Honda Civic Type R (2015 – 2017) Review

The Honda Civic Type R has always been the choice of hot hatch fans who enjoy a more focused and hard-edged sporting car than most in the sector. With the 2015 model, Honda took that to an even further extreme with a 310PS turbocharged 2.0-litre engine that sees the Civic from 0-62mph in 5.7 seconds and on to 167mph. That’s seriously fast for a car that can also take the kids to school, head to the supermarket and cruise on the motorway, albeit with a very firm ride. Therein lies the rub wit this car: it’s too singularly focused for many drivers.

The Civic Type R boasts 310PS, a top speed of 167mph, peak torque of 400Nm and a 0-62mph time of just 5.7 seconds.

Those numbers aren’t just for winning card games though – this is one of the most engaging, enjoyable and exciting cars on sale. That does come with a caveat though - it's far from cheap and possibly a little too hardcore for some.

Unlike old versions of the Civic Type R, the new model has a turbocharger, though Honda has still seen fit to install its VTEC variable valve timing system. The result is, frankly, a bit mad. The 0-62mph sprint figure doesn’t really do the Type R’s performance justice - on the road it picks up speed like a genuine sports car, rather than a beefed up family hatch.

It’s seriously exciting to drive. The steering is precise, sharp and well-weighted, the gear change is satisfyingly slick and there is a huge amount of front end grip. That is thanks, in part, to a mechanical limited-slip differential that does its very best to keep the car pointed the right way when accelerating out of bends.

The suspension is very firm though. In fact the whole driving experience feels extreme - the Type R is tough and uncompromising. The seats have hard bolsters that are great for holding you in place, but aren’t great for three hours on the motorway, while the clutch is heavy in traffic and the engine is loud.

The bodywork is hardly subtle either which will be either very appealing or massively off-putting. Still, under all those muscular plastic addenda there is a Civic, so there’s a big, usefully shaped boot and two wide-opening rear doors. The back seats are good for adults and it’s easy to fold them down to free up a bit more load space.

Officially the 2.0-litre petrol engine in Civic Type R is capable of 38.7mpg, with emissions of 170g/km. For most, those figures probably don’t matter compared to excitement and performance. A Volkswagen Golf R is similarly priced and easier to live with plus there's the Ford Focus RS, but for those who want a genuinely thrilling, exciting hot hatch, the Civic Type R is fantastic.

Unless you drive on marble all the time, the +R button is better left switched off since the suspension is already firm enough in normal mode, transmitting road imperfections into the cabin with a noticeable thud.

There is just enough compliance in the suspension to keep comfort levels acceptable for most roads. Even so, the Civic is one of the hardest-riding cars in its sector and makes a Golf GTI feel almost wallowy by comparison. Be in no doubt, Honda had track day fans in mind when it set up the Type R’s suspension.

Through corners the Type R feels composed and capable even at very high speeds, thanks in part to a limited-slip differential as standard. None of this can be felt by the driver as you turn into and through bends, so the car feels very intuitive to drive hard and fast.

The Civic Type R uses a 2.0-litre VTEC engine with a turbocharger attached. It hits the limiter at 7000rpm, but also has a wide spread of torque, with 400Nm available from as low as 2500rpm. That makes for on-road pace that puts some sports cars to shame and the Type R is a seriously quick machine.

The power delivery is intoxicating, with a surge of acceleration accompanied by a chirping turbo and a purposeful exhaust note. Gear changes are satisfying in the six-speed manual transmission that is the only option, plus there’s the theatre of the F1-style LED rev counter lights on the instrument binnacle

The 2015 Honda Civic Type R comes with twin front, side and curtain airbags, City-Brake Active, and a reversing camera. There’s also ESP traction and stability control, but to gain more safety equipment you need to move up to the GT model.

The GT gains all-round parking sensors, automatically dimming headlights and rain-sensing wipers. You also enjoy Adaptive Cruise Control, while Forward Collision Warning tells if there’s a hazard ahead. Also with the GT model comes Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Information assistance, Cross Traffic Monitor that lets you know of approaching vehicles from the side as you reverse, and Traffic Sign Recognition.

