Honda Civic Type R (2017 – 2021) Review

The Honda Civic Type R is an apex predator in the hot hatch class. It may do without the four-wheel drive that is common among its rivals, but that doesn’t stop it eating most of the competition for breakfast. As well as boasting performance figures that could embarrass much pricier competition, the Honda is also a practical family proposition thanks to its slightly more supple ride than its predecessor. 

Hot hatches have never been as powerful or wild as they are now, and the Honda Civic Type R is one of the wildest of the lot. That’s not just because it has a giant spoiler and angular styling, it also has a massive 320PS on tap and a huge 400Nm of torque, delivering exhilarating performance that ends in a 168mph top speed – in a Civic hatchback. We told you these are wild times.

That sort of power also results in a 0-62mph time of just 5.8 seconds and while those aggressive looks do turn heads, they're not just for show. The spoilers, vortex generators and various other pointy addenda are designed to provide downforce and stabilisation at high speeds. All of that is there to push the car into the ground to improve road holding and handling balance.

The result of all the aerodynamic honing, performance and tuning is the front-wheel drive lap record for the Nürburgring that’s reckoned to be the toughest race track test of all in the world, in case you care. So, it has proven handling prowess and it shows on the road with precise steering and huge grip levels through corners.

Yet it’s fine day-to-day, too. This is not something the latest Type R’s immediate predecessor could claim as its ride was bordering on self-inflicted torture it was so stiff.

There’s a comfort driving mode with this fifth-generation model that provides decent ride quality and reasonably light steering, so town driving isn’t a chore, while the purposeful exhaust note doesn’t sound too loud if all you want to do is get home in peace and time for tea. The only fly in the ointment is a heavy clutch that’s hard work in traffic.

If comfort's what you're after, a Sport Line model was added to the range when the Civic Type R was updated in 2020. With smaller (19-inch) alloy wheels and extra sound deadening, this will appeal to anyone who thinks the normal Type R is a little too hardcore for day-to-day use. Even with a smaller rear spoiler, it's still fairly in-your-face to look at, though.

Whichever Type R you go for, boot space is the same as the regular hatchback’s, so there’s room for all your family gear including pushchairs and shopping, while the back row is spacious enough for adults to sit in reasonable comfort.

The front bucket seats do have hard side bolsters though, so some people might find them uncomfortable or hard to get out of, but anyone used to the previous model will already be used to this and have thighs like a body builders to cope with levering themselves up and over these tank traps side cushions.

None of this takes away from the essential appeal of the Civic Type R. It now ploughs a lonely furrow at this top end of the sector where its key rivals have all adopted four-wheel drive to deal with this sort of power. It makes the Civic demanding to drive fast, but that is a key part of its DNA. Too easy and it wouldn’t be so rewarding.

The Type R has great performance and handling too, and yet it’s a car that isn’t too tricky to live with on a daily basis. This is exactly what a hot hatch should be: an everyday performance car. 

There are three drive modes in the Honda Civic Type R, comprising comfort, sport and +R. In most cases, comfort is all you will need. Sport mode is ideal for a spirited on-road drive, while +R mode is really best-reserved for track days, since it makes the standard-fit adaptive dampers so hard that almost any imperfection or crack in the road surface is sent thumping into the cabin.

The Type R comes with a limited-slip differential that stops the steering becoming too wayward. That said, the wheel will occasionally squirm a little when accelerating, which is not a problem in the all-wheel drive Mercedes-AMG A35.

When you’re not enjoying your very favourite road, the Civic Type R is more manageable than its predecessor. The exhaust drones less, the suspension is comfier and it’s just that little bit less hardcore.

The Honda Civic Type R uses the same 2.0-litre turbocharged VTEC engine from the previous model, but with power upped to 320PS. That’s 10PS more than before and the Type R’s motor enjoys plenty of low- and mid-rev shove anyway.

Peak torque is the same as before at a colossal 400Nm, available from 2500 up to 4500rpm. It results in acceleration from 0-62mph in 5.7 seconds, which is plenty quick against the stopwatch. Yet it’s on the move that the engine shines, with performance on tap almost regardless of the gear you’re in. If you do need to change down then the auto-rev match system means you can do so smoothly through the six-speed manual gearbox.

Every Type R comes with Forward Collision Warning and Collision Mitigation Braking, Lane Keeping Assist and Lane Departure Warning, as well as Road Departure Warning. This is backed up by Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control, as well as Intelligent Speed Assistance and Traffic Sign Recognition. Choose the GT model and Honda adds its Blind Spot Information system and Cross Traffic Monitor.

Every Type R has twin front, side and curtain airbags, Isofix child seat mounts, as well as Vehicle Stability Assist traction. All of this helps the Civic to a five-star rating in Euro NCAP tests.

The driving position is low enough to make you feel inside and part of the car rather than hovering in space above the controls. There’s also seat height and two-way steering wheel adjustment to further tailor the driving position.

