Motoring
Honda Civic Type R In the look-at-me stakes, Honda’s new Civic Type R screams attentionseeker with its trying-too-hard fins, wings and ice-white paintwork. Honda appears to have added needless frippery to its new Type R, though they’ll tell you it’s about aerodynamics and downforce – but does that really matter on the A34? Inside, it’s much more traditional Honda formula. It’s a combination of harder plastics, an infotainment system that isn’t up to the standards of rivals and a seating position you’ll either love or hate. However, this is a machine that’s utterly fabulous on the road. Fast, grippy and with a gearbox that delights, it’s a hot hatch to take the fight to the very best in its class. The large, winged bucket seats are comfortable, and the driving position suits us. When started, the cackle from the exhaust sounds exactly how every hot hatch should. Moving off on smooth asphalt, the Type R feels well set up. The ride is firm but a small amount of jostling is part and parcel of a hot hatch – particularly a fast Honda. Though the Civic Type R feels quick, the real surprise is just how much speed you can carry through corners. The body is 38 per cent stiffer than the car it replaces, and this added rigidity makes itself known almost everywhere.
The turn-in is quick, but the limitedslip differential means that you can fire the R into bends and it’ll just grip. The experience is helped by the car’s seating position, which is now 50mm lower than the older model and completely transforms the entire drive. There’s next to no body roll, and the front two wheels cope admirably with the 316bhp being sent through them. You won’t torque steer either – the steering stays unaffected even when accelerating hard, and this gives you a huge amount of confidence. Arguably, the test location played into the hands of the Type R – the green, rolling hills and mountains of south Wales coupled with tight, technical roads contributed heavily to the hot hatch experience. It’s a match made in driving heaven. However, the Type R has always been slightly tarred by that ‘boy racer’ brush. But this car has real character, something lacking in quite a few others on sale today. Even the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine has its own personality, popping and growling as you push it through the bends. In the rain, the R got better. Despite some scrabble from the front tyres on soaked tarmac, the Civic continues to impress. Everything about it feels alive,
particularly along the wide open sections of the A4059 north of Penderyn. The short, notchy sixspeed manual is a joy to use, while the characterful engine provides more than enough shove to keep things interesting. Put simply, it’s a far more involving car to drive than you’d expect. On these roads, the Type R seems perfect. Yes, the interior foibles could make it a difficult one to live with day-to-day and you’ll have to get used to the strange looks from passers-by, but on Welsh A-roads when the sun is (occasionally) shining, there are few cars quite like it. The Knowledge Model: Honda Civic Type R Model as tested: Honda Civic Type R GT Base price: £32,995 Price as tested: £33,520 Engine tested: 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol Power (bhp): 316bhp Torque (Nm): 400 Max speed (mph): 169 0-60mph: 5.5 MPG: 36.7 Emissions (g/km): 176
By James Baggott
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