Item: Honda Civic Type R
Rating: 5
Author: What Car? Team

We reckon that the 124bhp 1.0 VTEC Turbo petrol engine is all you really need. It delivers perfectly acceptable acceleration for town or motorway driving (officially the 0-62mph dash is ticked off in a reasonable 10.5sec) and it's just as perky as its chief rivals, like the Seat Leon and Skoda Octavia 1.0 TSI 110.  

1.0 VTEC Turbo 126

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

SR trim is our pick, because it's still a reasonable price and adds a better infotainment package with two USB ports, sat-nav, a 7.0in touchscreen and Apple CarPlay/ Android Auto, plus front and rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera, 17in alloys, dual-zone climate control, auto wipers, power-folding door mirrors, privacy glass, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear lever, a rear centre armrest and driver's seat lumbar adjustment.

1.0 VTEC Turbo 126 SR 5dr

10-vtec-turbo-126-sr-5dr

Abarth 595

Audi RS3

Audi S3

BMW M135i

Cupra Leon

Ford Fiesta ST

Ford Focus ST

Honda Civic Type R

Hyundai i20N

Hyundai i30N

Mercedes A35 AMG

Mercedes AMG A45

Peugeot 308 GTi

Renault Megane RS

Skoda Octavia vRS

Suzuki Swift Sport

Toyota GR Yaris

Vauxhall Corsa VXR

Volkswagen Golf GTD

Volkswagen Golf GTI

Volkswagen Golf R

Volkswagen Polo GTI

Volkswagen Up GTI

<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

Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

The Honda Civic Type R is a pricier cash buy than the Ford Focus ST and Toyota GR Yaris. The starting price is roughly the same as the Volkswagen Golf GTI’s and it tops out at similar money to the BMW M135i and Mercedes A35 AMG. It’s a better drive than all bar the GR Yaris, though, so justifies its price to an extent. 

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/personal-contract-purchase-pcp-explained-car-finance-guide/n19714">PCP finance</a> deals are usually competitive, in part because the Type R has residuals to rival the more 'premium' Golf GTI.&nbsp;The limited production numbers for the GR Yaris make its resales values even stronger and its PCP finance is cheaper still. 

Don’t dive into Type R ownership expecting run-of-the-mill hatchback running costs. Clearly, a 2.0-litre engine that pumps out 300bhp-plus isn’t going to be parsimonious on fuel. It’s not shockingly juicy, though, because in our real-world <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/truempg/mpg-calculator">True MPG test</a> it averaged a very respectable 35.1mpg. That’s much better than you can expect from the Focus ST.

If you like to budget well ahead, a competitively priced five-year service plan is available. Then there's Honda’s famed reliability, which stood up to reasonable scrutiny in the 2021 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/class/reliability">What Car? Reliability Survey</a>, in which the Japanese brand finished impressively high up the list of 31 manufacturers. There’s also the reassurance of Honda’s three-year/90,000-mile manufacturer warranty.

The standard Type R comes with 20in alloy wheels, single-zone climate control, ambient lighting, privacy glass, adaptive cruise control and keyless entry. You also get lots of safety technology, including automatic emergency braking <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-aeb-and-how-does-it-work/n3283">(AEB)</a>, traffic sign recognition, lane departure warning and automatic high beam assistance.

We'd recommend upgrading to Sport Line or GT trim if you can. You'll add blind-spot monitoring and cross-traffic alert on the safety front, plus two-zone climate control, power-folding door mirrors and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror. These trims also add the parking sensors (front and rear), better stereo and sat-nav that we mentioned before.

When it was crash tested by <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-safest-cars-on-sale-today/n22781">Euro NCAP</a> in 2017, the Civic scored the full five stars overall. Yet looking into the individual category scores, both adult and child protection were deemed to be a fair way behind most of its rivals, including the A35 AMG and Golf GTI. 

