Saturday 9th January 2016

Christmas in a Civic Type R: PH Blog

Christmas cracker or Christmas turkey? Matt spends the festive period in a Civic Type R

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The Civic Type R is a car that spent a lot of time on PistonHeads in 2015. There was the show reveal, the first drive and the Megane twin test just for starters. We spent a lot of time waiting for the car and, by and large, it delivered.

Can you see the speedo? Neither can Matt

But in total that's nothing more than a few days with the car at best, and days where the excitement of it being actually the new Civic Type R probably hadn't worn off. So when the offer came for a Civic Type R loan over the Christmas break it seemed the ideal opportunity to do some 'normal' miles in the car. It helps that I really, really like fast Hondas.

What those first drives hadn't quite revealed was just how, well, annoying the Civic can be though. Yes, sorry to start on a downer, but there are a fair few details that could well infuriate. The turning circle is dreadful, which made negotiating the multi-storey on Christmas Eve rather stressful. That after nearly whacking my head with the gigantic boot lid while loading up. The stop-start is rather grumbly in traffic, labouring to turn the engine off and on. And with the seat where I like to sit, the speedo is completely obscured. As are the shift lights.

Cold, clear, crisp and bloody good fun!

But before this becomes a tirade, it's worth pointing out the Civic was perfectly liveable on the tedious drive home back to Suffolk. The radio might be a pain but the Bluetooth and iPod integration are fine, plus if you want to use a CD the dash folds out like something from a Max Power special. I thought that was quite cool. The seats are ace and it's capable of 40mpg.

The news gets better. After a couple of days trundling up and down dual carriageways, I was itching for a proper drive. Having only driven a Type R on warm, dry tarmac, I was really intrigued to see how a 310hp Civic would cope with grimy, bumpy B-roads in December. In a word? Brilliantly.

Traction is superb, the composure over bumps is excellent and the way it scythes through faster, smoother bends like a circuit racer is absorbing. I can't wait to try one on a track day. The gearbox is one of the best on sale, the brakes are great and the whole car is imbued with this sense of urgency and excitement that makes you want to drive and drive until the tank runs dry. Which is quite soon, because it's only 50 litres.

It'll be down there very quickly

But best of all was the public response. Really. People waved, chatted at fuel stations and, yes, wanted to race on occasion. It's fun to drive something that incites a reaction, especially so when it's far more positive than expected.

So it was a revealing Christmas with the Type R, a car that appears to combine the deeply irritating with the totally captivating. Would I recommend buying one over the many other hot hatch alternatives? I'll let you know after some time in the pending PH long-termer. Bring on March...

Matt

 

[garykane1980]

Pending long-termer... bring on March... the Focus RS!?

[Martin_Hx]

Turning circle in my EP3 is terrible as i think the FN2 is... its character!

I've only seen one of these in the wild, i think there is quite a delay on orders at the moment.

[HJMS123]

I've only seen one of these on the road so far, was blue like the loaner but it was at 6 o'clock in the evening and pitch black.

[Matt Bird]

garykane1980 said:

Pending long-termer... bring on March... the Focus RS!?

It's the Honda rather than Ford, but we'll get a twin test sorted ASAP!

[A10]

Do like these but while the red accents on the lower bodywork and wheels look fine on a red, white or black one, they really look out of place on a blue one.

[750turbo]

I wonder if there is anyone on here that actually bought one, and has had it delivered?

Was there not an issue with initial parts supply that was holding up production?

[A10]

I've not seen one on the road.

[rossub]

A10 said:

Do like these but while the red accents on the lower bodywork and wheels look fine on a red, white or black one, they really look out of place on a blue one.

I just don't like blue Type Rs at all - doesn't work with the badging. Was the same with the FN2 blue ones and the blue DC5s.

[Itsallicanafford]

Does it really do 40mpg?

[JohnGoodridge]

A10 said:

I've not seen one on the road.

Guy down the road from me has a white one, alongside a red FN2. Makes for a nice looking driveway.

[rtz62]

I wonder if any owners have looked at their purchase and just wished, ever so slightly, that it had the rear spoiler with the led vertical (ish) end plates that looked like Bulls or Devils horns in one of the early adverts/reveals?
I may be in a minority of one but I'm sure if I owned one I would be looking for an aftermarket fitment to replicate those first glimpses..
And I too have yet to see one in the road, despite the dealer at Chesterfield having a row of half a dozen or more brand new ones, in assorted colours, lined up outside the showroom ....

[TTmonkey]

Seen a red one on the a329 the other day. Bloke, mid 40's, wearing bright coloured oakleys, driving. Looked stupid. Car and bloke.

[Oz83]

I've never been annoyed by nearly hitting my head on something. You must have been having a bad day.

The styling still hurts my eyes, although it's kind of growing on me. Maybe it's the blue.

[HeMightBeBanned]

Does it have any steering feel? It's something that I really value in a car and was totally put off by the 2003 Civic Type-R which had absolutely none. Loved the drivetrain though so had one dropped into my Elise

[moffat]

As a Honda fan, I just can't see passed the awful exterior... the rear end is such a mess.

[Axionknight]

I really like these and was tempted sorely until I found out how much it was going to cost me to own over three years, I'm not a cheapskate but £9,000 down and £400/month for 36 months didn't seem like good value to me, no wonder you don't see many around - £650 a month once you factor in that deposit, essentially.

I'll have another look in a year, perhaps.

[knebworth01]

Yes, my local dealer had me in on the day they had their demo delivered for a drive - I was all set to buy one. Then two things stopped me
1: Bloody expensive to buy on finance, big deposit required and big balloon payment.
2: Massive oversight by Honda this, no third seatbelt in the back. I've got three kids and the Civic is one of the biggest, practical hatches out there (i've owned two!), so why restrict it to 2 child families? Daft.

I could probably live with the money side if I could actually get my family in for a drive!

[Matt Bird]

Oz83 said:

I've never been annoyed by nearly hitting my head on something. You must have been having a bad day.

The styling still hurts my eyes, although it's kind of growing on me. Maybe it's the blue.

Perhaps it was being the last one to leave the office on Christmas Eve! A minor gripe really, but a noticeable one.

[Matt Bird]

HeMightBeBanned said:

Does it have any steering feel? It's something that I really value in a car and was totally put off by the 2003 Civic Type-R which had absolutely none. Loved the drivetrain though so had one dropped into my Elise

It certainly won't steer like a Lotus! It's fine without being exceptional, quite quick but it feels in tune with the car. I wouldn't say there's much feel to speak of and I prefer the steering of a Megane but it's good enough. HTH!


Matt

[M1C]

I see a dark blue one most days (i think it's a Honda salesman on his way into work in his demo)

I have to say...i think it loosk great on the road.....