Mike Humble spends a week with the Honda Civic Type-R.
We take a look at new cars you can still buy that bring a smile to your face – and looking to the future, make sense to the DIY savvy motorist who wants nothing more than an internal combustion engine.
When it comes to hot hatchbacks, many try to muscle in on the act while one or two just simply deser ve the much-overused moniker of ‘legend’. To use the term legend (no pun intended) Honda not only built a luxur y saloon of the same title, but for many years their Type R Civic has gone through a number of evolutions since the first model was launched onto an unsuspecting public in EK9 form in 1997. Now in its sixth generation that was introduced in 2022, the Civic Type R (FL5) represents the latest technology Honda has to offer with a pleasingly watered down styling over the previous FK8 version. Still powered by a transverse 2.0 Turbo VTEC engine through a limited slip differential 6-speed gearbox, a few technical tweaks have not only improved efficiency and emissions, but also outright power and torque as well.
A redesigned turbo with smaller compressor housing and revised turbine blades along with a reworked and straighter exhaust system have boosted outright power from an already useful 306 to a heady 330bhp. Other vehicular revisions include extra weight saving via an aluminium bonnet and redesigned suspension. Despite the outgoing and current model having no too dissimilar styling at a passing glance, these are two very different vehicles in almost every area. There’s also a very strong accent on technology too with virtual instruments, a changeable driving style programme, lap-timer, G-force display and an on-board computer that goes so in-depth you almost are in disbelief at the available live data you can summon.
Stats such as air intake temperature, turbo boost status, oil pressure and temperature can be called up on the 10.9in central screen. You can even change the style and display on the main instrument dials from traditional circular items to sliding graphs and digital numerical readouts. All of this may sound a bit overkill, but in practice, and once accustomed to, it’s all rather impressive. Rib-hugging red suede bucket seats, a suede rimmed chunky steering wheel, bespoke racing pedals and a gearshift lever turned from a billet of solid aluminium round off what is a bloody good driving position. Bells and whistles such as dual zone climate, adaptive cruise, sat-nav, rear pri
