And you can say it’s a pretty classic duel. The Civic has been around since 1972 while the Golf was introduced in 1974. Depending on which version you drive, these can serve for any purpose from attending school to the occasional track days. And although I was born and raised in Europe, as a former Civic owner I stand for the Honda in this race. But let’s look at the specs first.

The Civic used a turbocharged 1.5 liter 4 cylinder engine that ran with a CVT Transmission. The Golf packs a turbocharged 1.8-liter, also a 4-cylinder, but this time with a 6-speed automatic. Both cars have been tuned to some degree, and the Honda now puts out 300 horsepower and 240 lb-ft (325 Nm) of torque. The Volkswagen likes less grunt with just 255 hp, but makes up for it with 340 lb-ft (460 Nm) of torque.

After doing some research, it doesn’t seem hard to get it to 300hp with the Honda engine, although I was hesitant at first when I saw the numbers. But you need the turbocharger, the cold air intake, the downpipe, the intercooler and the ECU from the car. On the other hand, I’m sure you can push the VW engine even further as I’ve seen previous generations of the 1.8 liter upgraded to 400hp or more.

Between the two, the Honda is a bit heavier at 81 lbs (36 kg). On paper it looks like the Honda could win the race, but I’m not going to bet on it as I’m not very enthusiastic about its CVT transmission. For the first drive, both cars are left in their normal everyday driving modes. The Golf is faster off the line, but the Civic quickly comes back into play and takes control of the race until the end.

We get to see a second similar run that shows the CVT isn’t ideal for starting off the line, but the Civic wins again. Both cars switch to sport mode for the third run, and it is becoming increasingly clear that the Golf can no longer keep up. Up to its fourth run, the Volkswagen cannot even start faster than its opponent, so that the Honda clinches another victory.

You opt for a rolling start in sport mode from 50 km / h. Once again, the German-built hatchback is inferior, and while they try the same format again, it’s the Japanese hot hatch that claims victory. Either way, if you have plans to do fun things with your future Honda or VW, do yourself a favor and get started with their top-notch sport versions. It won’t be that cheap, but it will be more exciting.