Skip advert
Advertisement

New 316bhp Honda Civic Type R: prices revealed

New Nurburgring lap record holding Honda Civic Type R will go on sale from £30,995, with higher spec GT version costing from £32,995

Honda has revealed UK pricing and specs for the new Civic Type R - the firm’s latest hot hatchback and the new front-wheel-drive Nurburgring lap time record holder.

The new 316bhp hot Honda will go on sale from £30,995, with higher spec GT versions hitting forecourts priced £2,000 higher at £32,995. That represents a £1,000 price rise on the outgoing model.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Those who opt for the pricer GT car will get additional standard equipment, including cross traffic monitor, dual zone climate control, an auto dimming rear view mirror, Honda’s CONNECT infotainment suite with Garmin Navigation, a wireless charging pad for compatible smartphones, plus LED front fog lights.

As expected, the £30,995 price tag places the new Honda Civic Type R right in the heart of the latest hot hatch showdown. Rivals for the latest hot Honda include all-wheel-drive hot hatches such as the £32,265, 345bhp Ford Focus RS and the recently updated Volkswagen Golf R, now developing 306bhp and priced higher at £33,935.

Honda Civic Type R: Nurburgring lap record

For the second time in as many years the Honda Civic Type R is the fastest front-wheel-drive car around the Nurburgring race track.

The new 316bhp Type R model is based on the tenth-generation version of Honda’s Civic family hatchback and has completed the lap in 7:43.8s, meaning it re-takes its crown from the Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport S by just over three seconds.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Fastest Nurburgring lap times

Though a development car fitted with a roll cage set the headline lap, Honda claims it is representative of what is achievable with the new Civic Type R production model that goes on sale later this year. The new car is almost seven seconds a lap faster around the famous German circuit than its predecessor, which clocked a 7:50.63s back in 2015. 

Honda Civic Type R: specs

The new Honda Civic Type R arrives just two years on from the outgoing Type R Civic, and will be built here in the UK at the company’s Swindon based manufacturing plant for worldwide export. 

Advertisement - Article continues below

• Best hot hatchbacks to buy now

While it’s based on the 10th-generation Civic, it’s actually the tenth Honda overall to wear the famed Type R badge since the performance brand’s inception in 1992. With this new model, Honda has aimed for improvements across the board – overall dynamic performance, high-speed ability and how it drives on track are all targeted for improvement. 

Honda Civic Type R: engine details

Based on the new architecture that underpins the regular Civic hatchback, the Type R is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder VTEC engine, giving 316bhp – an increase of 10bhp over the outgoing model - and 400Nm of torque. Power is transmitted to the road via a new six-speed manual box and front-wheel drive.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Honda will also attempt to reclaim the Nürburgring lap record for a front-wheel-drive production car. The Volkswagen Golf Clubsport S is the current record-holder with a time of seven minutes and 49 seconds – 1.4 seconds faster than the previous Civic Type R.

Type R project leader Hideki Kakinuma told Auto Express that four-wheel drive was never considered as an option for the hot Civic, despite rivals such as the Ford Focus RS and VW Golf R using it. Performance figures have yet to be announced, but we can expect an improvement over the outgoing Type R’s 0-62mph time of 5.7 seconds.

Honda Civic Type R: driving modes

In a bid to help broaden the appeal of the Type R, Honda has also fitted the new model with adaptive dampers and a range of driving modes for the first time. ‘Comfort’, ‘Sport’ and track-focused ‘R+’ modes alter the steering, throttle, damper and gearshift response. Another new feature is the addition of a rev-matching function, which automatically blips the throttle on downshifts to help smooth gearchanges and maintain momentum.

The added strengthening to the body, paired with the new chassis, also means that torsional rigidity has been increased by 38 per cent. And there’s been an improvement in weight distribution, which Honda says will help make the Type R “deliver the most rewarding drive in the hot-hatch segment”.

• New 2017 Honda Civic review

The suspension comprises MacPherson struts at the front and an independent multi-link set-up at the rear with strengthened suspension arms. One feature carried over from the outgoing Type R is the high-performance Brembo braking system.

Honda Civic Type R: design

Visually, the new Type R retains its trademark extrovert styling, but Honda claims the new model has a ‘more comprehensive aerodynamic package’ than its predecessor. A smoother underbody, front air curtain and vortex generators on the roof have been added, along with a three-piece exhaust set-up. Alloy wheels as large as 20 inches are also available.

There are more changes inside; the basic dashboard architecture has been carried over from the regular Civic, but Honda has dropped the seating position by 50mm to give a sportier and more involving feel behind the wheel.

What do you think of the new Honda Civic Type R? Let us know in the comments section...

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Best track day cars to buy 2024
Best track day cars - header image
Best cars & vans

Best track day cars to buy 2024

Whether you're looking to shave tenths off your lap time or simply want to have fun on track, these are some of the UK's best track cars
4 Mar 2024
"BYD, Dacia, MG and Renault are among the most impressive and in-touch car brands in the world"
Opinion - MG3
Opinion

"BYD, Dacia, MG and Renault are among the most impressive and in-touch car brands in the world"

Mike Rutherford is confused as to why so many car manufacturers avoided the 2024 Geneva Motor Show
3 Mar 2024
BMW Isetta-inspired Microlino EV coming to the UK, and we’ve driven it!
Microlino Lite - Geneva front
News

BMW Isetta-inspired Microlino EV coming to the UK, and we’ve driven it!

The tiny Microlino and the new Microlino Lite electric cars have been given the green light for UK sales
1 Mar 2024
New Renault 5: price, specs, launch and on sale dates
Renault 5 - front
News

New Renault 5: price, specs, launch and on sale dates

The much-loved Renault 5 is back in action as a brand new electric car. Here's everything you need to know about it...
28 Feb 2024

Most Popular

Road tax set to rise in April: here’s how much more you’ll pay
Road tax documentation
News

Road tax set to rise in April: here’s how much more you’ll pay

Drivers with newer cars will now pay £10 more per year, although the biggest gas guzzlers fare even worse
28 Mar 2024
Posh new trim level for Dacia Sandero while the Sandero Stepway gets more power
Dacia Sandero - front
News

Posh new trim level for Dacia Sandero while the Sandero Stepway gets more power

Both the Sandero and Sandero Stepway ranges have been tweaked, gaining more safety features to meet the latest regulations
26 Mar 2024
Car Deal of the Day: updated Skoda Enyaq at 0% APR and a free home wallbox charger thrown in
Skoda Enyaq iV - front cornering
News

Car Deal of the Day: updated Skoda Enyaq at 0% APR and a free home wallbox charger thrown in

Skoda’s family-friendly EV with 348-mile range is our Car Deal of the Day for 26 March
26 Mar 2024