Thursday 23rd February 2017

Honda Accord Type R: Catch It While You Can

Any Type R is a great used buy - but one in particular is far more tempting than the rest

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Last week, we brought you five examples of Honda's fabulous Type Rs in a Spotted special that had us bouncing off the limiter with excitement. (Sorry.)

Drive is more exciting than it looks. Honest

There's a good reason to buy every single one of those cars, as we discussed at the time, but arguably the most interesting - and you might say, most urgent - right now is the Accord Type R.

We'll warrant that of them all, the Accord is the Type R you remember least well. Perhaps thanks to its saloon bodyshell and, beneath the skirts and spoilers, mildly drab styling; perhaps because of the cooking Accord's reputation as the motoring equivalent of a tweed trilby. But the more you remember of the CH1, as it's known to its select group of fans, the more impressive it gets.

Under the bonnet of the Type-R sat a 2.2-litre H22A engine that had already found a home in the Prelude VTI, as well as several US- and JDM-spec Accords and Preludes.

Here, though, power was ramped up to 212hp courtesy of a higher compression ratio, sequential injection, low-friction pistons, a tweaked inlet manifold and a new, less restrictive exhaust - knocking similar Super Touring-inspired saloons like the Ford Mondeo ST200 and Vauxhall Vectra GSi into a cocked hat.

What was more, the Accord was almost unmatched by rivals in benefitting from a limited-slip differential as standard, giving it the tools to make use of that extra power, and making it considerably more hardcore - not to mention more credible - than any of its hotted-up family saloon brethren.

Limited-slip diff should keep the front pinned

It feels that way to drive. Rather than a big Civic, the Accord feels more like a softened-off, four-door Integra, its VTEC switch visceral, its steering lively, its front wheels tugging you onward as they find grip. Compared with its rivals, with their big, lazy V6s and heavy noses, the Accord's far more invigorating, its engine note growing ever more frantic and hard-edged, while its front wheels claw at the road surface in an attempt to translate all that top-end grunt into forward motion.

Which is partly why it looks like the most tempting buy of any Type R right now. While it isn't as sharp as an Integra, it's probably 90 per cent of the fun - yet, for now at least, it costs significantly less. It's more compelling than an EP3, too, for while the Civic has the mass-appeal and cult status, the Accord has hydraulic - and therefore way more involving - steering, that limited-slip diff and more power. Not to mention the Super Touring cachet, of course.

Not until the later FN2 Civics do you get the diff, but even then you still have to deal with less impressive steering, not to mention a punishing ride - and one of these will set you back way more cash, too. And while the FK2 rather obliterates the Accord with its performance and sense of drama, you'll have to buy one nearly-new and lose a tonne of cash in the process right now.

By contrast, you can get an Accord for peanuts. Matt's already brought this one, for £4,300, to your attention; that's strong money for what you'd hope will be one of the very best ATRs in the country. A tidy example with reasonable miles and a good history can still be had for £2,500, while a leggy one will set you back even less.

And it revs to nearly eight!

If all that sounds like an astonishing bargain, that's probably because it is. And of course, those prices won't last forever. A genuine UK-spec Integra can now set you back £10,000, and even though the Accord doesn't quite have the same following, that's almost certainly a sign of things to come.

In 25 years, Honda's brought a succession of seriously memorable Type R badged metal to this country, to our continuing delight. And while the Accord might the most hazy of them all in the collective memory, there are now some very good reasons to get reacquainted.

[ShuthanVtec]

Have one myself Since Oct 14 which I am very much attached to, always wanted one but finding a good one is the hardest bit and puts people off buying one as most are not looked after or suffer rust issues. Excellent car that you chuck about and its amazingly rev happy that it just puts a smile on your face. Planted in the corners and the steering gives amazing feedback with a slick gearbox providing the LSD. It can also carry anything you want with its big boot though seats don't fold down and can even bring the kids along for the ride but it won't attract unwanted attention from the boy racer types at the lights. Cruise effortlessly but put your foot down and you are handed a fantastic sound track as it shoots off. I have yet to come across anyone who has owned one or driven one that hasn't come away with praise and its constantly 'I miss my ATR' from ex owners. I urge anyone who loves driving to try one of these cars as it is one of the best FWD cars you can get. Mine is near stock apart from an OEM style rear cat back exhaust, DIN OEM Style gauges to monitor temps/pressures and a double din headunit, I also have put the facelift red OEM Recaros in too. I have taken mine on track a few times to Brands hatch and amazing how it overtakes lighter and newer cars. These cars don't need much doing to them and can be enjoyed stock.

I should advise anyone looking for one to go in with their eyes peeled as rust is the main enemy with these, but there is much info online for what to look for. I can see values are rising slowly which these cars deserve to, they are too cheap for now but a great underrated and brillant special drivers car.

Edited by ShuthanVtec on Thursday 23 February 15:28

[ShuthanVtec]

405dogvan said:

Whilst I owned the world's most unreliable Civic 1.8 VTEC I got to use a few of these as loaners and I loved em.

Comfy, big, fast if you wanted them to be - but they had a weird problem I think would deter me from owning one.

No idea who chose the gearbox ratios, but they were idiots. It's impossible to keep the car on-the-boil if you're in a hurry - gearchanges almost always drop you outside the powerband so there's hesitation before you get back into 'VTEC YO'

I know some owners fixed this with gearbox and/or tune fixery, but that's a tall order for most folks?

It's not a deal killer - the car is fine and relatively anonymous fast cruiser which can nip down a B Road as well as anything BUT when you want to wring-it's-neck, there are some potholes on that particular road.

Edited by 405dogvan on Thursday 23 February 13:31

That takes some skill to get used to and master, you need to tap it right on the limiter then change up and you stay in the powerband. It makes you work for its power as I see it

[ShuthanVtec]

maccas99 said:

Did anyone in the UK ever own one? Never seen one even at all the "R" events I've been to over the years.

I know of one who has a CL7 but even he has an ATR for track days. This post is about the ATR so why would they mention that lol.

[ShuthanVtec]

mp3manager said:

Because it's an Accord Type R? Which is exactly what the article is about.

The picture you posted is a Euro R, its different.

[ShuthanVtec]

roland82 said:

Thanks mate.

[ShuthanVtec]

s m said:

Anyone find the turning circle cumbersome on these out of interest?

Yep, suppose its due to the quick/short steering rack. Can't do a full circle on an average road without a 3 point turn lol but its not a big deal to be honest.

Edited by ShuthanVtec on Monday 27th February 07:49