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If its looks haven’t persuaded you, be in no doubt that the Honda Civic Type R&nbsp;is a car seriously intent on the pursuit of speed. Sure, its performance off the line (0-62mph takes 5.8sec) isn’t a match for its more tractable, four-wheel-drive rivals like the Mercedes-AMG A35 and Toyota GR Yaris. But the front-wheel-drive Type R feels nothing short of blisteringly rapid once it’s up and running, accelerating through the gears noticeably faster than rivals such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/focus/hatchback/review/n141">Ford Focus ST</a>&nbsp;,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/renault/megane-rs/hatchback/review/n17168">Renault Megane RS</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/golf-gti/hatchback/review/n149">VW Golf GTI</a>.&nbsp;

And the Type R’s 2.0-litre 316bhp engine just loves to rev, zinging around to 7000rpm with well-oiled fluidity. Plus, there’s plenty of useful grunt available at lower revs, so it’ll pull handsomely from 50mph in sixth but, equally, you’ll discover real pleasure flicking from gear to gear. Its super-slick, six-speed gearbox has one of the nicest manual shifts of any car on sale today.

When you need to shed momentum, the brakes play their part. Firstly, the stopping power is impressive and, secondly, the middle pedal has the confidence-inspiring firmness to match.

The Type R's exhaust note&nbsp;isn’t as elaborate as some hot hatchbacks that pop and fizz all the while. It’s an honest noise, though, largely unembellished by the fake, digitally generated aural overlays of many of its competitors. And the noises it does make, like the turbo whoosh when accelerating that’s slightly reminiscent of a Boeing 747 throttling up for take-off, leave you in no doubt about the power it’s producing.

One of the biggest thrills of a Type R experience is the car’s cornering prowess. This is, quite simply, one of the best-balanced and grippiest of any hot hatch you can buy. And despite lacking four-wheel drive, it can pretty much match the corning speed of the GR Yaris and, around a track, it demolishes the lap times of rivals like the Focus ST and Golf GTI. 

Part of the reason behind this is the Type R’s limited-slip differential (LSD). It does a fantastic job of distributing power to whichever wheel can cope with it best, dragging you out of turns with hugely impressive speed and stability. Some rivals with LSDs can be too aggressive. The Megane RS, for example, jinks left and right under power, making it hard to stick to your chosen line, but that’s not the case in the Type R. 

The steering is also impossible to fault for accuracy. The only slight niggle is it’s rather heavy when you’ve got the driving mode in Sport or +R. That’s not a problem on a track, but it can get a little tiring for everyday driving. Ultimately, the lighter weighting in the Comfort drive mode is best for the road, so it's a shame you cannot mix and match the various settings for engine response, steering weight and the adaptive suspension’s stiffness.&nbsp;

You see, Sport mode produces the best suspension damping for a typical B-road blast, blending bump absorption and body control brilliantly. In the slacker Comfort mode, there’s a touch more body lean, which the most aggressive +R mode irons out to the extreme, yet then it’s a bit too firm for anything other than the smoothest road. +R is best left for attacking Silverstone on a track day, which, by the way, is something that’s well worth experiencing in such a rewarding and finely honed car.

But Comfort mode makes the Type R a surprisingly cushy-riding car. It evens out lumps and ruts as effectively as many regular family hatchbacks will, and there are few hot hatchbacks, other than the Golf GTI, that ride as well. Even Sport mode is nowhere near as punishing on your spine as the ever-agitated Megane RS.

Mind you, there are quieter cruisers. The Type R's engine never shuts up fully at 70mph, whereas the Golf GTI’s is relatively hushed. There’s also wind noise and quite a degree of road noise, the latter being quite poor compared with the Golf. If you’re worried about that, then go for the less extreme Sport Line version. It has slightly smaller tyres that lessen the rumble a little.

OUR PICK

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

This 2.0 VTEC engine is exclusively for the hot Civic Type R. While 316bhp is not class-leading, and neither is its 0-62mph sprint of 5.8sec, don’t for a second think that the Type R is a slouch. Once it's into its stride the performance is mighty, it's just that, being front-wheel drive, it’s a tad slower off the mark than its four-wheel-drive rivals. The six-speed manual gearbox is blessed with one of the sweetest changes going. It'll also average over 35mpg in the real world. 

http://example.com

2.0 VTEC Turbo

20-vtec-turbo

It's not shy or retiring, is it? But then fantastical bumpers curved at odd angles, steroidal wheel-arch extensions and (if you wish)&nbsp;a tea-tray spoiler fit for the Mad Hatter are what the Honda Civic Type R is all about.

