After months of teasers, photos, and vague information, the production-ready Honda Civic Type R has finally been revealed. The first non-Acura Type R to come to Canada will get 306 hp and will be manual transmission only.
The new car has a 2.0L turbocharged, direct injected, and VTEC equipped four-cylinder that makes 306 hp, and 295 lb-ft of torque. The engine will rev to 7,000 rpm, but the torque curve is nice and flat with all 295 lb-ft showing up from 2,500 to 4,500 rpm. Despite rumours of a CVT, the only gearbox will be a six-speed manual. There is also a new, lighter flywheel to help the engine rev even faster.
The Type R will be based on the hatchback, so they will all be built in the UK at Honda's Swindon plant. Underneath the car will have new springs, with special adaptive dampers and uprated bushings, but it also gets a new front suspension. There will be aluminium lower control arms and steering knuckles with a design to improve cornering at the limit and reduce torque steer. Stopping the car will be four-piston Brembo aluminium calipers with big 350mm front rotors. The tires will be 245mm wide Continental ContiSportContact 6 performance tires on 20-inch wheels.
Honda has improved rigidity and lowered the weight of the car to improve response and performance. The hood is aluminium, there is more high-strength steel, and structural adhesives are used throughout. Honda says that the car will weigh seven kilograms less than the base 2017 Civic hatchback.
The Civic Type R should arrive this spring. It will come only as a Touring trim, with a 7.0-inch display audio system with navigation, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Inside there will be massively bolstered sport seats, aluminium shift knob and pedals, along with lots of Type R red fabric, trim and lighting. There's still no volume knob, but the long pedal on the floor should help adjust the volume quite nicely.
Honda hasn't set pricing yet but did say that it will be in the mid-$30 k range in the US. Comparing the pricing of other Honda models in the US versus Canada could see the Type R come in under $40k here when it arrives this spring.
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