Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Civic deploy with different levels of force or don't deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Civic's side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Golf's airbags don't have smart features and will always deploy full force.
Both the Civic and the Golf have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights and rearview cameras.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Honda Civic is safer than the Volkswagen Golf:
|
Civic |
Golf |
OVERALL STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
|
Driver |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
201 |
286 |
Neck Injury Risk |
20% |
34% |
Neck Stress |
176 lbs. |
336 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
53 lbs. |
61 lbs. |
|
Passenger |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
Chest Compression |
.6 inches |
.7 inches |
Neck Injury Risk |
34% |
43% |
Neck Stress |
131 lbs. |
210 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
46 lbs. |
91 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Honda Civic is safer than the Volkswagen Golf:
|
Civic |
Golf |
|
Front Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Chest Movement |
1 inches |
1.2 inches |
Hip Force |
306 lbs. |
310 lbs. |
|
Rear Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Hip Force |
356 lbs. |
588 lbs. |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Max Damage Depth |
12 inches |
14 inches |
HIC |
260 |
274 |
Spine Acceleration |
37 G's |
45 G's |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight's “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Civic the rating of “Top Pick” for 2020, a rating granted to only 30 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Golf last would have qualified as a “Top Pick” in 2017.