Yet Honda is absolutely clear – none of this is mere costume jewellery. Every twisty-turny protuberance, it says, adds some of that Formula One stardust: aerodynamic downforce. Which is good&nbsp;when you have a 316bhp turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine that's capable of punching you through the air at up to 169mph.

The Japanese manufacturer&nbsp;is aware, though, that the Type R’s boy-racer styling can be a bit of a turn-off for less extroverted buyers, so the&nbsp;Sport Line model is (slightly) more understated. With a low-deck rear spoiler instead of the standard high-level rear wing, smaller 19in wheels and a subtler black interior, it's "designed to appeal to customers who want a stealthier look," says <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/honda">Honda</a>.

Rivals of this pumped-up version of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/honda/civic/hatchback/review/n82">Honda Civic</a>&nbsp;include the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/renault/megane-rs/hatchback/review/n17168">Renault Megane RS</a>. It's less powerful, but with four-wheel steering and some other&nbsp;clever tricks up its sleeve, the Megane is a must-consider&nbsp;alternative.

Then there's the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/focus/hatchback/review/n141">Ford Focus ST</a>, which undercuts the Type R on price. As does the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/gr-yaris/hatchback/review/n22315">Toyota GR Yaris</a>, which is a four-wheel-drive, rally-bred monster of a car. Or, for just a few thousand pounds more, you could have a premium badge on the nose of your <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-hot-hatches-2021/n17005">hot hatch</a> with the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/1-series/hatchback/review/n20208">BMW M135i</a>&nbsp;or <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/a-class/hatchback/review/n18801">Mercedes-AMG A35</a>.

So, in terms of speed, handling and everyday usability, where exactly does the Honda Civic Type R sit in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/hot-hatch">hot hatch</a>&nbsp;pecking order? Read on through this review and we’ll tell you all you need to know – including how well it handles and what the running costs are like.

Whichever car you end up choosing, make sure you check out the free <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">What Car?&nbsp;New Car Buying service</a> to find how much you could save on the brochure price without any awkward haggling. It's a good place to finds loads of <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals/make/honda">new Honda deals</a>.

Like the&nbsp;standard <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/honda/civic/hatchback/review/n82">Honda Civic</a>, the Type R has a&nbsp;low-slung driving position (lower and sportier than the Toyota GR Yaris’s) and a gearlever that’s set relatively high up. It all suits this high-performance version perfectly, especially when you add in a set of figure-hugging, bucket sports seats. With driver’s seat height adjustment and a steering wheel that moves in and out as well as up and down, you can get everything set up just so. 

It's easy to see out the front but, due to the huge rear spoiler, it's not&nbsp;so easy to see behind you. That’s where the Sport Line trim comes to the rescue, which has a much smaller rear appendage. Mind you, the standard-fit reversing camera and the addition of front and rear parking sensors on the pricier Sport Liner and GT trim, make life easier. The LED headlights do a proper job of lighting the road at night, too.

The main dashboard layout is just fine, with user-friendly, physical air-con controls and all the major buttons grouped conveniently. The steering wheel buttons are a bit confusing, though, and it's a shame that the infotainment system is not up to snuff. It has a small, low-resolution 7.0in screen and slow response times, so it can be frustrating to use. That said, we prefer it to the system in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/golf-gti/hatchback/review/n149">VW Golf GTI</a>. Volkswagen’s&nbsp;system looks more modern but has even worse useability and bug-ridden software.

Thankfully, you can bypass Honda’s infotainment issues by using the standard fit&nbsp;Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone mirroring. It allows you to use your phone’s software and apps instead, including sat-nav apps like Google Maps or Waze. That’s a double bonus for the entry-level trim, which doesn’t have in-built sat-nav as standard. 

