Volkswagen Golf vs Honda Civic
Figures updated
The Volkswagen Golf and Honda Civic are two of the UK's most popular family hatchbacks. We compare the Mk8 (2020–) Golf and the Mk11 e:HEV (2022–) Civic on price, size, boot space, performance, safety and running costs, plus how reliable each has been across 1,095,010 real MOT tests.
The short answer
Pick the Volkswagen Golf for the lower price, the better MOT record, lower fuel costs and more performance, or the Honda Civic for the bigger boot.
- The Volkswagen Golf is the cheapest to buy new: from £29,040, £5,285 less than the Honda Civic.
- The Honda Civic has the biggest boot: 410 litres, 29 more than the Volkswagen Golf.
- The Volkswagen Golf has the better MOT record. Like for like on age and mileage, the Honda Civic fails its MOT about 17% more often.
- The Volkswagen Golf is the cheapest to fuel: comparing petrol versions, about £165 a year less than the Honda Civic at 7,500 miles a year.
| Figure | Volkswagen GolfMk8 (2020–), 5-door hatchback | Honda CivicMk11 e:HEV (2022–), 5-door hatchback |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | £29,040 to £48,380October 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 | 381 litres / 1,237 | 410 litres (best) |
| Length | 4,282mm | 4,560mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | 1,789mm | 1,802mm |
| Height | 1,483mm | 1,408mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 115–333 PS (best) | 184 PS |
| 0–62mph | 4.6–10.2 sec (best) | 7.8–8.1 sec |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2019) | ★★★★★ (2022) |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Diesel, Hybrid, Petrol, Plug-in hybrid | Hybrid, Petrol |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 34.0–64.2 mpg | 33.2–60.1 mpg |
| CO2 | 6–189 g/km | 108–193 g/km |
| Running costs at 7,500 miles a year | ||
| Petrol or hybrid171.4p a litre, today's UK average | £1,117 (52.3 mpg) (best) | £1,282 (45.6 mpg) |
| Diesel198.4p a litre | £1,102 (61.4 mpg) | – |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £1,102 (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 | 124Well above average (best) | 106Above average |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 25.1% (best) | 32.4% |
| Failed at 3 years old | 9.5% | 8.8% (best) |
| Failed at 5 years old | 12.0% (best) | 14.4% |
| Failed at 10 years old | 21.9% (best) | 24.3% |
| Most common MOT fault | Coil spring (2.5% of tests) | Position lamp (5.3% of tests) |
| Fails more than average on | Nothing stands out | Nothing stands out |
| MOT tests analysed | 839,338 | 255,672 |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | Family hatchback | Family hatchback |
| Owners' average miles a year | 8,600 | 7,600 |
| On sale | 2020 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 Volkswagen Golf or the Honda Civic more reliable?
The Volkswagen Golf. Like for like on age and mileage, the Honda Civic fails its MOT about 17% more often (reliability scores 124 and 106, where 100 is average). 25.1% of Volkswagen Golfs and 32.4% of Honda Civics failed first time in 2024.
›Which is bigger, the Volkswagen Golf or the Honda Civic?
The Honda Civic is 278mm longer (4,560mm against 4,282mm). The Honda Civic has the bigger boot: 410 litres against 381.
›Which is cheaper to buy, the Volkswagen Golf or the Honda Civic?
The Volkswagen Golf: new prices start at £29,040, £5,285 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 Volkswagen Golf or the Honda Civic?
Comparing petrol versions, the Volkswagen Golf costs about £165 a year less to fuel at 7,500 miles (£1,117 against £1,282), using typical official economy and current UK average fuel prices.
›Which is safer, the Volkswagen Golf or the Honda Civic?
Euro NCAP gave the Volkswagen Golf 5 stars (2019) 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 Volkswagen Golf or the Honda Civic?
Pick the Volkswagen Golf for the lower price, the better MOT record, lower fuel costs and more performance, or the Honda Civic for the bigger boot. 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.