Finally, after years of anticipation the fans of hot hatchbacks gets to see the all-new Honda Civic Type R in all its glory. They are not being shaken to the core though, as details of the car have been trickling down for that past six months or so. So we all know what to expect.
But that doesn’t take away from the awesomeness of the new Honda Civic Type R. Everything is dialed up to eleven in this car, which boasts a 2.0 litre VTEC TURBO engine, aggressive function-led styling, and pioneering new chassis technologies. Honda is poised to once again rule the hot hatch segment and they have come prepared.
The engine in the new Type R, featuring advanced new turbocharger with VTEC technology, is good for 310 PS and peak torque is 400 Nm (preliminary figures). Delivered to the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox, that translates into a 0-to-100 km/h (62 mph) time of 5.7 seconds and top speed of 270 km/h (167 mph) – outstanding figures for a FWD hatchback.
2016 Honda Civic Type R also benefits from a new four-point Adaptive Damper System and Dual Axis Strut Front Suspension system, as well as Dual Pinion Electric Power Steering. All that means you get to use all of the 310 horsepower without having to deal with unwanted chassis traits such as understeer or torque steer. The car also comes with 19-inch lightweight wheels, four-piston calipers, and an aggressive aero kit.
That aero kit is where thing get a bit tricky about the Honda Civic Type R. No doubt it is highly functional and has big responsibilities to keep the car in check. But design-wise, it is not entirely pretty, especially that rear wing. But hey, you can’t have your cake and eat it too!