Boy racers everywhere should prepare to get very excited, because the new Honda Civic Type R has arrived, the first new version of the hot hatch in five long years. But is it worth the wait?
The biggest change seems to be the engine. Honda has changed the old natural aspirated unit for a fresh 2.0-litre turbocharged engine. If you’re upset by this news – don’t be, because the new Type R is a winner in every way.
There’s a seriously potent 306bhp in that new engine, plus plenty of torque. Naturally, that translates to something a bit quick on the road. The new Civic Type R will get you to 62mph in only 5.7 seconds and on to 167mph, provided you happen to find yourself on a track or an autobahn.
Even better than those stats, though, is the mid-range performance. This car pulls forever, even when it should be labouring. When you do engage the gearbox, it works beautifully and precisely with a short-throw action.
There’s plenty of the old car left here for purists. In fact, the top end of the rev counter is pretty impressive. The Type R will hit 7,000rpm with no bother and the turbo provides an exciting and sweet new engine noise.
Now for some fun. If you press the +R button, the dash moves from being a serene white to an angry red. The accelerator gets more responsive and the steering heavier.
This is when the Honda Civic gets most uncivil. Indeed, it’s all a bit hard-core. It feels agile, smooth and focused. The Brembo brakes could stop on a sixpence and the weighty steering gives you tons of control. Find a twisty country road, put pedal to metal coming off a bend and the limited-slip differential gives you amazing traction.
Honda has been clever with the suspension. There’s a ‘dual-axis’ strut design, meaning components work better and torque steer is cut by half. The chassis grips well and the car rides beautifully, with superb body control.
You might not be doing much motorway cruising in your Type R but, if you do, you’ll find the new model pretty comfortable and refined. There’s plenty of support in the bucket seats and it’s easy to adjust to your perfect driving position.
There’s Bluetooth, cruise control, keyless entry, climate control and rear parking sensors as standard. You also get CONNECT multimedia and autonomous braking.
Visibility is fine, the rear is spacious and there’s an amazing 1427 litres of luggage space, when Honda’s Magic Seats are folded down.
How much can you expect to pay for all this sporty tech? The Type R is expected to retail at £29,995 and, for another £2,300, you can have the GT pack. This includes sat-nav and some decent safety stuff, like lane-departure warning.
So, if you’re looking for performance coupled with practicality that’s loaded with plenty of fun the Honda Civic Type R has your name all over it. What are you waiting for?
Howards Group is an authorised Honda retailer in the south west of England. Call in to our Taunton or Weston-Super-Mare branches to find out more on the new Honda Civic Type R.