Saturday 5th November 2016

Honda Civic Type R: PH Fleet

Two sets of front tyres, 10,000 miles and a lot of fun later, the Civic Type R departs the PH Fleet

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The Civic has gone. I'm sad. It has in fact been gone for a few weeks now and I'm still upset. It had its flaws, of that there is no doubt, but I also think it's one of the very best hot hatches on sale. Time to explain why...

Matt likes the looks; many still don't!

If hot hatches are about the best combination of practicality and pace you can find, the Civic is superb. By small fractions I prefer both the Golf GTI Clubsport S and Megane 275 Cup-S as driver's cars, but neither of those offer the same level of usability as the Civic. It has a huge boot, space for four adults and all the amenities you would expect of a Honda hatchback. Stripped out hatches are often criticised on PH for missing the point of a hot hatch, something that could never be levelled at the Type R.

And it was always heroically, hilariously, fantastically fast. Even after six months that hit from the 2.0-litre VTEC turbo never failed to amuse (once you were through the soggy throttle response), even when coming from quicker cars. It revved really well for a turbo engine and punched so hard; that near-170mph top speed felt eminently achievable. It was capable of using all that power too, very seldom squandering it to wheelspin. In addition, while the Civic Type R could never be described as sounding good from the inside, having shift lights and a gearshift that good almost made up for it.

The traction it could pull out of a road was remarkable, though the fact our car left on its third set of front tyres (changed at 8,000 miles) is worth noting. There had to be a penalty somewhere! Even compared to hot hatches of just a few years ago though, the way the Civic would haul itself out of bends was staggering. I loved the brakes. I loved the grip. I loved the intensity. It perhaps wasn't as minutely adjustable as the best hot hatches, but the Type R's touring car vibe is one I really enjoyed.

"So how many wheels did you actually kerb?"

Yet it didn't sacrifice ease of use for that wild streak. The ride is firm, but in the large part it's very well damped and certainly better than something like a Fiesta ST. The interior is initially a little perplexing (and won't impress in the showroom) too, but give it a little time and it makes far more sense. Interestingly the quality feels very high as well; while the design may not be inspirational - and the graphics really are crap - the impression overall is of a very tough and well built cabin. And the seats are brilliant. As discussed at the time, the journey to the Nurburgring was a perfect display of its on-road and track manners.

No mention of the Civic Type R would be complete without discussing how it looks. I grew to really enjoy its boldness and attitude, even if it's not exactly pretty. And if people are shallow enough to judge you before you've even got out of a car, that's their problem and not yours. It would be a shame to miss out on such a car because of other people!

There were everyday gripes that never improved though, namely the terrible turning circle and visibility. The reversing camera provided with the GT pack proved near invaluable, particularly with PH parking now in a multi-storey. And the way the steering wheel entirely obscured the speedo display in my driving position was irksome, particularly when rivals from VW sit the driver so well.

Farewell then old friend!

Those issues can be overlooked for the sheer enjoyment provided by the Civic Type R since April however. It's focused and intense and aggressive in the best Japanese tradition, but with enough 21st century comforts to make it a viable everyday proposition. I think Honda should be commended for making a turbo engine genuinely exciting too.

Why Honda feels the need to replace the Civic Type R already I'm not sure, but if the new car can improve significantly on this one then it will be damn good. While this Type R hasn't quite usurped the Megane as my favourite front-wheel drive car, it really is very close. If you have £30,000 to spend on a hot hatch right now, I implore you to try one. I think you'll really, really like it. And for the record I still prefer the Type R to the Focus RS - even with more time spent in the Ford - though that's probably a test to revisit now winter is setting in...

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FACT SHEET
Car: 2016 Honda Civic Type R GT
Run by: Matt
On fleet since: March 2016
Mileage: 9,988 (delivered on 625 and, yes, I should have done better)
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: A solemn sayonara to the brilliant Type R

Welcome the first ever Type R to the PH Fleet!
Type R does fast brilliantly, but slow isn't so bad either
Civic squares up to its hot hatch nemesis
New tyres on, Matt takes the Civic... into a kerb
Shock, horror... is Matt warming to the Civic's looks?
Through 8,000 miles and the Type R continues to charm

[GTEYE]

Its certainly a rare car on the roads, I've only seen one.

To be honest, not my cup of tea, I think I would rather have one of the ubiquitous Germans for a more discreet life.

Still each to their own, but surely Type R's used to be a lot more popular than this one.

Perhaps those looks and that price tells a tale?

[giveablondeabone]

Just waiting for the price of these to dip into the teens................

[MikeGoodwin]

I see a dark coloured one around Brooklands frequently but they are not common. The driver does occasionally give it some beans and it sounds nice

[acme]

I should hate this, not my kind of thing at all, but I simply couldn't stop staring at one at Good FoS, they look superb!

Really interesting end of long term test from both PH and Evo now, seemingly the appeal grows ever stronger when a long termer.

[the_hood]

I've seen a few on around my way. I like the bold look but can appreciate it won't be to everyone's taste.
On the flip side I've seen a few RS Focus and they're invisible by comparison.

[DamnKraut]

giveablondeabone said:

Just waiting for the price of these to dip into the teens................

