If you were to pitch a Honda Civic against a Dodge Challenger muscle car, you would probably expect it to be a one-sided affair. A family car versus a full-on muscle car doesn’t sound like a fair matchup, but sometimes what you see isn’t actually the reality.
TikTok user and creator Sleeper Dispatch (@sleeperdispatch) posted a clip onto their account showing just that, as a Dodge Challenger lined up against what looked like a beaten-up old Civic hatchback, with some mismatched body panels. In theory, this is an easy win for the Dodge.
However, the caption for the video read, “That EG hatchback doesn’t look like a racecar. Runs like one,” which is a very strong indicator that the Honda Civic isn’t running in stock form. Otherwise, it would be insane to try and drag race against an American muscle car.
As the video unfolded, it was clear that this Civic wasn’t in stock form. It put up a much stiffer fight against the Dodge than you would expect, and we can only imagine the shock from inside the Charger as its driver saw the Civic fly off into the distance.
How the Honda Civic Beat the Dodge Challenger
@sleeperdispatchThey pulled up in a Hellcat. Left in disbelief. That EG hatchback doesn’t look like a race car. Runs like one. 💀 #SleeperDispatch #HondaCivic #CivicEG #Hellcat #SleeperCars #BuiltNotBought #DragRace♬ original sound – sleeperdispatch – Sleeper Dispatch
The two cars lined up together at the end of the dragstrip, and it did not look like a fair matchup. The rear body panels on the Civic are quite beaten up, while it also has a different colored hood, front end, and driver’s side door. But the fact that it even lined up against the Dodge suggests it is not a stock Civic.
When the lights go out, it is obvious that is the case. The Dodge seems to barely move away, while the Civic almost instantly bites into the tarmac and drives away from the muscle car. The Charger didn’t stand a chance, and the beaten-up Civic took an easy win. While the muscle car did manage to close in, it still wasn’t able to overhaul its Japanese rival.
Incredibly, the race caused some division in the comments section. Because some felt a car like the Charger, built for smashing through the 1/4 mile, should not have lost to a little Honda. Of course, when you look at the start of the video, it is immediately obvious that this Honda Civic wasn’t just a daily driver someone had brought from home to just have a bit of fun, even if it had been a stock Civic with no modifications.
The Signs Were There From the Start
“As soon as I saw the slicks on the front, I knew it was over,” said one commenter on the TikTok video. “There are always signs,” added another one. The Civic had a dark hood, skinny rear wheels, and the appearance of the front-end was enough to give away that this wasn’t a normal car. The presence of an air intake on the hood was another big clue. “Big ole coke nostril in the headlight casing to let you know what’s about to happen,” another added.
The Civic is, in effect, a sleeper car. A car that, on the outside to most people, doesn’t look like it can put in such fast runs down a drag strip. But in reality, it was hiding plenty of upgrades that enabled it to do so. It went up against a car with at least 700hp under the hood, and was easily able to embarrass the muscle car, which we have to assume was also in stock form. The Civid does show, however, just what can be done with any car, and that they can beat bespoke muscle cars.