Thursday 31st March 2016

Honda Civic Type R: PH Fleet

Can a turbo Type R work? Is it better than a Focus RS? Who likes the looks? We've six months to find out!

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What an exciting time it is to be in the market for a hot hatch. From Suzuki Swift Sport through Fiesta ST, 208 GTI, Megane Renaultsport, Leon Cupra, Focus RS and right up to Mercedes-AMG A45, there are plenty of options for those after practical performance.

You want subtle? Look elsewhere!

Then there's the Honda Civic Type R, perhaps as extreme and as fast as front-wheel drive hatches currently get. And before you complain, that's because a Leon Ultimate Sub8 is special order only and the Megane Trophy-R is sold out. In series production front-wheel drive cars, there's nothing else with over 300hp and such a strong track focus.

Moreover, this is the return of Honda Type Rs, a performance brand the motoring landscape has been without for many years. That's got to be worth investigating further, right? And it's a turbocharged Type R Honda as well...

Anyway, more detailed observations on those can follow in future updates. Here's the big PH welcome for the Type R, where we can share first impressions and plans for the next few months. And all of you can observe how expensive it is...

RK16 RNY is a Type R GT, the GT adding £2,300 over the standard car for Garmin nav, parking sensors, auto wipers, auto lights, electric mirrors, climate control and various active safety tech (blind spot assist, traffic sign recognition, forward collision warning and so on). Honda expects around 80 per cent of UK Type Rs to be GTs. We had a choice of colour - it has to be Championship White for a fast Honda - and the £140 Elegance Floor Carpets are also fitted, though nobody is quite sure how they've made it on. That makes for a grand total of £32,960 on the road. And yes, you could have an M135i for that. A Focus RS, in Nitrous Blue with the Recaro seats, 19-inch forged wheels and SYNC2 nav, is £32,945. A comparison we will be returning to!

Championship White THE Type R colour

Seven days in with the Civic Type R, there's unsurprisingly a great deal to talk about. As discovered over Christmas there are traits that will irritate immediately - not being able to see the speedo, the baffling infotainment system and the terrible turning circle. That being said I'm already discovering new and endearing virtues of the Civic, on top of its myriad existing talents. It's far more refined than you might expect, for example. The centre console displays can be switched off, making it a really relaxing driving environment at night. And it's a spacious five-seater, as I found out over the weekend. In fact I'm already being pestered for lifts quite a lot!

Aside from those more mundane points, everything that was so thrilling about the Civic from first exposure is most definitely still evident. The superb brakes, excellent gearbox and outrageous speed shine through, points I'm especially keen to exploit at a few track outings very soon. We probably should venture to the Nurburgring too. And don't worry, it was delivered already run in with 600 miles.

It's been an encouraging first week then; I might even be coming round to the styling! But expect a lot more on the Civic over the summer, what with that pesky Focus around and plenty of previous fast Civics to compare it with too. If you are an owner I'd love to hear how you're getting on, or indeed if you were considering one and chose another option. Finally, if you want to have a poke around, it will be at Santa Pod on Sunday - see you there!

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FACT SHEET
Car: 2016 Honda Civic Type R GT
Run by: Matt
On fleet since: March 2016
Mileage: 1,126 (delivered on 625)
List price new: £32,960 (Type R GT at £32,295, plus £525 for Championship White paint and £140 for Elegance Floor Carpets
Last month at a glance: No missing the latest addition to the PH Fleet!

 

[TNH]

I think its probably well priced when you consider the price of the rivals you mention.

I just couldn't buy one of these when I could have six cylinders and rwd goodness in the form of the M135i for a similar price.

[Composite Guru]

I still cant believe this is double the price of the original UK CTR. Crazy money.

Still not a fan of the chavvy 4 exhausts sticking out the back, way over the top for a fwd car. Skyline is more suited.

[Quickmoose]

I don't know why I do it, I see an article about the Civic Type R and I have to open it... I'm not even a big fan of Civic Type Rs or any Civic after 1992.
Love the older CRXs though and my current S2000.

I'm eternally and 'delusionally' hopeful that it will be ok...and then I see it...a photo of the rear 3/4s or a profile shot and .... god... WHY?!!!!
Such dreadful design! GOD! makes me so ANGRY, all that metal above the rear wheel... and that's a 19 or 20" wheel right? looking all lost and redundant. Pitiful.
The concept rear spoiler might have made up for it, but they couldn't even put that into production...
Drives well though apparently...if you keep your eyes on the road and not on the none-to-sure-analogue-digital explosion inside...

