Mercedes-Benz A-Class vs Honda Civic
Figures updated
The Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Honda Civic are two of the UK's most popular family hatchbacks. We compare the W177 (2018–) A-Class and the Mk11 e:HEV (2022–) Civic on price, size, boot space, performance, safety and running costs, plus how reliable each has been across 597,170 real MOT tests.
The short answer
Pick the Mercedes-Benz A-Class for the lower price, or the Honda Civic for the bigger boot and lower fuel costs.
- The Mercedes-Benz A-Class is the cheapest to buy new: from £31,870, £2,455 less than the Honda Civic.
- The Honda Civic has the biggest boot: 410 litres, 60 more than the Mercedes-Benz A-Class.
- Their MOT records are close: once age and mileage are taken into account, they fail about as often as each other.
- The Honda Civic is the cheapest to fuel: comparing petrol versions, about £84 a year less than the Mercedes-Benz A-Class at 7,500 miles a year.
- Watch the seat belts and airbags on a Mercedes-Benz A-Class: it fails on them 2.7 times as often as the average car.
| Figure | Mercedes-Benz A-ClassW177 (2018–), 5-door hatchback | Honda CivicMk11 e:HEV (2022–), 5-door hatchback |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | £31,870 to £46,175July 2026 price list (best) | £34,325 to £39,295October 2026 price list |
| Body | 5-door hatchback | 5-door hatchback |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| BootSeats up / folded | 350 litres / 1,190 | 410 litres (best) |
| Length | 4,428mm | 4,560mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | 1,796mm | 1,802mm |
| Height | 1,423mm | 1,408mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 136–218 PS (best) | 184 PS |
| 0–62mph | 7.4–9.2 sec (best) | 7.8–8.1 sec |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2018) | ★★★★★ (2022) |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Diesel, Hybrid, Petrol, Plug-in hybrid | Hybrid, Petrol |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 31.4–64.2 mpg | 33.2–60.1 mpg |
| CO2 | 16–205 g/km | 108–193 g/km |
| Running costs at 7,500 miles a year | ||
| Petrol or hybrid171.5p a litre, today's UK average | £1,366 (42.8 mpg) | £1,282 (45.6 mpg) (best) |
| Diesel198.4p a litre | £1,148 (58.9 mpg) | – |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £1,148 (diesel) | £1,282 (petrol) |
| Car tax a yearCars registered from April 2017 | £200£640 in years 2–6 for versions listed over £40,000 | £200 |
| Reliability from real MOT tests | ||
| Reliability score | 108Above average | 106Above average |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 21.4% (best) | 32.4% |
| Failed at 3 years old | 10.2% | 8.8% (best) |
| Failed at 5 years old | 15.0% | 14.4% (best) |
| Failed at 10 years old | 29.7% | 24.3% (best) |
| Most common MOT fault | Tread depth (2.4% of tests) | Position lamp (5.3% of tests) |
| Fails more than average on | Seat belts and airbags (2.7×) | Nothing stands out |
| MOT tests analysed | 341,498 | 255,672 |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | Family hatchback | Family hatchback |
| Owners' average miles a year | 8,500 | 7,600 |
| On sale | 2018 on | 2022 on |
Green marks the better figure where the difference is more than 3%. Reliability figures cover every version of each model tested in the year. Running costs use the typical official economy of recent versions (WLTP where available); real-world economy is usually a little worse for every car.
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
›Is the Mercedes-Benz A-Class or the Honda Civic more reliable?
There's little in it. Once age and mileage are taken into account, both fail their MOT about as often as each other (reliability scores 108 and 106, where 100 is average).
›Which is bigger, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class or the Honda Civic?
The Honda Civic is 132mm longer (4,560mm against 4,428mm). The Honda Civic has the bigger boot: 410 litres against 350.
›Which is cheaper to buy, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class or the Honda Civic?
The Mercedes-Benz A-Class: new prices start at £31,870, £2,455 less than the Honda Civic (from £34,325). These are manufacturer list prices; dealers and brokers often sell for less.
›Which is cheaper to run, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class or the Honda Civic?
Comparing petrol versions, the Honda Civic costs about £84 a year less to fuel at 7,500 miles (£1,282 against £1,366), using typical official economy and current UK average fuel prices.
›Which is safer, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class or the Honda Civic?
Euro NCAP gave the Mercedes-Benz A-Class 5 stars (2018) and the Honda Civic 5 stars (2022). Euro NCAP makes its tests tougher every few years, so ratings from different years aren't directly comparable.
›Should I buy the Mercedes-Benz A-Class or the Honda Civic?
Pick the Mercedes-Benz A-Class for the lower price, or the Honda Civic for the bigger boot and lower fuel costs. The comparison above sets out price, space, performance, safety, running costs and reliability side by side.
Sources: manufacturers' UK specifications and price lists and Euro NCAP (listed on each model's page); DVSA anonymised MOT tests 2024 (Open Government Licence v3.0); Vehicle Certification Agency car fuel data, © Crown copyright, VCA cannot accept liability for its accuracy; fuel prices from the GOV.UK Fuel Finder scheme. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each picture.