First Drive: 2021 Honda Civic Type R Review

Since the Simca 1100 Ti of the seventies, drivers have lusted after powerful and somewhat impractical hatchbacks, with the diminutive motors offering something most supercars couldn’t - affordability.

And after joining the fray in the late nineties, Honda has led the charge with its Civic Type R. From the earliest EK9 to the EP3 and later FN2, various iterations of the Type R stood head and shoulders about the competition, helped in part no doubt by Honda’s concurrent racing success.

The FK8 – please, please don’t ask us about the model codes – debuted back in 2017 to much acclaim, having undergone a dramatic design overhaul while retaining the 2.0-litre, turbocharged inline-four of its predecessor, the FK2, albeit with 10 extra horses. And while the FK8 was still going strong in terms of sales and looks, Honda has further fettled it for 2021.The model range now comprises the entry level Type R Sport Line, the ‘middling’ – take that with a pinch of salt – GT and the Limited Edition, only 20 of which were assigned to the UK, all selling within an hour. Last week, we climbed inside the GT for a spirited sprint around the Shires...

Personally, this last generation of the Civic is my favourite, although, like a hefty spoonful of marmite, plenty of my peers would retch in disgust.

The Type R takes the edgy styling of the standard Civic and accentuates it, making the angles sharper and the lines more dramatic. The colours, too, scream ‘look at me’, with a bold new racing blue joining the iconic Honda red and gunmetal grey. There’s a gorgeous new ‘Sunlight Yellow’, but that’s reserved for the top spec, limited edition and already sold out Type R Limited Edition - more on that another day. 

Otherwise, this facelift is so superficial that it could go unnoticed, with the GT model receiving but redesigned fog light surrounds, new air intake ‘styling blades’ and a 13 per cent larger grille opening. However, in the case of the latter, it appears that there is logic behind the looks, with the size increase reportedly a direct response to the Type R overheating on track (overseas, certainly not in the UK) and making for a 10-degree drop in coolant temp. To counteract the aerodynamic loss that this larger grille incurs, the front bumper air dam has been made deeper and more rigid, with the addition of tiny ridges on the sides to better direct air flow.

The drive is focussed and succinct, with the car boasting a connectivity to the road that I haven’t felt in any other hot hatch. It’s achingly fast, but sticks so well that it feels much slower. However, this abundance of squat grip doesn’t compromise on the engaging drive for which the Type R is known. In fact, thanks to updated and revised suspension geometry, it is now sharper and more responsive than ever, with no discernible torque steer whatsoever. The result is better braking stability and reduced roll which, combined with the low centre of gravity, inspires you to brake later and corner faster. The adaptive damping on all four corners now evaluates road conditions ten times faster than its predecessor, also working to offer improved suspension response, stability and improved toe-in characteristics under cornering.

Throttle response is immediate (no turbo lag here), and the steering is perfectly precise. In terms of stopping power, two-piece disks replace the previous single piece unit, while Honda’s engineers have worked hard to remove 15mm of brake stroke from the pedal. While I can’t vouch for the difference, the brakes felt pretty damn sharp to me. 

Three modes, Comfort, Sport and R+ offer driving styles for various situations, with distinct adjustment to the adaptive dampers, steering force, gear shift and throttle response, although none are afraid to let rip when you put your foot down. And let rip it does, with the direct-injection turbocharged powerplant catapulting the car from 0 - 60 in just 5.8 seconds, with a top speed of 169mph achievable. Power tops out at 320PS (235kW) at 6,500rpm, while peak torque of 400Nm (295lb ft) is available from 2,500rpm to 4,500rpm. And, as you could imagine, traction was not an issue on these spirited sprints. 

R+ mode lights up the dash, egging you on and unleashing sheer hell through the front tyres, propelling the car with a vengeance. Optimised everything conspires to make this a track-worthy weapon, although it’s brilliant fun on the road, too. Sport, meanwhile, is the default option when starting the car, combining performance and driveability, while comfort boasts ‘softer’ suspension and a less-urgent steering feel.

The best thing about the updated Type R’s interior is without a doubt its gearknob. A significant chunk of R&D went into this and the result is well worth our appreciation. Counterweighted, teardrop-shaped, cold to the touch and yet velvety smooth, it dances through the H-shape, adding another level of driving pleasure to an already immensely enjoyable car. 

An uncluttered centre console and dash allows ultimate focus on the drive, with the modes activated via an easy rocker switch to the left of the shift. The Alcantara-clad steering wheel is weighty yet sharp, while the bolstered bucket seats hold you firmly in place during even the most enthusiastic of driving.

Carbon-fibre trim throughout reminds you exactly what this car is capable of.

For with a car as enjoyable and analogue as this, you couldn’t blame Honda for allowing the in-car kit to fall at the wayside. After all, who cares about a DAB radio when you have 320PS and the R+ mode at your disposal? In the Type R there’s no compromise – brilliant performance combined with the most up-to-date tech. The façade features a seven-inch TFT display, which in turn hosts the infotainment system, navigation and safety feature settings. And those safety features are the same as can be found in the normal Civic, offered under the guise of the ‘Honda Sensing Suite’, and including collision warning and mitigation braking system, lane keep assist and traffic sign recognition.

In the cabin, the Type R models also receive Blind Spot information, dual-zone climate control, an auto-dimming rear view mirror, a wireless charging pad, and a 11-speaker audio system.

And one final element worth a mention is the new Honda LogR app, which allows the driver to connect to their car to view and analyse driving data in order to improve track performance.

At risk of reading like a paid promotion, it really was hard to fault the new Type R on our 80-odd-mile route around the Cotswolds, with the 2021 updates the icing on an already GBBO-worthy cake. Perhaps I’m too young to care that the ride in ‘Comfort’ was really anything but, or that the six-speed manual and full clutch were less than ideal in traffic. Or perhaps, these are features for which drivers would buy the Type R – an omnipresent hint of discomfort to remind you that this isn’t just any old hatchback. No, this is a car for the purest of purists, and Honda hasn’t rested until they’ve got it right.

At £34,820, the GT is a £2,000 premium over the lower spec Sport Line, which shares the same power figures and technology albeit in a subtler body package. Whether it’s worth it will be down to the individual, but personally, I’d go for the GT anyday.

With deliveries due in January 2021, you’d better get adding it to your Christmas list now. But just don’t tell Santa how naughty you plan to be in it…