That's it, no more Type R articles for me, I'll only write the same comment over and over again...

[Axionknight]

I really like these. I'm the sort who will ponder a new car purchase to death but I took one of them for a test drive and liked what I saw/drove.

Finances were however, a different kettle of fish, fair enough that the car had just been launched but the price I was being quoted was nine grand down and circa £400/month for three years there after, some £23,400 (give or take a few quid) to run the car for three years..... No thanks.

No wonder they are piling up on the Autotrader, they are great machines but this section of the market is ripe with choice and if prices aren't keen then they aren't gonna sell.

[mp3manager]

I wonder if PH can borrow Synchro Motorsports unique Type R Touring and compare the two.

[is1]

Matt

Re "And it's a spacious five-seater", I recall on a previous thread about these, someone saying there was no centre seat belt.
Is there one or is it an option?

[AH33]

Im gonna have one in 3-4 years time when noone wants them.

I like the styling. Brash, offensive to suited men in grey audis, fast. Whats not to like? But then I like VXRs.

They do look a lot better in person than in pictures.

[750turbo]

is1 said:

Matt

Re "And it's a spacious five-seater", I recall on a previous thread about these, someone saying there was no centre seat belt.
Is there one or is it an option?

Correct, this is a 4 seater, which I will confirm 100% tomorrow!

[Matt Bird]

is1 said:

Matt

Re "And it's a spacious five-seater", I recall on a previous thread about these, someone saying there was no centre seat belt.
Is there one or is it an option?

Aha! Nobody complained so this must have one fitted. I'll have a look and confirm for sure!

[anonymous-user]

Saw one in the flesh for the first time, and unfortunately looks awful, so much worse than in pictures.

I held high hopes for it being a viable contender in the Hot Hatch arena, and perhaps a bit of a return for Honda, but even though my previous Honda's haven't exactly been lookers (Integra Type-R and S2000) this is truly terrible!!

It's not the most PH thing to judge a car on looks, but it's part of car ownership for me, and the proportions of this are just so wrong, mainly due to the ugly donor car it's based on. Add in an excess of stuck on bits that look cheap and it's a recipe for a very undesirable car.

Honda needed a return to the hot hatch scene, but if this is what they're offering then I dont imagine they'll sell many.

[Composite Guru]

Thunderhead said:

Saw one in the flesh for the first time, and unfortunately looks awful, so much worse than in pictures.

I held high hopes for it being a viable contender in the Hot Hatch arena, and perhaps a bit of a return for Honda, but even though my previous Honda's haven't exactly been lookers (Integra Type-R and S2000) this is truly terrible!!

It's not the most PH thing to judge a car on looks, but it's part of car ownership for me, and the proportions of this are just so wrong, mainly due to the ugly donor car it's based on. Add in an excess of stuck on bits that look cheap and it's a recipe for a very undesirable car.

Honda needed a return to the hot hatch scene, but if this is what they're offering then I dont imagine they'll sell many.

Look how simple the EP3 was and that sold 1000's. Was just a good drivers car without all the unnecessary c*ap on it and cheap too. It all went down hill with the FN2, that was a truly shocking Type R attempt. Why did they find the need to put an air conditioned glovebox and footwell lights in what was supposed to be a track focused hot hatch.

Edited by Composite Guru on Thursday 31st March 16:17

[knebworth01]

Matt Bird said:

is1 said:

Matt

Re "And it's a spacious five-seater", I recall on a previous thread about these, someone saying there was no centre seat belt.
Is there one or is it an option?

Aha! Nobody complained so this must have one fitted. I'll have a look and confirm for sure!

I can definitely tell you it hasn't got one. This was the one and only point that stopped my buying one a few months ago, they don't offer an option.
It still irritates me as I wanted to buy a Type R so much, now i'm in limbo wondering what to car get! (don't want boring VAG or flakey Ford)

[Toyoda]

Composite Guru said:

I still cant believe this is double the price of the original UK CTR. Crazy money.

Totally agree.

