Grande might have a slight edge over the 1.8 however I dont think its something to gloat about, if someone is buying a Civic to race he will go for the Turbo not the 1.8. Grande will be getting its edge via paddle shifters over the 1.8. Tires are a huge factor as well as stock tires on the civic have been reported to spin when flooring the car, grip is lower.
The engine on Grande and Civic Turbo is DOHC, which gives higher efficiency at higher RPMs, the one on the Civic 1.8 is a SOHC which is more efficient at lower RPMs. Both engine types have their own plus points so neither is better. If you want to race or drive at higher speeds you go for DOHC, if you want good efficiency in city conditions, higher power at lower RPMs which gives more fuel efficiency you go for the SOHC.
Both cars are for luxury. For me the decision to book a civic in comparison to a Vezel or a Grande came down to five factors. Parking hold, Vehicle assisted stability, rear AC duct, warranty and bharam. Grande doesnt have the parking hold and lags in tech, I absolutely need the park hold feature because of the traffic jams in Karachi. Any one who has been through a spin or a unexpected drift will appreciate the vehicle assist feature so far only available in really high end German cars. Vezel and Grande both didn't have rear AC ducts, which was a big plus for me since the Civic will be my family car. Honda offered a 4yr extended warranty which although I have doubts they will fully honor on case to case basis when it suits them but still really assuring to have. And lastly although I think the Grande is a stunning car but all those Xlis driving around with a similar car kitted out with accessories to look indistinguishable plus the popularity of the Xli as a Taxi/cab ruined its bharam factor for me. Vezel looks stunning but its been out for 3yrs and it's price variations put me off.
Engine Specs
Civic 1.8
Power kW (ps)/rpm 103 (140) / 6,500
Torque N-m (kg-m)/rpm 169 (17.2) / 4,300
Toyota Grande
Power: 141 PS (104 kW; 139 bhp) @ 6,500 rpm
Torque: 17.7 kgf·m (174 N·m (128 ft·lbf)) @ 4,300 rpm
these specs are from their official Pakistan websites however I think numbers have been altered remember Corolla Grande brochure specifying 138BHP when I was reaserching to buy it in July also other sites also specify 138BHP
similarly engine specs for Civic 1.8 are higher at 141BHP than official Pakistan site. And match the specs for this engine when Honda atlas marketed the 9th gen civic.
