Bruce

What’s new?

The hot hatchback class must be just about full now the new Honda Civic Type-R has arrived. Based on the imaginative current Civic, this latest ‘R’ has an unenviable fight on its hands to repeat the sales success of the old model; 15 per cent of all old-shape Civics sold in the UK were Type-Rs. It's a car we weren't fully prepared for, and won't forget for a long time.

The specifications sheet of this new one doesn’t make terribly encouraging reading, however. Honda has found just one extra horsepower within the confines of its 2.0-litre VTEC engine in the last six years, instead concentrating on broadening the engine's effective VTEC zone, and its urge outside of that zone. Most controversial of all, though, is Honda's move to dump the Civic's proven independent rear suspension; this new fast Civic has a torsion beam at the back, just like the regular Civic.


What's it like?

Some Type-R fundamentals just don’t change. This is still an engine that will delight enthusiasts with the crispness of its throttle response and the machined purity of its soundtrack. And, to be fair, it now has a better spread of torque over a wider rev range, even if the reduced sensation of the engine coming on cam does spoil the excitement a little.

What's regrettable about this new Type-R has more to do with the basic Civic. Like that car, and most modern hatchbacks, the Type-R's no lightweight, tipping 1338kg on our scales. With the 2.0-litre i-VTEC engine only cranking out 142lb ft of torque at a high 5600rpm, the latest Type-R only really feels quick once you’ve reached the last few hundred rpm near the screaming 8000rpm cut-out point. You'll have fun staying at the top end of the rev range, admittedly; the Type-R's fascia-mounted gearshift is as great as ever. You just won't be having particularly fast fun.

But Honda knew this. It wanted to create a more rounded CTR with this car, with a smoother ride and better general refinement. It has succeeded, although that’s not to say the car has lost its frantic edge entirely; there's now a genuine pliancy to the way the car reacts over bad surfaces which was notably absent from the original CTR.



The steering – always a weak point before – is much improved; it's now got a consistent action from lock-to-lock, but lacks feel. But – and here's the bit Swindonian door-handlers won't want to read – if you're a keen driver, you will notice the switch to a torsion beam rear-end. This car lacks the poise and throttle adjustability that its forebear exhibited when driven quickly, and its body control at speed becomes slightly ragged over bumpier surfaces. It serves up a driving experience you value chiefly for the engine’s character; this car has little else, other than perhaps its bold interior and exterior styling, that'll really delight the enthusiast. And that's the real shame.
Should I buy one?

The Honda Civic Type-R still offers a unique take on the hot hatch mantra; it remains good (if no longer exceptional) value, and is now even more dramatic to behold. But, though it seems churlish to write 'we told you so,' it isn’t quite the car we'd hoped for.
-Adam Towler

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First drive data

How much?

• Price when new £16,975
• Price as tested £17,600

How fast?

• 0-62 mph 6.6 sec
• Max speed 146 mph

How big?

• Weight 1284 kg

How thirsty?

• Combined 42.8 mpg
• CO2 emissions 156 g/km

Engine

• Layout 4 , 1998 cc
• Max power 198 bhp at 7800 rpm
• Max torque 142 lb ft at 5600 rpm

Bonus Wallpaper:

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Habitual Speeder

I really wish Honda would bring the hatch to Canada...

Bruce

I agree I love the new Civic hatch, but I suppose we will have to suffice with the Civic coupe..

Would be bloody nice to have that hatch though (so again.. )

Osnabrueck

I think Honda is missing a golden opportunity to add spice to their North America lineup with this hatchback.

I feel that Honda shot themselves in the foot by hastily coming to market with the Fit - a product that is already at its midlife and isn't a great ambassador of Honda brand values.

Sure, there was tremendous growth in the econohatch segment, with the Scions xA, xB as well as the Yaris and Versa, but the Civic Hatchback is a tremendously cool piece of J-Style engineering and is something that could really energize Honda's youth base, which they've been trying to reinvigorate with the new Civic Coupe and Sedan.

Oh well, at least we have the coupe, and it's pretty good lookin'.

Mr. M

Honda had a dilemma in the development of this car: keep it extreme or to make it more livable?

I think they went with the latter, and it's a wrong move IMO. Now the Type-R is neither here nor there. I'm not saying that the car is any less attractive to the general buyers, they'd sure take this up in a second... But to the die-hard Type-R fans, Honda will lose them.

BTW, is there gonna be a Type-S? Is a Type-S a less extreme version of the Type-R? If so, I stand even firmer in my opinion.

Bruce

There is one

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Mr. M

Thanks Bruce.

Habitual Speeder

It would seem like they are missing an opportunity, but, unfortunately, hatchbacks don't generally do well in North America. For example, the Jetta (we still call it that, here) outsells the Golf (the Rabbit, now) by a large margin. Let's see what'll happen now that manufacturers are making smaller hatches (Fit, Yaris, Rondo, Rio, Accent, Versa, etc.), for now.

Like I said earlier, I'd love to have the hatch, here...my next car will be an Si, but I'd like this hatch, instead. The other problem, now that I think about it, is Honda would have to figure out where to build the hatch for NA. Currently, as far as I know, they don't have the capacity at any of their NA plants to pull it off & it was too expensive to keep shipping the last hatch over from England, as I recall.