Maybe find RK16 RNY on the used market and haggle it below 20k given the "gentle" treatment it received on its stint as a PH test car

[rtz62]

I've seen 2 or 3 around Chesterfield, and, contrary to their market placing, they were driven sedately and with due consideration for others.
I've seen one Focus RS, again in Chesterfield, and he seemed to make it his mission to fulfil the stereotype that the Focus ST 2.5 had, namely driving like a 'see you next Tuesday'...
Personal view; I wish Honda had stuck with the original rear spoiler, the one with the illuminated 'horns' rather than this one, which looks like a schoolboys idea of aerodynamic addenda. And yes, I'm sure there's reasons why Honda went this way, con & use regs in various countries, Real Ale drinkers worrying about the effect the car might have on the next hops and barley harvest, placating Greenpeace etc etc....

[FN2TypeR]

Yes please, in grey. I would very much like one of these, they look ace and drive really well - that's some scary tyre usage though.

Props to the chap on the football forums who bought one in celebration of Sunderland staying up last season, bet he's livid now

[Jaaws]

GTEYE said:

Its certainly a rare car on the roads, I've only seen one.

Production is now finished, apparently 2,500 for UK market. The number on the roads will likely being going in one direction only pretty soon?

[OwenK]

article said:

certainly better than something like a Fiesta ST.

I should hope so too seeing as it's twice the price...!

[LaurasOtherHalf]

Every day I seem to like mine a little more, it's a seriously good day to day car that most won't ever experience due to it's "perceived" image.

"Perceived"? I've never had a car (and I've had a lot) that brings out the worst in other drivers. It seems every prat marks you out as a boy racer and if you're overtaking they'll shut a gap, brake test you and generally try and pull out to block you passing.

It definitely brings out the "little man syndrome" in other road users.

[Mike1990]

Really do like these, i can see them being a great used buy, once they are a few years old and hopefully in the 'Teens. In CW please for me.

[Matt Bird]

DamnKraut said:

giveablondeabone said:

Just waiting for the price of these to dip into the teens................

Maybe find RK16 RNY on the used market and haggle it below 20k given the "gentle" treatment it received on its stint as a PH test car

Hey, it was always warmed up properly... And they get quicker the harder you drive them, right? To its credit actually the Civic feels really tough in terms of transmission, brakes, that sort of thing. Like it would go on for a very, very long time.

[Guvernator]

After getting over the disappointment that it would no longer be a high revving N\A I came around to liking them as it has obviously been together with Honda's usual fetishism for fantastic engineering. However I just can't get over how it looks and it's not because I care what other people think of it or me, it's because it's just so damn ugly.

Admittedly the base car isn't a great starting point so they were always going to struggle but all additional addenda just make it worse. It looks like a car a 7 year old would draw if you told them, draw me a really fast car. It's a problem with most Japanese cars these days though. The designers don't seem to know when to put the pencil down and just keep adding tat\lines\lights\3d shapes basically throwing the kitchen sink at it until it becomes an un-cohesive mess. They need to realise that sometimes less is more.

I hope the new one looks a bit better but that's another kick in the teeth for current owners. What's that going to do for residuals when they releasing a new one before the last one has barely got old?

[driftingphil]

Hondas generally go on for ever.

If there is only 2500 cars in the UK I wonder how far these will drop before holding steady.

My guess is 16-18K.

[mp3manager]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

"Perceived"? I've never had a car (and I've had a lot) that brings out the worst in other drivers. It seems every prat marks you out as a boy racer and if you're overtaking they'll shut a gap, brake test you and generally try and pull out to block you passing.

I had that in bucket-loads with my Championship White DC2 & DC5 but with the Milano Red FK2 not so much, if at all.

I put it down to the huge rear wings which I think angered people, whereas the FK2 is more subtle.

[culpz]

Looks great and goes great but I'm much more fond of the Megane so that would be my choice every time. Never been that mad on Honda's so there's an obvious bias/preference but that's just my opinion.

[kayzee]

I want to say I love these, but I've never seen one on the roads yet! Would definitely be my choice of current hot hatch though, if only it wasn't 5 door

Seen quite a few Ford RSs now and although the blue is a lovely colour, God damn it's plain.

[Axionknight]

FN2TypeR said:

Yes please, in grey. I would very much like one of these, they look ace and drive really well - that's some scary tyre usage though.

Props to the chap on the football forums who bought one in celebration of Sunderland staying up last season, bet he's livid now

:wave:

That was me! I see you're in Aberdeen, and that FN2 you posted a pic of, on a trailer, I've seen you about - use the Bannatynes Gym perchance?

Great write up, great car, mine is grey, a GT, I love it, a genuinely good, practical and capable car that has been a joy to own so far. It gets a lot of attention too, I appreciate the looks are marmite but it gets a lot of comments ane thumbs up from folk, a lad in his early twenties was fawning over it in the Union Square (mall) car park a wee while back, I let him sit in it and have a poke around - he wanted to see under the bonnet (nawt special tbh), his girlfriend looked properly bored

[Gandahar]

I think these will become more into focus as rose tinted glasses are applied, like the best hot hatches. I have to say the Megane in later variants is really non-descript, hot hatches have to have some flare looks wise to distinguish them. The Honda certainly adds a lot of flare. But so then did the original Sierra Cosworth to make it stand out.