North American Car of the Year. The AMG CLA has never been chosen.

The Honda Civic outsold the Mercedes CLA by over 19 to one during 2024.