2019 Honda Civic Type R

Honda has gone all-in with the 10th generation of its Civic compact. After introducing the car as a sedan in 2016, it added coupe and hatchback models and, for the first time in North America, a high-performance Type R variant that arrived in 2018.

For 2019, the Civic Type R carries over with no changes save for a modest price increase.

As before, power comes from a 2.0L turbocharged engine that cranks out 306 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. That power goes to the front wheels through a six-speed manual transmission and a limited slip differential. There's no automatic transmission option and no all-wheel drive.

Type R's lack of four-wheel traction sets the Type R apart from competitors like the Golf R and Focus RS, both of which used AWD to set them apart from their lesser line mates. To us, AWD makes those two cars better suited to four-season driving in Canada; we'd be more anxious about piloting this hottest Civic in the snow. Volkswagen also offers a quick-shifting seven-speed automatic in the Golf R, which both widens the car's appeal and makes it quicker in a straight line with its lightning fast shift times.

The Type R may be a sports car, but it builds on top-end versions of the standard Civic by including a number of convenience features and upscale touches.

Type R standard features include an adaptive damper suspension, Brembo brakes, 20-inch wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, navigation, multi-angle backup camera, passive keyless entry, wireless smartphone charging, sport seats, 12-speaker stereo with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, LED headlights and fog lights and the LaneWatch blind spot camera display.

At the same time, there are a number of nods to Civic Type R's advanced level of driver involvement compared to lesser Civic trims. For one, the Honda Sensing suite of active safety and driver assists is not included here and not offered as an option. Civic Type R also ditches the Touring hatchback's electric front seats for manual adjustments: six ways for the driver, and four for the front passenger.

Honda's fuel consumption estimates are 10.6/8.3 L/100 km (city/highway).