Compare the2025 Honda Civic Type RVS 2025 Volkswagen Golf R

The Honda Civic Type R has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Golf R doesn’t offer knee airbags.

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 Golf R’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

Both the Civic Type R and the Golf R have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, 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.

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 Golf R has not yet been fully evaluated by the IIHS for 2025.

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

The Civic Type R’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Golf R’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

There are over 65 percent more Honda dealers than there are Volkswagen 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 Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in initial quality. With 60 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen 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 Volkswagen With 61 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Honda higher than Volkswagen.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda fourth in overall reliability. Volkswagen is ranked 18th.

The Civic Type R’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 15 lbs.-ft. more torque (310 vs. 295) than the Golf R’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

The Civic Type R stops much shorter than the Golf R:

For better traction, the Civic Type R has larger tires than the Golf R (265/30R19 vs. 235/35R19).

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 Golf R’s standard 35 series tires.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Civic Type R’s wheelbase is 4.1 inches longer than on the Golf R (107.7 inches vs. 103.6 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Civic Type R is 3.4 inches wider in the front and 3.9 inches wider in the rear than on the Golf R.

The Civic Type R Touring handles at 1.04 G’s, while the Golf R pulls only .95 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Civic Type R Touring executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Golf R (24.5 seconds @ .76 average G’s vs. 24.9 seconds @ .77 average G’s).

The Honda Civic Type R may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 200 to 300 pounds less than the Volkswagen Golf R.

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

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the Civic Type R Touring is quieter than the Golf R (44 vs. 45 dB).

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

The Civic Type R has 7.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Golf R (99 vs. 91.9).

The Civic Type R has .8 inches more front headroom, 1.1 inches more front legroom, .9 inches more front hip room, 1.1 inches more front shoulder room, 2.4 inches more rear legroom, 2.6 inches more rear hip room and 2.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Golf R.

The Civic Type R has a much larger trunk than the Golf R with its rear seat up (24.5 vs. 19.9 cubic feet).

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Honda service is better than Volkswagen. J.D. Power ranks Honda 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 52% lower rating, Volkswagen is ranked 31st.

If the windows are left open on the Civic Type R the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Golf R can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Civic Type R has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Golf R only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Civic Type R’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Golf R’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

The Civic Type R will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Civic Type R will retain 59.77% of its original price after five years, while the Golf R only retains 55.53% to 55.93%.

Car and Driver performed a comparison test in its April 2023 issue and the Honda Civic Type R Touring won out over the Volkswagen Golf R.

The Civic was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2025 and 10 more times in the last 41 years. The Golf R hasn’t been picked since 2021.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Civic as the 2025 North American Car of the Year. The Golf was last chosen in 2015.

The Honda Civic outsold the Volkswagen Golf R by almost 58 to one during 2024.