Item: Used Honda Civic Type R 2017-present
Rating: 5
Author: What Car? Team

The most obvious rival to the Civic Type R is the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/golf/hatchback/review/n17162">Volkswagen Golf R</a>. It’s slightly down on power, but can also boast four-wheel drive, so it has more traction and is easier to drive in tricky conditions. That said, it doesn’t quite have the fluidity or the involvement of the Civic Type R.

A more interesting option if you want four-wheel drive is the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/focus-rs/hatchback/review/n17148">Ford Focus RS</a>. Its rear-biased chassis makes it more exciting to drive than the Golf R and it’ll even allow you to set up lurid four-wheel drifts – obviously, that's best practised away from the public road. It’s also devilishly quick, but it is spoiled by a high driving position and a plasticky interior.

For something a little classier, how about the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/m135i/hatchback/used-review/n17884">BMW M135i</a> or its successor, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/1-series/hatchback/review/n17153">M140i</a>? Both cars are rear-driven, making them very playful to drive, and with their creamy-smooth six-cylinder engines they pack a huge punch. A smart interior and subtle styling mean they’re less overt than the Civic Type R, too.

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What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

<h3>Side airbag</h3>

The side airbags fitted to the front seats of a small number of Civics may not deploy as they should in a collision and therefore put occupants at risk of injury. Most will have been sorted by now, but it's worth checking this if you own a car built between 12 April and 13 September&nbsp;2017.

Our reliability data focuses on the Civic as a whole, but if that’s anything to go by, the signs are good. In our latest reliability survey, the Civic came 15th out of 24 cars in the family car class, which isn't bad by any means. Honda as a whole has a sterling reputation for reliability, too, so there should be little to fear. In our latest survey, Honda as a brand actually finished in 8th place out of 31 manufacturers, which is&nbsp;a very decent result.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2019-what-car-reliability-survey/n20042">If you want to read more of our What Car? reliability survey results, click here.</a>

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Hatchback

Honda is a company that doesn’t like to follow the crowd. So, while it competes in most of the traditional sectors of the car market, in each case it does something a little bit different.

The Jazz, for example, might look like just another rival to Britain’s best-selling car, the Ford Fiesta, but it’s actually much more practical than its rivals, with a flexible boot and Tardis-like interior.

The bigger Civic is also a practical choice, but it’s mainly distinguished by having eye-catching, love-it-or-hate-it styling, despite competing in a sector of the market that’s usually more conservative than a blue rosette.

And while it may not seem so radical now, Honda’s large SUV, the CR-V, was one of the first to forego any pretence of being an off-roader and instead focus on on-road driving dynamics.

HONDA

CIVIC TYPE R

An absolute blast of a hot hatch, yet one that’s also practical and easy to live with. And the Civic Type R's reliability record suggests it'll remain that way for years to come

Used Honda Civic Type R 2017-present

MPG

Hot hatches are by their very nature more expensive to run than their more docile stablemates, and by these standards the Civic Type R’s no more expensive, with fuel consumption figures, as measured under the older official NEDC tests, roughly on a par with its rivals. It’s also pleasing to note that, out in the real world, the Civic Type R actually gets remarkably close to matching those figures – a rare feat in this day and age. In our True MPG test it managed a remarkably good 35.1mpg, which is actually better than its latest official WLTP figure of 33.2mpg.&nbsp;

<h3>Car tax</h3>

All Civic Type Rs will have been registered after 1 April 2017 and are subject to&nbsp;the current £155 per year for petrol cars. Just make sure you don’t run the risk of paying the higher-rate tax band if a car that had many options added when new sneaked&nbsp;over the £40,000 list price threshold. At this point you'll pay a supplementary luxury car tax until the car is more than six years old.&nbsp;To find out more about the current <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/car-tax-changes-in-2021-what-do-i-need-to-know/n1153">road tax costs, click here</a>.&nbsp;

<h3>Servicing</h3>

Servicing is required every 12,500 miles or 12 months, and while costs aren’t the cheapest around, neither are they the most expensive. And if you buy a Civic Type R that’s less than eight months old and with less than 8000 miles on the clock, Honda will let you purchase a pre-paid service plan for the following five services.&nbsp;

If you pay for them individually for the initial three years, the first will be £260; the second £330 and the third £310. After that, you can choose between a Honda 12 service at £200 or a Honda 12+ (includes air filter, pollen filter and brake fluid change) for £310. Note, though, that there's&nbsp;an additional £105 for engine valve clearance checking and adjustment applicable to&nbsp;the second, third, Honda 12 and Honda 12+ services.

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An absolute blast of a hot hatch, yet one that’s also practical and easy to live with. And the Civic Type R's reliability record suggests it'll remain that way for years to come

The Civic Type R is a bit of a stunner to look at and to drive so you’ll need to fork out around £25,000 to get yourself behind the wheel of a 2017/2018 model&nbsp;with low to average mileage. Searching for cars&nbsp;£30,000 and above is where you'll find 2019 examples, while&nbsp;anywhere upwards of £34,000 should show you&nbsp;2020 cars.&nbsp;

Check the value of a used Honda Civic Type R&nbsp;with <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/car-valuation/">What Car? Valuations</a>

There’s just the one engine and only three models to choose from. Of those, we’d go for the GT. Not only does it come with a useful amount of equipment, but almost all the Civic Type Rs for sale on the used market are GT cars, so it’s much easier to find, and prices are barely any higher than for the standard car.&nbsp;

Our favourite Honda Civic Type R GT

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Engaging handling </li> <li>Thrilling performance </li> <li>A characterful engine with an enticing soundtrack </li> <li>Reasonable running costs </li> <li>Not hard to live with day to day</li></ul>

A popular choice with UK buyers since the days of the original Volkswagen Golf GTI, the hot hatchback mixes everyday practicality with higher performance and the sort of handling and agility that’s ideally suited to British roads. A good hot hatch should be fun and, since it’s likely to be your daily drive, it should also deliver respectable running costs.

