The new Honda Civic Type R is modest and bold at the same time

Honda Civic Type R

It’s perhaps the most fun front-wheel-drive car you can get: the Civic Type R. The heavily peppery Civic has been on the market since 1997 and, since 2017, has only been available as a hatchback. There were rumors that the new model would get all-wheel drive, but that does not appear to be the case. The exact specifications are still being kept secret by the Japanese, but it is known that the familiar 2.0-liter K20 VTEC turbo engine sends power to the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission and mechanical limited slip differential. How powerful the new Type R is Honda won’t say yet, except that it is more powerful than its predecessor. In the outgoing model, the four-cylinder was good for 320 hp and 400 Nm.

Subdued

The new Type R is based on the eleventh-generation Civic, which makes it look less futuristic than its predecessor. The car seems more contemporary and less from the year 2080. Even the wheels are a little less in-your-face. The outgoing model’s 20-inch wheels give way to modest 19-inch ones. Not that the Type R doesn’t stand out, mind you. On the rear, another substantial spoiler flaunts and in the middle of the diffuser are striking three exhausts.

Interior

Inside the new Japanese bombshell on wheels, everything is different compared to its predecessor. The polished aluminum gearshift is the only thing we recognize from the previous Type R. Of course, you can get bright red upholstery again in the interior. From now on, the type plate which shows the production number of the car is not located behind the gear lever, but has been given a more prominent place just above the glove box.

2023

What is clear is that the Civic Type R will come to the US and Europe in 2023. In America, the Type R has only been on the market since 2017. So the new model is only the second generation to become available there. Whether it will come to the Netherlands remains to be seen, as it will probably become unaffordable due to our tax system.