2020 Honda Civic Type-R: Hot Hatch Nirvana Achieved
The Type-R was already great. For 2020, Honda made a ton of tweaks to make it fantastic.
Honda's Type-R models are the pinnacle of the Japanese brand's capability and passion. Raw engines, sharp steering, steady braking, lightweight components, and a focus on usable performance. Red "H" badges adorn the front and rear, paired with Championship White paint, this 2020 Civic Type-R pays homage to the RA272 that won Honda's first F1 race back in 1965.
The first Civic Type-R in 1997 (EK9 chassis) was a two-door hatchback, ready to head to the track while handling daily driving duties. In 2017, Honda launched the FK8 Civic Type-R as a five-door hatchback, and it was an instant hit. With a 7:43 Nürburgring lap time, the Type-R was playing with the big boys while being practical enough for the family. The 2020 Type-R gets a bunch of tweaks that may not jump off the page, but the sum of these revisions probably adds up to something magical.
The Specs That Matter
As the most powerful front-wheel-drive Honda ever, and most powerful Honda-branded vehicle ever sold in the U.S., the 2020 Type-R's 2.0-liter turbo four pumps out 306 horsepower at 6,500 RPM and 296 lb-ft (401 Nm) of torque from 2,500 to 4,500 RPM. Hooked up to a six-speed manual with single-mass flywheel and helical limited-slip differential, the Civic Type-R can crack 0-60 in 5.4 seconds. Keeping tings tidy in the corners, Honda equips the Type-R with an adaptive damper system, with comfort, sport, and +R modes.
Focused on being lightweight, the Civic Type-R tips the scales at a mere 3,121 pounds (1,415 kg). The hot hatch performance comes at a sacrifice to fuel economy, but EPA estimates aren't too bad at 22/28/25 MPG city/highway/combined. Even with my more spirited driving and heavier city mile use over the week with the Type-R, I got 25 MPGs.
Packed with more performance than the typical Civic, the Type-R doesn't come cheap. At a sticker price of $37,950, you're spending $11,000 more than Honda's Si sibling, but that's still a couple grand less than the all-wheel-drive Volkswagen Golf R and the now-discontinued Ford Focus RS. There are other paint choices available on the updated Civic Type-R, including the new Boost Blue, but this rich shade of Championship White is the way to go.
Nice.
Plentiful Updates For 2020
Several suspension tweaks improve drivability while enhancing performance. New bushings front and rear give sharper steering feel while improving stability in corners. Adaptive dampers have been updated from 2kHz to 20 kHz to quicken response, and there's a new anti-roll system to keep the Type-R flat in the bends. Honda insists the comfort mode is now more compliant for daily duty while the raciest +R mode now goes harder than Lando Norris in Scenario 7.
Brakes get new floating two-piece Brembo front rotors with better ventilation, drop 2.5 pounds each, and get new pads for reducing fade and less pedal play during harder driving. The Type-R's exterior appears to be the same, but a redesigned front grill with a smaller red "H" badge allows for greater engine cooling, and the front lip spoiler has a sharper V shape with ribs at its ends to create negative air pressure ahead of the front tires. Inside there's a smaller shift knob, redesigned to feel better in your hand. There's also a 90 gram counterweight to provide a more positive sensation. With a synthetic suede boot, the shifter looks more like the setup in my former 1998 Integra Type-R.
Honda added the Honda Sensing safety package, including Adaptive Cruise Control, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Lane Keeping Assist System, and Road Departure Mitigation. Side mirrors now get turn indicators and heating, but don't get the passenger side view camera that pops up on the infotainment screen when you change lanes, like you get on other Civic models. For track enthusiasts, Honda is about to release its LogR app which--through the infotainment system and mobile app--provides all sorts of data points and feedback, with a proprietary scoring system to add a little flare to the learning experience.
Same rubber on the NSX.
What's a pirate's favorite car?
Practical Daily Driving You Expect From Honda
Texans will approve of cupholders big enough to haul a 44 oz drink while being out of the way of the shifter. The storage space under the climate controls is a good spot to throw your phone when it's plugged into Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Honda's touchscreen infotainment system looks a bit bland and small compared to other manufacturers, I appreciate that it's intuitive and cleanly built into the dash--ather than just some tablet screen slapped on--and satellite radio and navigation come standard.
With room for four adults, there are loads of storage space--25.7 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 46.2 with them folded. That's plenty of space to carry a couple friends or the kids, while stuffing a ton in the hatch. Hidden storage spots for smaller items are plentiful in the Civic too. The Type-R might be a performance car, but without sacrificing practicality.
Toggle the drive mode to "comfort" and easily run around town and commute to work. 20-inch wheels and tires are begging to break over a pothole, and while completing a sporty look and more clearance for those big Brembo brakes, I'd love a set of 18s and some meatier sidewalls to cushion the blow. To save weight, there's no spare tire, so you're stuck with the repair kit or a call Honda's roadside assistance line.