The Golf GTI remains one of the best hot hatches on the market, along with its main competitor,&nbsp;the&nbsp;equally as responsive and cheaper to buy Hyundai i30 N. But there are some terrific options for even less money than both of these cars. We're big fans of the Ford Fiesta ST, which is definitely one of the best hot hatches ever and certainly one of the most fun to drive. It's full of character and its engaging handling makes it a bit of a hoot at all speeds.&nbsp;

If you’ve got a bit more money to spare, there are even faster cars available, such as the Honda Civic Type R. This latest version is sublime to drive, either on road or on a track, as it's so sweetly balanced. It's also incredibly quick in a straight line&nbsp;and round a corner, and yet it's as practical as a regular Civic.&nbsp;

Hot hatch

These are cars that are built to be thrashed, so it’s no problem if it has been, but look for signs of careful ownership – such as an owner who allows the car to warm up before using full throttle.

<h3>Gearbox issues</h3>

Some owners have reported issues with the gearbox graunching when changing between first and second gears. Honda maintains that there isn’t an issue, but it’s still worth checking; and it might be worth avoiding any car exhibiting this symptom, just in case it’s a sign of bigger problems down the line.

<h3>Bodywork damage</h3>

Those low bumpers and skirts are easy to damage on low kerbs, so check them carefully for splits and scrapes. And check, too, that the huge rear spoiler hasn’t been damaged by a garage or car park roof; look for scrapes along the top corners and edges.

Always look for evidence of meticulous maintenance, too – stamps in the book are a good sign, but a stack of invoices to go with them is even better.

Chances are you’ll already know what you think about this version of the&nbsp;Honda Civic Type R. It’s not the kind of car you can sit on the fence about – not at least as far as its styling is concerned.

But beneath those wild looks, the Civic Type R has more than enough bite to match its bark. It’s powered by a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine kicking out 316bhp – a figure that would have been unimaginable in a hot hatches of the past, yet one that today pitches the Civic Type R against cars such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/focus-rs/hatchback/review/n17148">Ford Focus RS</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/golf/hatchback/review/n17162">Volkswagen Golf R</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/1-series/hatchback/review/n17153">BMW M140i</a>.

There are two versions on offer. The standard car is pretty well equipped, with adaptive suspension, climate control, LED headlights and a 7.0in touchscreen; however, most of the Civic Type Rs you’ll find for sale in the classifieds are the more generously equipped GT version, with its dual-zone climate control, front and rear parking sensors and upgraded stereo.

For those wanting a slightly more subtle Type R, the Sport Line trim&nbsp;is also present on the used market – all are 2021 cars. It gets a smaller rear wing, less red detailing and&nbsp;more sound deadening. It's less mad and exciting than the regular Type R, but is easier to live with day-to-day.&nbsp;

As you might expect from a car with this much power, the Civic Type R has the sort of grunt you might more readily associate with a full-blown sports car. Put your foot down and the muscle is both immediate and immense, yet the car doesn’t give up its charms early. Hold it in gear and it’ll charge on into the upper reaches of the rev range, before you snick sweetly through the gearbox for the next ratio and repeat the whole joyous process.

There’s a terrific engine note, too, that ranges from a warm throb at lower revs to a racer-esque warble at the top end, and it's delightfully free of the sort of overblown crackles you’ll find on some other hot hatches.

But the Civic Type R isn’t just terrific in a straight line. It gobbles down each corner you throw at it, using the terrific traction bestowed on it by its limited-slip differential to chomp its way through the apex and hurl you out of the other side. But while there’s some faint tugging through the steering – a corollary of running so much power through the front wheels – the steering’s feel and precision, and the chassis’ balance, also mean the car’s rabidity is combined with a poise that allows you to place it just where you want it. This allows you to dig into the Civic Type R's vast reserves of power and lean on its seemingly endless grip more and more with steadfast confidence, eventually flinging yourself round corners ferociously and clinging onto every rev on the way out, with an enormous grin writ large across your face.

Inside, the standard Civic’s interior has been jazzed up with flashes of red, making it feel very racy, but the most notable change is the pair of bucket front seats, upholstered in bright red fabric, that provide lots of support and comfort. Like all Civics, the Type R feels solidly built and snug, but the effect is spoiled by an infotainment system that’s slow, awkward to use and dated to look at.

The back seats are a plainer black colour, enlivened by red seatbelts, but they still offer plenty of room for children and adults alike, and more than you’ll find in most hot hatches. The boot, meanwhile, is one of the biggest in the class.

If you're interested in buying a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/honda/civic?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true">used Honda Civic</a>,&nbsp;or any of the other cars mentioned here, check out our used car classifieds&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">here.</a>&nbsp;

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Used Honda Civic Type R 2017-present review

Advice for buyers

What should I look for in a used Honda Civic Type R hatchback?

Gearbox issues