All versions have Bluetooth and a DAB radio, with a punchy,&nbsp;eight-speaker sound system on the cheapest model. Sport Line and GT trim add an 11-speaker stereo as well as wireless phone charging.

Unlike some of its rivals, the Type R is made to feel truly distinct from regular models in the Civic range. That’s thanks to its racy, Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel, red Alcantara-trimmed seats (they’re black in the Sport Line trim), red dashboard inlays and smatterings of faux carbon fibre highlights throughout. 

And the underlying quality is there because it feels solidly made in the main. In terms of tactility, it isn't up to <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/1-series/hatchback/review/n20208">BMW M135i</a> standards of material finish, but the Type R’s at least as good inside as the GR Yaris and better than the Ford Focus and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/renault/megane-rs/hatchback/review/n17168">Renault Megane RS</a>.

The entry-level Type R is well equipped, with single-zone climate control, four electric windows, a DAB radio, a rear parking camera, automatic headlights and wipers, keyless entry, adaptive cruise control, adaptive suspension, privacy glass, 20in alloy wheels, traffic sign recognition and a 7.0in touchscreen with Apple CarPlay/ Android Auto.

Type R

Awesome performance and brilliant handling. One of the world's greatest&nbsp;hot hatches.

You’d have to be Hagrid to feel cramped in the front – head and leg room are both excellent. What’s more, there’s plenty of storage space, including the usual allocation of cupholders and a good-sized glovebox for your racing mitts.

Move to the back and you'll find much more leg room than there is in a lot of the competition, from the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/renault/megane-rs/hatchback/review/n17168">Renault Megane RS</a> to the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/1-series/hatchback/review/n20208">BMW M135i</a>. And it’s vastly better for rear-seat space than the very cramped Toyota GR Yaris. As far as rear head room is concerned, the Type R is acceptable&nbsp;in the back but the sloping roofline means it’s not amazing. Two six-footers should be perfectly fine, but the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/focus/hatchback/review/n141">Ford Focus ST</a> is better.

Topping off a very practical package is its boot. This is massive by class standards and will easily swallow life’s mundane paraphernalia,&nbsp;such as pushchairs, shopping or up to seven carry-on&nbsp;suitcases (below the tonneau cover) when it’s time for the family holiday. The Golf GTI can carry five cases, while the GR Yaris’s painfully small boot manages just three. 

When extra room is needed, you can fold down the Type R’s 60/40 split-folding rear seats, which lie completely flat.

type-r

The Honda Civic Type R offers awesome performance and supreme handling. In fact, it is right up there with the very best hot hatches on sale, including the equally brilliant Toyota GR Yaris, and feels just at home on the track as it does on the road. That's not something that can be said of its less dynamically accomplished rivals, like the Ford Focus ST and Volkswagen Golf GTI. Yet the Type R is also a practical and comfortable everyday car, which is why it's such a consummate all-round package. 

Honda Civic Type R review

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Read review covering Honda Civic Type R boot space, size and dimensions, front and rear seat comfort by the expert What Car? test team.

You’d have to be Hagrid to feel cramped in the front – head and leg room are both excellent. What’s more, there’s plenty of storage space, including the usual allocation of cupholders and a good-sized glovebox for your racing mitts.,Move to the back and you'll find much more leg room than there is in a lot of the competition, from the Renault Megane RS to the BMW M135i. And it’s vastly better for rear-seat space than the very cramped Toyota GR Yaris. As far as rear head room is concerned, the Type R is acceptable in the back but the sloping roofline means it’s not amazing. Two six-footers should be perfectly fine, but the Ford Focus ST is better.,Topping off a very practical package is its boot. This is massive by class standards and will easily swallow life’s mundane paraphernalia, such as pushchairs, shopping or up to seven carry-on suitcases (below the tonneau cover) when it’s time for the family holiday. The Golf GTI can carry five cases, while the GR Yaris’s painfully small boot manages just three. ,When extra room is needed, you can fold down the Type R’s 60/40 split-folding rear seats, which lie completely flat.

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