Another flaw with the driver’s seat is it doesn’t adjust low enough for taller drivers, so you can feel sat on the car rather than in it. Further adding to this woe is a steering wheel that, while it adjusts for reach and angle, doesn’t move far enough inwards for some drivers to get fully settled.

In the hind quarters and the Type R is easily one of the most generous in its class for this measurement. There’s also good headroom and decent space for shoulders for a pair of adults to lounge back here, while the boot is one of the biggest in the class.

The Civic Type R is a Honda, so it’s always going to enjoy a very solid quality of construction. That means all of the gaps between panels are even and tight, and there should be no rattles or squeaks to interrupt your time at the wheel.

However, there are a couple of areas where the Honda’s plastics feel more functional than fancy for a car of this price and ability. Also, the big bolsters on the front seats make it tricky to lever yourself in and out and, as a result, they can wear quite quickly on some cars depending on how they have been used.

The Honda Civic Type R’s 7-inch infotainment screen looks like something of an afterthought. There’s little effort made to integrate it into the car’s dash, but at least the screen is easy to read and its icons provide big targets for you to prod with a finger while driving.

It’s also simple to pair your smartphone with the Honda’s infotainment set-up thanks to standard Bluetooth. There are steering wheel controls to manage phone calls without taking your hands off the wheel, while DAB digital radio is included with both the standard and GT models of Type R.

As the fourth generation of Honda Civic Type R was only made for a very short two-year period, prices between the oldest and newest do not vary wildly. Seek out an early version and £17,000 is the going rate for one with around 30,000 miles under its wheels and fine fettle. You can add £2000 to that figure if you want the GT model. Even though it’s more common, the better equipped GT is also in more demand, so its values are shored up by this.

If you’d rather have as recent an example as possible, reckon on paying as much as £22,000 for a Type R with less than 20,000 miles on the clock from a franchised Honda dealer. Again, a GT model is the one to look for.

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.

Regardless of age, almost all used Civic Type Rs from this generation are GT models as most new buyers chose to go for this model and its higher equipment levels.

The official claimed combined economy for this Honda Civic Type R was 38.7mpg, which was recorded before the latest WLTP tests. If we look at Real MPG figures, this shows the Type R driver is more likely to expect combined consumption of 35.2mpg, which is very good for a car of this power and pace.

With a 50-litre fuel tank, the Civic Type R has a potential range of more than 350 miles on a fully brimmed tank.

Both the Honda Civic Type R and the better equipped GT model both sit in the same group 33 for insurance cover. That’s one group lower than a Volkswagen Golf R and several groups below a Ford Focus RS, so its premiums should be that bit more affordable.

Most Honda Civic Type Rs of this generation will have been registered before 31 March 2017. That means their 170g/km carbon dioxide emissions attracts an annual Vehicle Excise Duty payment of £240.

If you have an example registered from 1 April 2017, such as the late Black Edition versions, then you will pay 12 months’ road tax at the lower rate of £150.

The Honda Civic Type R comes with 19-inch alloy wheels, City-Brake Active System, and LED headlights and daytime running lights. You also get sports front seats with artificial suede fabric, alloy pedals and gear knob, shift indicator light, and adaptive dampers linked to +R mode button.

Comfort is taken care of by climate control, cruise control, electric windows, the 7-inch infotainment touchscreen, USB input, Bluetooth, DAB radio, and a reversing camera. Move to the GT, which most new buyers did, and you get forward collision warning, traffic sign recognition, lane departure warning, and blind spot warning.

You also have auto-dipping headlights, auto lights, auto wipers, front and rear parking sensors, and electrically folding door mirrors. Satellite navigation, dual-zone climate control, and an upgraded audio system are included too.

There was a choice of five paint colours, as well options such as the Red Exterior Pack with red highlights for the door mirror caps, rear diffuser, front grille and roof spoiler. There was a Carbon Exterior Pack that did the same with carbon fibre effect detailing. A Red Interior Pack blinged up the air vents and door sills, while the Carbon option swapped this for carbon fibre effect finishes.