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When the Honda Civic Type R was originally released for the 1997 model year, it was one of Honda’s best forays into the hot hatch. The original Type R had a very solid 182 hp. The modern Type R is taking things up so many notches that people will struggle to recognize it from the original Type R.
The Type R starts with a basic 2.0-liter inline four cylinder engine. However, that’s no engine for a Type R badge. Honda dug in and added a turbocharger to help the 2017 Type R turn out an impressive 306 hp. Turbochargers can often result in a lack of torque but not this one. The Type-R can still produce a very solid 295 lb-ft of torque. Thankfully for driving enthusiasts, the new Type-R only has a six-speed manual. Regardless of the incredible improvements to continuously variable transmissions and automatic transmissions, there’s just something about a manual transmission that feels right!
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Once place, where the Type R is mixing things up, is in the drivetrain. The Type R is staying true to the standard Civic and pumping all of that power through the front wheels only. It’s a bold choice. Take a quick look at the competition. The Golf R, the Focus RS and the WRX STI are all sitting there offering similar capabilities. However, every single one of those vehicles is instead an all-wheel drive offering. Generally, it’s thought that much power in the front wheels only will result in too much under-steer. Honda is betting against it.
When looking at the appearance of the car, you’re going to either love it or hate it. The car is insanely aggressive. The styling makes a Nissan GT-R look like a humble librarian. The styling makes the Golf R look like it’s an insurance salesman whose closest is made up entirely of khaki. The Civic has an aggressive look diverging from the standard looks of the regular Civic. It’s an impressive change. Giant spoilers have been going out of style for a while, but the Type R has itself a big ol’ piece back there. The thing is… it looks good! The angles and the shape of both the front and the rear ends are distinctive and eye-catching. The interior is designed to follow that theme. It’s aggressive and eye-catching.
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Let’s talk price. If you’re looking at a WRX or a Golf R then you are probably looking at a $3,000 to $4,000 price jump from the $35,000 you will have to part with the get the Type R. It’s not a significant savings and the jump gets you all wheel drive. In the end, it’s not likely the Civic Type R is going to become the dominant force. It’s a fun car in virtually every way. But it does lack a dash of refinement. Honda has a legion of fans and civic nation is going to step up for the Type R. However it’s not going to destroy the competition. It’s definitely going to take some chunks out of it though.
