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With the introduction of the new Honda Civic Type-R, Honda is planning to elevate its stakes. Here's how it competes with the herculean AMG CLA 45.
On July 21st, 2022, Honda finally unveiled the much anticipated 2023 Civic Type R, which is one of the most affordable and happening high-performance compact cars on the market since its launch. The Honda Civic Type R has a huge fan following because it’s not only fast but comes loaded with a long list of features.
On the other hand, the German-made Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 has been a strong contender in the compact segment. As is typical of German performance cars, the AMG CLA 45 is expensive, but it is gorgeous on the inside and outside, swift and agile as well as filled with features. However, how do they fare in real life? We'll run through a brief comparison to conclude which car brushes up better.
The 2023 Honda Civic Type-R has just been unveiled, and Honda hasn't officially announced its price. However, according to our speculation, the 2023 Honda Civic Type R will come with a base price of around $48,000. On the other hand, the 2023 Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 Coupe is expected to arrive with a base price of $58,000, making it $10,000 more expensive than its Japanese counterpart.
Related: How The 2023 Honda Civic Type-R Will Change The Hot Hatch Game
The 2023 Honda Civic Type-R is powered by a 2.0-liter inline-4 engine mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. Although we don't know the exact output of the engine, we think the Type-R's new engine makes around 320 horsepower and up to 305 lb-ft of torque. The acceleration timings are unknown, but the Type-R will supposedly clock the 60 mph mark in under 5 seconds and cover the quarter mile in under 13.5 seconds.
The AMG CLA 45 features a 7-speed AMG SpeedShift DCT automatic gearbox and the world-famous 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system. It features a 2.0-liter handcrafted inline-4 engine. This unit produces 382 hp and 354 lb-ft of peak torque. The higher engine output helps it hit 60 in just 4.0 seconds and cover a quarter-mile in 12.5 seconds, making it significantly faster than the latter.
Related: The Most Powerful, Best Performing Honda Civic Type R Is Almost Here
Both the Honda Civic Type-R and the AMG CLA 45 are excellent-looking cars. With Honda finally giving the Type-R a facelift, it’s hard to choose which car looks better. However, we like the AMG CLA 45 more because of its AMG-specific decorations like sharp triangular headlamps, the Pan Americana grille, and techy front bumpers. Furthermore, we think the wedge-shaped tail lamps, quad-exhaust tips, diffuser, twin-spoke alloys, and coupe body structure really look cool on the AMG.
Nonetheless, the new 2023 Honda Civic Type-R looks premium and cool from every angle. The chiseled headlights, lowered grill, and rear side give it a spicy character.
German car companies are generally known for their distinct design languages and premium touches. As such, in the case of the AMG CLA 45, it offers one of the best cabins in the segment. It has a modern layout and is constructed with quality materials. The dashboard design is purely Mercedes, and it is one of the most thoughtful and distinct designs we have recently seen. Mercedes has filled the cabin with tech and the comfort it provides is remarkable.
However, the AMG CLA 45 offers less space for passengers. This is where Honda, generally known for practicality, proffers an upper hand. The Civic Type-R’s front seats provide 37.6 inches of headroom and 42.3 inches of legroom. At the back, the seats offer 37.1 inches of headroom and 37.4 inches of legroom. The back seats have 37.1 and 37.4 inches of headroom and legroom. In comparison, the CLA 45 has 41.8-inch front legroom and 35.7 and 33.9-inch rear headroom and legroom, making them suitable for pets or children. The interior of the CLA 45 is highly customizable with six seating materials and five interior trim options.
Related: 2021 Volkswagen Golf R Vs 2021 Honda Civic Type R: Which Hot Hatch To Go For
Both the cars arrive with numerous standard features. The Civic Type-R features 20-inch alloy wheels with summer tires, an aluminum hood with air intakes, a redesigned rear spoiler, a ventilated front disc with Brembo 4-piston brake calipers, LED headlights with DRLs, and Type-R badging. Inside, the cabin offers Red/Black suede seats, power-adjustable and heated front seats, a 10.2-inch fully digital instrument cluster, a 9-inch touchscreen, a Bose premium 12-speaker audio system, and a wireless phone charger, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, sports pedals and quad-exhaust tips.
The Mercedes-AMG CLA 450, though $10,000 costlier, offers an 8-speed automatic DCT gearbox, AMG dynamic select driving modes, an AMG sports suspension, an exhaust system, LED headlamps with DRLs, and taillamps, and a 4-wheel traction system. The cabin feels more upscale with power-adjustable heated front seats with 3-position memory, a panoramic sunroof, 64-color LED ambient lighting, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 10.25-inch full HD touchscreen, and a touchpad controller.
For safety, both cars come equipped with a collision mitigation braking system, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and road departure warning for safety. The AMG CLA 45 is highly configurable. Features like active brake assist, blindspot monitor, crosswind assist, and adaptive braking technology. Besides, heated and ventilated front seats, the Driver Assistance Package, Parking Assistance Package, Dynamic Plus package, Burmester Surround Sound System, and a head-up display are offered as options.
The 2023 Mercedes-AMG is $10,000 more expensive than the latter, and the price difference seems justified. It has a more powerful engine, a richer interior, a smarter outlook, and a larger set of features.
Sourav hails from Siliguri, a city very close to the Himalayas in the northern part of West Bengal, India. Anything that has to do with wheels fascinates him. He has a soft spot for Lexus and BMW. He rides a Royal Enfield Thunderbird and is often seen with his group of friends in nearby hill stations. He also loves doing photography and making music. After working with CARHP and CAR INDIGO for more than 15 months, he joined HotCars to continue in automotive writing. He's currently crushing upon the Triumph Tiger 1200.