Functional Boy Racer Details
Unlike the parts found at your local Pep Boys, the Type-R's aero are functional. The front ducts provide cooling for the brakes, the scoop on the hood and vents behind the front fenders relieve the engine bay of excess heat, side skirts provide lateral aid, and the roof has functional vortex generators, pushing air onto that massive downforce-producing wing. Even the rear diffuser offers as much function as form.
Red front seats are supportive when you're throwing the Type-R around a twisty road while being comfortable after several hours behind the wheel. Carbon fiber look pieces are subtle, albeit fake carbon for cost savings, but they have a quality finish, and I love the brushed red trim around their edges.
Performance Is What Matters
The 2020 Civic Type-R's performance astounds me. This car out-handles plenty of sports cars with flashier badges and bigger price tags. Carrying speed through a fast sweeper is mind-bending, squashing any bullshit sayings about front-wheel-drive being wrong-wheel-drive. Honda's adaptive suspension and anti-roll systems are crafting magic to give the Type-R handling you wouldn't imagine possible in a front-wheel-drive five-door hatchback.
With little effort, you can jump from moderate to obscene speeds, and I love the way the Type-R hustles around when switching between 3rd and 4th gear on roads with a bunch of sweepers. The amount of usable power from the 2.0-liter turbo is fantastic, and never did I feel like I was in the wrong gear to get some flexibility from the powerband. Any stretch of S-curves are a blast in the Type-R. Weight transfers are seamless, and the car stayed planted around fast bends. Feeding in the throttle as you clip an apex is sublime, and letting the steering unwind as the Civic darts ahead feels awesome. It's easy to forget this thing has front-wheel-drive.
Not a hint of body roll is exhibited, unless you've got the comfort mode engaged, and even then it's minimal. Steering feedback is pleasantly light when you're in comfort mode, and tightens up with a perfect amount of weight in the sport and +R modes. Not only can the Type-R rotate with ease, it can induce a hint of oversteer due to its thick sway bars, ninja-quick adaptive suspension, 63-inch wide track front and rear, and mechanical LSD. I found myself able to flick a bit of a controlled drift when being a complete lunatic.
Unlike early VTEC engines, this Type-R's 2.0-liter turbo four's torque curve is available at nearly any RPM. It may not rev to 9,000 like the S2000 and first-gen NSX, but a 7,000 redline is fine, and 306 horsepower is plenty for a 3,100-pound car. The turbo spools up nicely from 2,500 RPMs, and has no trouble pulling the Civic ahead if you're too lazy to downshift from any gear. Especially between 35 and 75 MPH.
The Civic Type-R has great clutch engagement, with lighter input required than you'd expect in a racier model. There's an auto rev matching feature, if you can't heel and toe, but the pedals are so wonderfully placed, you'll want to skip that feature, and handle blips on your own. Brembo brakes scrub speed with ease, and never showed any fade when I was flogging the Civic Type-R along some twisty roads. Continental SportContact 6 rubber provides endless grip in demanding conditions, and is the same tire equipped on the new NSX.
I didn't give the Type-R a track test this time, as Texas resembles the surface of the sun this time of year. Once the LogR app is live, and things cool off, I'll have to give the car a proper track attack. With all the revisions to the suspension and brakes, I imagine it'll be a blast around a certain circuit in my neck of the woods.
The Most Complete Hot Hatch
I'm fortunate to drive and test performance cars, across the spectrum from reasonably priced to exotic. Personally, I've been lucky to have owned dozens of sports cars, varying from plenty of fast Honda models to a few Porsches, BMWs, and Miatas. I can't think of any car that provides such a pleasurable driving experience as the 2020 Honda Civic Type-R in this price range. Even for much more money.
There are plenty of fun cars in the mid- to upper-$30,000 range, but none offer so much usability. Even a new MX-5 in its sportiest trim will cost you $40,000. For my European friends, the Renault Megane RS Trophy-R is four seconds faster around the 'Ring, but costs the equivalent of $92,000 (£72,000). Honda gets so much performance for half the cash, at a price that's similar to many average family crossovers, while competing with some serious sports cars on any track or fun road. I can't think of a more complete package for tackling your responsible adult life while thrashing fun roads on the weekend.
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Comments (36)
Ugly as sin, sorry Honda stylist so lost their way, it's got more odd angles than a year 4 geometry class
I agree. It's fussy, awkward, riddled with cliche touches and "design by committee" at its worst. It's not going to age well. Up front it has a monobrow, out back a hoop skirt.
Once upon a time Honda made sleek cars.
I absolutely love it, and the photos are stunning
Thank you! I'm definitely a photographer first.
:)
Are they done with garnishing it yet? I'll take a restomod 1999 EK9 for that money.
As I wrote in the review, the parts that get a bit showy are actually functional.
Not doubting their functionality. I'm certain the same level of functionality could be achieved in a more subtle and discreet package if Honda so desired.
What even wud Honda be if they didnt hav the Civic.