Honda Civic Type R Sport Line
Our Type R prayers have been answered! You can now order the FK8 without that rear wing
WHAT TOOK THEM SO LONG? FOR ALL THE brilliance of the FK8 Civic Type R, there has always been one sizeable stumbling block preventing many from signing up to monthly payments for one of the most accomplished hot hatches of this generation.
Cartoonish in proportion and aesthetically offensive to many, the sizeable aerodynamic device fixed to its tailgate rarely escaped mention when it came to this fifth iteration of the Civic Type R. It seems that what worked for Ford and the Escort RS Cosworth in 1992 found few fans on a Honda in 2017.
evo was torn over it too, pouring praise and lavishing plaudits on the Civic every time we drove it, revelling in its mesmerising chassis, left short of breath by its turbocharged four-cylinder engine, beguiled by its six-speed gearbox… but appalled by the ridiculousness of that wing and left conflicted by a car we wholeheartedly would recommend but always felt self-conscious driving, especially those of us old enough to be offered Covid jabs before the clocks went forward.
Yet judging a car on a single piece of aero design felt wrong, so we presented the get-outof-jail-free caveat of beauty being in the eye of the beholder and moved swiftly on to how fluid the FK8’S steering felt, and why the diff’s locking rate and integration were among the best we had ever experienced on a front-wheel-drive car.
Or we’d quickly divert your attention inside and point out the sublime Recaro seats and ergonomics that felt as well sorted, if not better, than those of performance cars costing many multiples of the Civic’s mid-thirty-thousand-pound price tag. Yes, we’d mention that the entertainment system was a bit shonky compared to those of European rivals, yet while it wasn’t cutting edge, it was still intuitive to use and also had precisely zero impact on the driving experience. That wing did, though, occupying the rear-view mirror like a Peterbuilt 281 chasing you across the Mojave desert.
Not that it distracts you too much from the
experience of driving the bewinged Type R, though, as it’s a car that’s flooded with feel and packed with performance, the latter available across such a wide board thanks to the 2-litre four’s blending of the best of turbocharged torque with the visceral punch of Honda’s famed VTEC technology. The revs build instantly, pulling consistently as the tacho needle sweeps around the dial and the engine note takes on that distinctive metallic tone that sounds like the valve gear is going to fire itself out of the air intake positioned at the top of the bonnet.
Then there’s the gearshift so crisp that the teardrop alloy gearknob is rarely left alone, your hand drawn to it in the anticipation of having to move it around the tight, mechanical gate. Truth is, the engine doesn’t need constant gearchanges with 295lb ft available from 2500rpm, but so sweet is the shift, so rewarding each change, that you can’t help but go up and down the ’box for the sake of it. Even when stationary at a set of traffic lights you can’t leave it alone. Yet another example of why manuals matter.
We like the Type R. We like how it drives, how its enthusiasm for fun is infectious no matter your mood when you fall into the driver’s seat. Its control weights are too good for a car at this level, which sounds an absurd thing to write, but there are premium sports cars from more established and traditional sports car manufacturers that don’t offer such precise weighting as this humble Honda hot hatch.
‘It’s a car that’s flooded with feel and packed with performance’
We like how the chassis pivots around its midpoint to provide such a balanced approach when the straight ends and the corners appear. The grip across the front axle feels otherworldly at times, so sharp and precise in how it locks onto a line and hauls itself through any apex, the rear mobile enough that there’s no need for provocation to get it to follow. When the mood takes you, the Type R leaves you in awe of its ability to entertain and enthral you better than any hot hatch that doesn’t replace its rear seats for a roll-cage.
And now you can buy it without the rear wing. Sorry it’s taken 700 words to state what is clearly obvious from the images, but I thought all of the aforementioned was worth clarifying. The new model is called the Sport Line and it’s the Type R for those who prefer the subtle approach to hot hatch design. Well, subtle for a Civic Type R.
So the wing’s gone, replaced with a smaller fixed spoiler. But that’s it, the rest of the Civic’s pugnacious Type R look remains largely unchanged, introducing a balance to the car that’s lost when the overbearing larger aero device is fitted. Painted Polished Metal Metallic (grey to you and me) like our test car, it almost looks sophisticated.
Upon closer inspection you may notice that the 20-inch wheels and bespoke Continental Sportcontact 6 tyres have also gone, in their place a set of 19-inch alloys and Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tyres developed to Honda’s needs. The tyre profiles have risen from 30 to 35 to compensate for the smaller rims, and there are new bushes for the suspension too. And to further tone down the looks, the red pinstripes are absent from those new wheels and the side skirts, while the Recaros are now black rather than red. Price-wise the £35,400 Sport Line sits halfway between the entry-level Type R (£34,415) and the GT version (£36,415), but keeps the latter’s dual-zone climate control, wireless charging, parking sensors and satnav.
If you’ve not driven a wild-winged Type R, you’ll think the Sport Line a knockout achievement. In this trim it’s still leagues ahead of almost anything that could be considered a rival. Every positive still applies, although if you’ve experienced a regular Type R you might detect a five per cent drop off in outright ability, but that’s about it. And in return you get an improvement in ride quality thanks to the Michelin’s softer sidewall and the reduced unsprung weight from the smaller wheels. Overall the car is 10kg lighter, the removal of the rear wing offset by the additional sound insulation fitted.
It’s still an intoxicating driving experience, then; one of the best available regardless of the price point, in fact. But Honda’s FK8 Civic Type R has never failed to impress from behind the wheel, and in Sport Line trim it no longer offends from the outside.
Engine In-line 4-cyl, 1998cc, turbocharged
Power 316bhp @ 6500rpm Torque 295lb ft @ 2500-4500rpm Weight 1395kg (230bhp/ton) 0-62mph 5.8sec
Top speed 169mph Basic price £35,400 + Same Type R performance, more grown-up look
- Er, the infotainment system’s not great. evo rating ★★★★★