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Video: Honda Civic Type R
Rory puts the new Honda Civic Type R through its paces against its fiercest rival … the previous Honda Civic Type R
Words by: Dan Trent
Published on 21 February 2023 | 0 min read
If the days of the hot hatch as we know it are coming to an end it’s good to know the genre is going out with a bang. And none bigger than that being made by the new Honda Civic Type R.
The latest in a long and distinguished line of hot Civics, the latest Type R may have toned down the wild looks of the last one somewhat but, under the skin, its blood runs as red as trim on the seats and that special Honda badge. With a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine putting out 329 horsepower the Type R is among the most powerful of its kind, the power going to the front wheels via a slick-shifting manual gearbox, limited-slip differential and specially designed front suspension to cope with the extra power over the regular Civic on which it is based.
The latest in a long and distinguished line of hot Civics, the latest Type R may have toned down the wild looks of the last one somewhat but, under the skin, its blood runs as red as trim on the seats and that special Honda badge. With a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine putting out 329 horsepower the Type R is among the most powerful of its kind, the power going to the front wheels via a slick-shifting manual gearbox, limited-slip differential and specially designed front suspension to cope with the extra power over the regular Civic on which it is based.
Against rivals like the VW Golf R with their all-wheel drive and slick-shifting automatic gearboxes this all sounds pretty old-school but, as Rory has been finding out, Honda’s policy of refining what went before has some spectacular results.
Speaking of what went before, though, is it actually much of an improvement over its predecessor? Given this was already considered a hot hatch high point that’s a big question. One Rory sets out to answer once and for all with a little help from Alexandra Legouix, an empty race track and two very fast Hondas. The results are … interesting. And you’ll have to watch the video to find out if the new Type R really is the improvement over the old one its hefty pricetag suggests it needs to be. If you enjoyed this video don’t forget to like, have your say in the comments and subscribe for more great content like this!
Speaking of what went before, though, is it actually much of an improvement over its predecessor? Given this was already considered a hot hatch high point that’s a big question. One Rory sets out to answer once and for all with a little help from Alexandra Legouix, an empty race track and two very fast Hondas. The results are … interesting. And you’ll have to watch the video to find out if the new Type R really is the improvement over the old one its hefty pricetag suggests it needs to be. If you enjoyed this video don’t forget to like, have your say in the comments and subscribe for more great content like this!
