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Honda Civic 2024 review: Type R track test

EXPERT RATING
9
A Honda Civic Type R on a well-liked race track must be bliss, right? We take Honda Australia up on the offer to find out.

Before we dive in, this isn’t your typical road test. 

That’s because there’s no road, per se. Instead, the majority of what you’re about to read comes from The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia.

You’ve read the headline, though, so you’re probably putting it all together: a Honda Civic Type R on a well-liked race track must be bliss. Let’s find out.

A very quick catch-up for those not in the know. The Honda Civic Type R (or CTR if you like) is the brand’s only performance model on sale after the demise of the NSX supercar. 

The current (FL5) CTR is a little over a year old, having been launched internationally in late 2022, but has only been on Aussie shores for a little while. In fact, we’ve already reviewed it for the road, back in April.

But Honda Australia was keen to get media behind the wheel in a setting it says the CTR thrives in - a racetrack. Its predecessor was a car loved almost universally, can this one live up to the new standard?

Does it represent good value for the price? What features does it come with?   8/10

Honda’s relatively new retail business structure means some sting is taken out of the Civic Type R’s $72,600 price tag as it’s drive-away. No on-road fees.

But it’s still well north of the $50,990, before on-roads, the previous generation FK8 version started from, and there’s not a huge list of additional features you’ll find in the cabin.

Dual-zone climate control, a wireless smartphone charger, 9.0-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay, ambient lighting, all features that didn’t garner much attention at 200km/h down The Bend’s main straight.

The Civic Type R wears a price tag of $72,600. The Civic Type R wears a price tag of $72,600.

However, the Type R’s impressive 'LogR' track day telemetry and lap timing software, bright red bucket seats and Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel, aluminium pedals and gearshift knob made of the same were all put to proper use.

The LogR app for your smartphone allows you to take the data recorded by the CTR on track and analyse it, compare your lap with others (even from other drivers) at the same track, and can even automatically score and give feedback on your laps.

Personally, I wasn’t particularly upset to find out I was significantly slower than 2022 TCR Champion and general Australian motorsport veteran Tony D’Alberto.

There’s no sunroof, leather trim, seat heating or ventilation, no head-up display or even power-adjust for the driver’s seat. But more expensive (and sometimes less capable) sports cars are sold for more money with fewer mod-cons.

There’s not a huge list of additional features you’ll find in the cabin. There’s not a huge list of additional features you’ll find in the cabin.

Is there anything interesting about its design?   9/10

The last Type R was divisive to say the least - rather sharp and aggressive styling reminiscent of a robot from a 1990s anime, with plenty of design details and enough black trim to give white CTR’s that Star Wars stormtrooper vibe.

It was loved and hated, and there seemed to be few who found their opinion in the middle of those.

This generation changes that.

Much softer styling and a more restrained approach to detail makes this Type R look much more mature - for better or worse, depending on your view - than the last, though it hasn't lost much of its ‘look at me’ factor.

Much softer styling and a more restrained approach to detail makes this Type R look much more mature. Much softer styling and a more restrained approach to detail makes this Type R look much more mature.

Sleeker headlights, softer lines in both body panels and in places like the grille, as well as a smaller hood vent are all clear.

Aerodynamics played a big part in the design of this car, with Honda Australia’s tech team telling us the time it spent in the wind tunnel during development was so long they wanted to get press photography done there.

The small flick or canard ahead of the rear wheel, for example, directs air into the rear wheel to cool the brakes.

Of course, there’s still a great big wing mounted to the rear. How else are you going to know it’s a Type R? For that, you could also look down to the tri-exit exhaust, we suppose.

The CTR features sleeker headlights, softer lines in both body panels and in places like the grille. The CTR features sleeker headlights, softer lines in both body panels and in places like the grille.

How practical is its space and tech inside?   8/10

The Civic Type R is a four-seat hatchback, so if you were looking to cart four of your nearest and dearest around regularly, you may need to look elsewhere.

However, for a car that holds front-wheel drive lap records at circuits like Mount Panorama and indeed The Bend, it’s a pretty convenient thing.

Its tech behind the 9.0-inch multimedia screen is a little dated, but it’s still functional and most will use phone mirroring often enough that the native system is an occasional necessity.