A caveat here, however, is no matter how much better the driving position, vision in the rear-view mirror is still woeful due to the split screen design of the back window. You’ll also find the front seats remain tricky to get in and out of due to their side bolsters built like rock faces.

Adults will find there is more than enough room in the back for their legs and shoulders so long as you restrict it to two people. As for the boot, 492-litres should be sufficient for most needs.

The Civic Type R may be one of the most powerful and punchy hot hatches you can drive off in today, but it’s still a Honda. That means you are perfectly entitled to expect flawless build quality, and that’s just what you get with this car.

While the doors open with a lighter tug than you might reckon on, it’s all part of the Honda approach to making you understand this is a car pared down of any excess. It achieves its aims through engineering is the message the Big H wants to imprint on your mind.

With that in mind, don't go expecting soft-touch materials and touchy-feely fabrics. You might find them in a Volkswagen Golf R or Mercedes-AMG A 35, but the Honda Civic Type R puts substance over style. It might put a smile on your face after a stressful day in the office, but you're not going to relax into the seat on the way home.

Finally, Honda has managed to integrate an infotainment screen into the Civic’s dash that doesn’t look like an after-thought. The only downside is the Type R’s Honda Connect system is one of the least engaging systems of any hatch.

The seven-inch screen looks okay at first glance, but the resolution of the display is not as sharp as in, for instance, a Ford Focus ST. It’s also slow to respond to your inputs and the way the menus are arranged all seem a bit behind the curve compared to what’s on offer in the Type R’s rivals. In a hot hatch at this price point, that’s hard to forgive.

The standard Civic Type R doesn't feature navigation, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard and, quite frankly, Google Maps mirrored from your phone is a much better option than Honda's own sat-nav system.

If you do want in-built nav, the Civic Type R Sport Line and GT models feature it as standard.

Most buyers opt for the GT model that adds £2000 to the final tally you pay, though anyone funding this car with their own cash will see that extra cost rewarded with commensurately higher residual values.

Honda provides its own finance packages for both private and business users and makes regular offers with the Type R.

As an example, a personal contract plan with a 10,000-mile per annum limit over three years and with a £7500 customer deposit will come with a monthly payment of £375. Choose hire purchase from Honda instead with the same deposit and over three years, then the monthly payments will be £791 but you own the car at the end of the deal.

Jump to nearly new and pre-registered examples of the Type R and you can find a GT model with delivery miles only for £29,500. That’s a saving of £4800 over the list price of you’re prepared to be the second owner’s name in the logbook. For that kind of discount, we’d be more than happy to take this deal.

If you buy through Honda’s own approved used scheme, all cars under this banner come with a 12-month Hondacare warranty and a year’s roadside breakdown assistance. You also get a 30-day, 1000-mile exchange policy should any problems arise. That shouldn’t be an issue as all approved used Hondas are inspected pre-sale and come with an assured history and warranted mileage.

A three-year old Honda Civic Type R could be yours from £24,500 in superb condition. A car at this price will have covered around 20,000 miles and may just have some of its original warranty left to run. Most will be GT specification models as this is what new buyers preferred by a considerable margin.

Power comes with a price and in the case of the Honda Civic Type R that is its fuel economy. The official combined consumption figure is 33.2mpg under WLTP test conditions, which is exactly the same as the Mercedes-AMG A35 4Matic hatch.

Real MPG economy numbers show the Civic Type R should give a day to day economy of 37.7mpg, which is welcome news. It also means you should see around 360 miles from a full tank without the risk of running dry.

Every version of the current Honda Civic Type R sits in group 40 for insurance. So, your premium should be the same whether you choose the standard version or the GT, or either of these models with the £525 optional Premium Paint added.

This is a jump up from the previous Type R’s insurance ranking and puts the Honda three groups higher than the Mercedes-AMG A35.

With combined carbon dioxide emissions of 192g/km under the latest WLTP testing conditions, the Honda Civic Type R will cost you £1305 for the first year’s Vehicle Excise Duty. After that, it drops to a more affordable £150 per annum for road tax

The Honda Civic Type R comes with 20-inch alloy wheels, triple exhaust pipes, adaptive dampers, and LED headlights with auto-on and auto-dip functions.

You also get adaptive cruise control, keyless entry and start, Honda Connect infotainment touchscreen system, Bluetooth, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, DAB radio and a reversing camera. On top of that, the Type R has sports front seats, climate control, alloy gear lever, and a serial number plaque.

Take the GT model and it adds wireless phone charging, front and rear parking sensors, Honda Connect with navigation, dual-zone climate control, blind spot monitor and rear cross traffic alert.

You can pay £525 for Premium Paint, while a £3535 Carbon Exterior Pack has door mirror caps, rear spoiler and diffuser under the back bumper. A Red Illumination Pack is £860. For the cabin, there’s a Carbon Interior Pack at £1980 with carbon fibre inserts for the dash, door and sill trims.