After a few weeks testing three fast but very small sports cars, the 2024 Honda Civic Type R was a welcome reminder of why “hot hatches” became so popular in the 1980s.
Don’t get me wrong, I fully appreciate the power and handling of genuine sports cars, in this case the newest versions of the BMW Z4, Mazda MX-5 Miata, and Subaru BRZ. As two of the very few convertible sports cars still being made, the BMW and Mazda were especially fun to drive with the tops down on summer days.
But sports cars are not intended to be daily drivers. Sure, you can live with them on a daily basis if that’s your only vehicle. But just getting in and out of my testers was a challenge, along with the stiff suspensions that were sometimes jarring on the poorly maintained streets in my part of town. And when it comes to practicality, let’s just say it’s best to plan on traveling light. Only the BRZ had a back seat, and it was only suitable for a gym bag.
In contrast, the Type R was as easy to get in and out of as a compact car, because that’s what it is – a high-performance version of the 2024 Civic that includes a real backseat and a hatchback for serious cargo space. But it was as fast and handled as well as any of the sports cars I recently tested, thanks to serious upgrades that transformed the humble economy car into practically a factory rally car.
Since the Civic arrived in America 50 years ago in 1972, Honda has sold about 250,000 of them a year, on average. The first Civic Type R arrived in 2017 as an all-out performance model with 306 horsepower mated to a standard close-ratio six-speed manual transmission and a limited slip differential that drives the front wheels. A firmer suspension improved handling, while bigger brakes helped keep everything under control. The 2024 version ups the ante by increasing the engine’s output to 315 horsepower.
Honda toned down the exterior of the Civic when it was completely redesigned in 2022, replacing the swoopy, youthful lines with a more formal, adult look. Those behind the current Type R apparently didn’t get the message, however. The engineers put fat fender flares over the tires, blending them into the body instead of using paste-on widebody gimmicks. The front end has a much large and lower air dam, three chrome exhaust tips jut out under the center of the rear end, and one of the largest rear wings on any car is an available option. The results scream “boy racer,” so owners have only themselves to blame if they attract police attention.
The normally staid interior is also jazzed up with unique, deeply sculpted red sport bucket seats, carpeting and special trim. Pressing the +R drive mode changes the gauge package to better track performance. The display is refreshingly small, which means it is not as distracting as the larger ones that are becoming so common these days.
The Civic Type R is only offered with a manual transmission, in this case with a six-speed with close ratios for the first four gears, and fifth and sixth intended for freeway driveway. It was as much fun as those in the manually-equipped sports cars I recently tested, offering yet another reason for enthusiasts to consider the larger vehicle.
Honda also offers four drive modes on the Type R: Comfort for daily-driving; Sport for more aggressive performance; Individual for customization; and +R which is designed for track driving by increasing responsiveness, firming up the suspension dampers, and more.
Of course, no Civic is a convertible, as opposed to the BMW Z4 and MX-5 Miata. But the BRZ and several other sports are only available as hardtops, too, including the mechanically identical Toyota GR86, Nissan Z, and Toyota Supra.
In truth, Civic Type R actually competes directly against a number of high-performance compacts. They include the Subaru WRX, Volkswagen Golf R, and the Toyota GR Corolla, which somehow squeezes 300 horsepower out of a turbocharged 1.6-liter three-cylinder engine. Unlike the Honda, the Subaru, Toyota, and Volkswagen come standard with all-wheel-drive. Only the Golf R is not available with a manual transmission. All start at under $46,000, with the 2024 Civic Type R beginning at $44,795.
For those who don’t need that much performance or want to spend that much money, Honda also offers the Civic Si. It features many similar performance upgrades, including a turbocharged 1.5-liter engine that produces 200 horsepower (50 more than the base 2.0) and comes standard with a limited-slip differential, special trim, and a stiffer suspension that is not as firm as the Type R starting at just $29,100.
But enthusiasts will want and love the Type R version. It is an affordable high-performance vehicle you can live with.
2024 Honda Civic Type R
Base price: $44,795
Price as tested: $45,890
Type: Compact high-performance hatchback
Engine: 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder (315 hp, 310 lbs-ft)
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Drive modes: Comfort, Sport, Individual, +R
EPA estimated mileage: 22/28
Overall length: 180.9 inches
Curb weight: 3,188 pounds
Final assembly: Yorii, Japan
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