The seats are well-bolstered and comfortable in the front. The seats are well-bolstered and comfortable in the front.

In terms of the physical practicality, it benefits from the glow-up the standard Civic has undergone.

Physical controls for the climate remain (good!) and there are two very useable cupholders and a relatively well-sized storage bin under the elbow rest.

The seats are well-bolstered and comfortable in the front, providing the duality of a car that will hold you stable during track driving and be plush enough to keep you comfy on the drive home.

Upfront is a 9.0-inch multimedia screen. Upfront is a 9.0-inch multimedia screen.

In the back, only two passengers can sit in the Type R despite the car being spacious enough for a third seat to at least be an option. Instead there’s a permanently accessible cupholder, but no armrest.

It is very spacious, with ample knee room and possibly even enough headroom for rear passengers to wear helmets if the idea of a four-up track lap takes your fancy.

Behind that, 411 litres of boot space is impressive for the segment, though the boot’s lip is fairly high and rounded at the sides.

What are the key stats for its engine and transmission?   10/10

Like the last Type R, this hot hatch boasts a highly-strung turbocharged 2.0-litre inline four-cylinder engine under the bonnet, complete with red engine cover and Type R badging.

The new iteration of this engine makes 235kW at 6500rpm and 420Nm between 2600 and 4000rpm, with much of the 7.0kW/20Nm increase over the last car making itself known all the way through the rev range.

For changing gears, a six-speed manual gearbox with auto-rev matching - should you choose to keep it active - is the only option. That gearbox transfers power to the front wheels only, as is traditional.

The drivetrain can be adjusted for intensity via the drive modes, 'Comfort', 'Sport', '+R' (which saw plenty of use on this test) and 'Individual'.

The new iteration of this engine makes 235kW at 6500rpm and 420Nm between 2600 and 4000rpm. The new iteration of this engine makes 235kW at 6500rpm and 420Nm between 2600 and 4000rpm.

What is its fuel consumption? What is its driving range?   9/10

Honda says the Type R’s official combined cycle fuel consumption figure is 8.9L/100km, the last-gen car’s figure was 8.8L/100km.

Of course, we didn’t get to test fuel efficiency on the track and if we did, we can’t imagine it would have been incredible. The car's 47-litre tank needed a refuel during our session.

But last time we drove the Type R, we spent a week and about 500km testing the hot hatch and found it used 11.5L/100km, not too far from the claim and reasonable for a car of this performance pedigree.

Honda says the Type R’s official combined cycle fuel consumption figure is 8.9L/100km. Honda says the Type R’s official combined cycle fuel consumption figure is 8.9L/100km.

What safety equipment is fitted? What safety rating?   9/10

ANCAP hasn’t crash-tested the current generation Honda Civic, though its European counterpart Euro NCAP has, awarding it a full five stars.

It scored relatively well for occupant safety (89 per cent for adults and 87 per cent for children) while being adequate in terms of pedestrian (82 per cent) and active safety assist (83 per cent).

ANCAP hasn’t crash-tested the current generation Honda Civic. ANCAP hasn’t crash-tested the current generation Honda Civic.

While it’s possible the Type R would have minor differences, it’s safe to take the results of that test as a relatively accurate measure of the CTR’s safety performance.

It features eight airbags, including front, front knee, and rear passenger-side impact, and full-length curtain airbags.

In terms of active and intervention safety, there’s Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), lane keep assist and departure warning, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, parking sensors and a reversing camera, plus traffic sign assist and driver monitoring.

Warranty & Safety Rating

Basic Warranty

5 years / unlimited km warranty

What warranty is offered? What are its service intervals? What are its running costs?   9/10

The Type R is covered by the same warranty and servicing as any other Civic, which is a huge score when it comes to high-performance cars and the costs usually associated with them.

Honda’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty is fairly standard these days, but it includes roadside assistance

Servicing is a flat fee of $199 per interval for five years, which come in every 12 months or 10,000km.

Honda’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty is fairly standard these days. Honda’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty is fairly standard these days.

What's it like to drive?   10/10

This is the bit you want, yeah? What’s it like behind the wheel of the new Civic Type R when road surfaces are at their best and a speed limit isn’t of concern?