[HJMS123]

Composite Guru said:

Look how simple the EP3 was and that sold 1000's. Was just a good drivers car without all the unnecessary c*ap on it and cheap too. It all went down hill with the FN2, that was a truly shocking Type R attempt. Why did they find the need to put an air conditioned glovebox and footwell lights in what was supposed to be a track focused hot hatch.

Edited by Composite Guru on Thursday 31st March 16:17

I think the success of the MK7 Fiesta ST completely backs up your point ... simple, quick and good handling. Although tbf the Fiesta is really well specced so it's not even that simple.

[davidcharles]

Composite Guru said:

Look how simple the EP3 was and that sold 1000's. Was just a good drivers car without all the unnecessary c*ap on it and cheap too. It all went down hill with the FN2, that was a truly shocking Type R attempt. Why did they find the need to put an air conditioned glovebox and footwell lights in what was supposed to be a track focused hot hatch.

Edited by Composite Guru on Thursday 31st March 16:17

wrong....they put those things in the GT version. If you wanted a plain type R you just bought a non GT spec. Simple. Gave people a choice and guess what ?..nearly every one sold was a GT spec. Blame everyone for buying GT specs not Honda.

[Composite Guru]

davidcharles said:

Composite Guru said:

Look how simple the EP3 was and that sold 1000's. Was just a good drivers car without all the unnecessary c*ap on it and cheap too. It all went down hill with the FN2, that was a truly shocking Type R attempt. Why did they find the need to put an air conditioned glovebox and footwell lights in what was supposed to be a track focused hot hatch.

Edited by Composite Guru on Thursday 31st March 16:17

wrong....they put those things in the GT version. If you wanted a plain type R you just bought a non GT spec. Simple. Gave people a choice and guess what ?..nearly every one sold was a GT spec. Blame everyone for buying GT specs not Honda.

Most only bought it for resale value, it shouldn't of even been offered. Bit like the air con on the EP3. The ones with air con were more desirable secondhand. I bought two new EP3 and none had air con, it didn't bother me.

Honda need to stop watering down the Type R brand and take it back to the original ethos like the DC2 and EK9. They are just glorified repmobiles now with all the toys.

Edited by Composite Guru on Friday 1st April 23:04

[*Al*]

I still like them and I drive them off the production line! Love the 'roar' on first start up too. If you own one I may have driven it first lol.

[RemyMartin]

Quickmoose said:

I don't know why I do it, I see an article about the Civic Type R and I have to open it... I'm not even a big fan of Civic Type Rs or any Civic after 1992.
Love the older CRXs though and my current S2000.

I'm eternally and 'delusionally' hopeful that it will be ok...and then I see it...a photo of the rear 3/4s or a profile shot and .... god... WHY?!!!!
Such dreadful design! GOD! makes me so ANGRY, all that metal above the rear wheel... and that's a 19 or 20" wheel right? looking all lost and redundant. Pitiful.
The concept rear spoiler might have made up for it, but they couldn't even put that into production...
Drives well though apparently...if you keep your eyes on the road and not on the none-to-sure-analogue-digital explosion inside...

That's it, no more Type R articles for me, I'll only write the same comment over and over again...

Sums up my feelings.

Such a dogs dinner in the looks department, looks way worse in the flesh. For some reason it cannot pull of the wild look in the way a mk2 FocusRS does (should point out Im not a massive fan of that either). I genuinely believe Sochiro wouldn't approve.

[davidcharles]

Composite Guru said:

Most only bought it for resale value, it shouldn't of even been offered. Bit like the air con on the EP3. The ones with air con were more desirable secondhand. I bought two new EP3 and none had air con, it didn't bother me.

Honda need to stop watering down the Type R brand and take it back to the original ethos like the DC3 and EK9. They are just glorified repmobiles now with all the toys.

Problem is, track focused cars don't sell in high numbers. I would rather have an option for GT spec'd type r than no type r at all. Things have moved on since the 90's, people want "stuff" in their cars , even supposedly hardcore cars. You can quite easily buy a new Type R standard without all the toys.

[leglessAlex]

Composite Guru said:

I still cant believe this is double the price of the original UK CTR. Crazy money.

Is it really? Parkers give me a list price of £16,950 for the original Type-R in 2001, if you run that through the Bank of England inflation calculator it gives you just over £25,000 in todays money. Just over a 20% price increase, not a 100% one.

I don't disagree that it's crazy money, but then it's not really my sort of car so I would say that. It's very shouty.