Vauxhall Astra vs Honda Civic
Figures updated
The Vauxhall Astra and Honda Civic are two of the UK's most popular family hatchbacks. We compare the Astra L (2022–) and the Mk11 e:HEV (2022–) Civic on price, size, boot space, performance, safety and running costs, plus how reliable each has been across 880,332 real MOT tests.
The short answer
Pick the Vauxhall Astra for the lower price and lower fuel costs, or the Honda Civic for the better MOT record.
- The Vauxhall Astra is the cheapest to buy new: from £27,495, £6,830 less than the Honda Civic.
- Their boots are much the same size: Vauxhall Astra 422 litres, Honda Civic 410 litres.
- Euro NCAP safety: Vauxhall Astra 4 stars (2022), Honda Civic 5 stars (2022). Ratings from different years aren't directly comparable, as the tests get tougher.
- The Honda Civic has the better MOT record. Like for like on age and mileage, the Vauxhall Astra fails its MOT about 7% more often.
- The Vauxhall Astra is the cheapest to fuel: comparing petrol versions, about £186 a year less than the Honda Civic at 7,500 miles a year.
- Watch the exhaust and emissions on a Vauxhall Astra: it fails on them 1.4 times as often as the average car.
| Figure | Vauxhall AstraAstra L (2022–), 5-door hatchback | Honda CivicMk11 e:HEV (2022–), 5-door hatchback |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | £27,495 to £33,995May 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 | 422 litres / 1,339 | 410 litres |
| Length | 4,374mm | 4,560mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | 1,859mm | 1,802mm |
| Height | 1,441mm | 1,408mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 130–195 PS (best) | 184 PS |
| 0–62mph | 7.6–9.7 sec | 7.8–8.1 sec |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2022) | ★★★★★ (2022) |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Electric, Petrol, Plug-in hybrid | Hybrid, Petrol |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 45.0–62.6 mpg | 33.2–60.1 mpg |
| CO2 | 43–142 g/km | 108–193 g/km |
| Electric range | 237–267 miles | – |
| Running costs at 7,500 miles a year | ||
| Petrol or hybrid171.7p a litre, today's UK average | £1,098 (53.3 mpg) (best) | £1,284 (45.6 mpg) |
| Electric, charged at home26.3p per kWh standard tariff | £548 (4 mi/kWh) | – |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £548 (electric) | £1,284 (petrol) |
| Car tax a yearCars registered from April 2017 | £200 | £200 |
| Reliability from real MOT tests | ||
| Reliability score | 99Average | 106Above average (best) |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 33.8% | 32.4% (best) |
| Failed at 3 years old | 12.4% | 8.8% (best) |
| Failed at 5 years old | 17.9% | 14.4% (best) |
| Failed at 10 years old | 32.8% | 24.3% (best) |
| Most common MOT fault | Coil spring (5.1% of tests) | Position lamp (5.3% of tests) |
| Fails more than average on | Exhaust and emissions (1.4×) | Nothing stands out |
| MOT tests analysed | 624,660 | 255,672 |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | Family hatchback | Family hatchback |
| Owners' average miles a year | 8,000 | 7,600 |
| On sale | 2022 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 Vauxhall Astra or the Honda Civic more reliable?
The Honda Civic. Like for like on age and mileage, the Vauxhall Astra fails its MOT about 7% more often (reliability scores 106 and 99, where 100 is average). 32.4% of Honda Civics and 33.8% of Vauxhall Astras failed first time in 2024.
›Which is bigger, the Vauxhall Astra or the Honda Civic?
The Honda Civic is 186mm longer (4,560mm against 4,374mm). Their boots are much the same: 422 and 410 litres.
›Which is cheaper to buy, the Vauxhall Astra or the Honda Civic?
The Vauxhall Astra: new prices start at £27,495, £6,830 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 Vauxhall Astra or the Honda Civic?
Comparing petrol versions, the Vauxhall Astra costs about £186 a year less to fuel at 7,500 miles (£1,098 against £1,284), using typical official economy and current UK average fuel prices.
›Which is safer, the Vauxhall Astra or the Honda Civic?
Euro NCAP gave the Vauxhall Astra 4 stars (2022) 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 Vauxhall Astra or the Honda Civic?
Pick the Vauxhall Astra for the lower price and lower fuel costs, or the Honda Civic for the better MOT record. 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.