2024 Honda Civic vs 2023 Mercedes-Benz S-Class

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz S-Class, in its seventh generation, continued to impress with its luxurious design and electrification efforts. The S 580e plug-in hybrid model, featuring 4Matic all-wheel drive, showcased a sophisticated exterior with optional high-gloss black trim, 20-inch AMG wheels, and AMG-style bumpers and skirts. Inside, the S-Class offered a lavish experience with eight leather upholstery options, including the striking Carmine Red, and five trim materials. The Sienna Brown and Black leather interior, complemented by a panoramic sunroof, provided a superb fit and finish, with exceptionally soft headrests enhancing passenger comfort.

The 2024 Honda Civic Si, a sport-injected version of the Civic sedan, maintained its stealth-mode styling while offering enhanced performance and driving engagement. With LED headlights, a gloss-black lip spoiler, dual exhaust outlets, and 18-inch matte-black wheels, the Civic Si balanced sporty aesthetics with subtlety. Inside, the Civic Si featured red seat and door panel inserts, a metal mesh strip hiding the dashboard air vents, and gloss black surfaces. The cabin's polished metal detailing and digital instrumentation, paired with a touchscreen infotainment system, created a high-quality environment. The Civic Si's base price was $29,100, with our test car's Blazing Orange Pearl paint adding to the MSRP.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S 580e combined a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine with a 28.6-kWh battery and electric motor, offering 56 miles of all-electric range. Charging at home took about two hours and 20 minutes, costing $8.93 in California. The S 580e also supported 60 kW DC fast charging. The EPA rated it at 51 MPGe combined, but our test achieved 53.9 mpg over nearly 400 miles, with 223 miles driven on electric power alone. The powertrain delivered 510 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque, accelerating from 0 to 62 mph in 4.4 seconds. The nine-speed automatic transmission provided seamless shifts, though a slight jerk occurred when downshifting to first gear. The S-Class excelled in comfort mode, with its air suspension and rear-wheel steering enhancing the driving experience.

The 2024 Honda Civic Si featured a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 200 horsepower and 192 lb-ft of torque, paired with a close-ratio six-speed manual transmission. The drivetrain included a single-mass lightweight flywheel and a helical limited-slip differential, enhancing cornering performance. Larger brakes, thicker suspension stabilizer bars, and a dual-pinion variable-ratio steering system were standard. The Civic Si offered Normal, Sport, and Individual driving modes, with Active Sound Control enhancing the engine note. In urban settings, the Civic Si was docile, while on highways, it provided good passing power. On twisty roads, the Civic Si excelled, though a braking system issue arose during hot testing. The EPA rated it at 31 mpg combined, but our test averaged 29.5 mpg.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz S-Class was packed with standard features, including massaging, heated, and ventilated seats, a heated steering wheel, and armrests. Power sunshades and soft-closing doors added to the luxury experience. The ambient lighting offered 64 colors, and the Energizing Comfort program combined lighting, massage, audio, fragrance, and climate controls. Storage was ample, though the trunk space was limited to 8.1 cubic feet.

The 2024 Honda Civic Si balanced performance with practicality. Sport-bolstered front seats and a manual transmission provided a sporty feel, while the interior offered single-zone automatic climate control, heated exterior mirrors, and a power sunroof. The back seat was surprisingly roomy, with generous legroom. Cargo space was commendable at 14.4 cubic feet, with a 60/40-split folding back seat for longer items.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz S-Class featured a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a 12.8-inch OLED touchscreen with the MBUX infotainment system. The system included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a native navigation system with augmented reality, and a variety of games. The Burmester sound system provided excellent audio quality.

The 2024 Honda Civic Si came with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and HD Radio. The system was user-friendly, with physical controls for volume and tuning. A 12-speaker Bose Centerpoint premium audio system delivered impressive sound quality.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz S-Class boasted a comprehensive suite of ADAS features, including lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic emergency braking. Its hands-on highway driver-assist system used adaptive cruise control and lane-centering. Crosswind Assist and Speed Limit Assist added to its safety credentials. However, it had not been rated by NHTSA or IIHS.

The 2024 Honda Civic Si included Honda Sensing, with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and more. However, some features proved irksome, such as lane-keeping assist and adaptive cruise control. The Civic Si earned a Top Safety Pick rating from IIHS and a five-star overall safety rating from NHTSA.