Having spent plenty of time behind the wheel of the last CTR, two key words come to mind... familiar and refined.

Where the last generation at times felt on the sharp, tense edge even without sacrificing ability, the new Type R smooths out a lot of the minimal shortcomings of the last generation, just as it has for the exterior styling.

Its setting is relatively firm and direct, but not too heavy for track stints, with good communicative feedback for steering inputs. 

The new Type R smooths out a lot of the minimal shortcomings of the last generation. The new Type R smooths out a lot of the minimal shortcomings of the last generation.

It allows for smoother steering and a sense of how hard you can steer without over-shifting weight. Which in itself is another impressive aspect of the CTR, how smoothly you’re able to transfer weight not only in cornering but under braking and acceleration.

The 1429kg hot hatch will only complain gently with some tyre noise if you’re approaching it's fairly lofty limitations, the car’s inherent mechanical grip working well with the Michelin Pilot 4Ss.

For a front-drive car, its rear feels impressively planted, a trait the FK8 surprised many with, to the point that a regular comment from media and professional drivers is that it’s hard to believe the CTR is FWD.

Under hard braking, the rear stays steady, allowing plenty of control if you come in too hot for a corner. The pads and rotors seemed to hold up with a lot of track time, too.

Its setting is relatively firm and direct, but not too heavy for track stints. Its setting is relatively firm and direct, but not too heavy for track stints.

Power and torque delivery feel familiar if you’ve spent time in an FK8, even pulling out of tight-ish corners in third acceleration doesn't disappoint.

Its gearbox, too, might be one of the best feeling shifters around at the moment.

With or without rev-matching, a downshift in the FL5 feels smooth, visceral, and results in an engine whine that makes you feel like this car is more at home on a circuit than a boulevard.

The FL5’s abilities are on show in a smoother manner than its predecessor, and it makes the car more encouraging to drive quickly and smoothly.

This might be the best front-wheel drive performance car of all time. This might be the best front-wheel drive performance car of all time.

While rough inputs will still yield impressive results, the FL5 CTR’s a surprisingly comfortable thing to drive rapidly through bends and under hard braking.

Handling, acceleration (a claimed 0-100km/h in 5.1sec and we don’t doubt it), grip and cornering, braking, and now more than ever, comfort. At the risk of gushing, it’s hard to fault the Type R on track.

This might be the best front-wheel drive performance car of all time.

The FL5 CTR’s a surprisingly comfortable thing to drive rapidly through bends and under hard braking. The FL5 CTR’s a surprisingly comfortable thing to drive rapidly through bends and under hard braking.

Verdict

In the realm of factory-built performance road cars for less than six-figures, the track capability offered by the Civic Type R is hard to rival.

The way it communicates and encourages smooth driving is impressive. Its mechanical grip limits are clear well before you reach them and the car is very forgiving with small slides and gentle lift-off oversteer. It lets you know you’re approaching the limits well before you hit ‘em.

Performance hatchbacks from Volkswagen, the Golf GTI and R, are arguably more useable day to day, but don’t come close dynamically. The Hyundai i30 N is wicked fun and deceptively capable for its lower price, but lacks the Type R’s high-shine polish.

Is the FL5 Type R pricey? Yes. Is it worth it? Maybe.

Is it probably the last time a purely combustion-powered hot hatch is going to be this good? Almost certainly.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

Pricing guides

$59,900
Based on Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP)
Lowest Price
$47,200
Highest Price
$72,600

Range and Specs

VehicleSpecsPrice*
VTi-LX 1.5L, —, CVT AUTO $47,200 2024 Honda Civic 2024 VTi-LX Pricing and Specs
Type R 2.0L, —, 6 SP MAN $72,600 2024 Honda Civic 2024 Type R Pricing and Specs
E:hev LX 2.0L, — $55,000 2024 Honda Civic 2024 E:hev LX Pricing and Specs
EXPERT RATING
9
Price and features8
Design9
Practicality8
Under the bonnet10
Efficiency9
Safety9
Ownership9
Driving10
Chris Thompson
Journalist

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Pricing Guide

$72,600

Lowest price, based on new car retail price

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