After teasing it ad nauseam, Honda has finally revealed the 2023 Honda Civic Type R. Well, mostly revealed it, anyway. We still don’t know how much horsepower it has or what’s been done to its chassis, other than some parts have been “upgraded.” What we do know is that the latest version of Honda’s hottest hatchback is said to be more powerful than ever. It also looks more mature, which was easy to brush off because its predecessor looked like something out of the Japanese anime series Gundam Wing.
R-effective and R-restrained appearance
It’s no secret that the outgoing Civic Type R had love-it-or-hate-it styling. For better or worse, the new CTR doesn’t evoke as strong reactions. However, we think it looks great, with just a few spicy additions that don’t spoil the otherwise subdued design. Of course, there are still some fake vanity vents, but the ones behind the front wheels are now real. The rear spoiler remains a prominent feature, but is no longer a caricature of a boy racer.
Like the outgoing version, the new Civic Type R has a unique body. It’s still offered only as a hatchback – per tradition – and has flared fenders that set it apart from the lesser Civics. Honda also gives it wider rear doors that you won’t find on the regular hatchback. The side skirts are another unique touch, and at the rear there’s the Type R’s trademark black diffuser with a triple tip and central outlet.
R-return of the sidewall
Easily overlooked, but extremely important, is the R-rated Civic’s new wheel and tire combination. The latter rode on 20-inch wheels with 245/30 summer tires that had pancake-thin sidewalls. Fortunately, a smaller set of lightweight 19-inch wheels with thicker sidewalls is now standard. Don’t worry though; Honda only reduces the diameter of the wheel. The CTR’s contact patch is now significantly wider thanks to the new Michelin Pilot Sport 4S 265/30 summer tires.
Normally, the big news with the all-new Civic Type R would be its performance specs. Unfortunately, they’re being kept under lock and key until Honda reveals them closer to the vehicle’s launch this fall. Luckily, we have some hard facts about what’s under the hood to hold us over. Its yet-to-be-determined power comes from a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. Once again, the engine’s lap time partner is a six-speed manual transmission with rev-matching.
Honda says it will be “the most powerful Type R ever.” The American version previously had 306 horsepower; those in the European and Japanese markets had 316 horses. Is it safe to say the 2023 Civic Type R will have at least 317? The way Honda is framing it makes us think that might be the case, but corporate marketing is a fickle friend, so we’ll just have to wait and see. This also applies to its suspension and steering. They are somehow improved. That’s all we know for now.
R-ed Carpet Treatment
Inside, the car’s Type R-specific front seats come in any color you want, as long as it’s bright red. We had the chance to sit in these new buckets and can report that they are super comfortable. The US-spec model will also get a red carpet for the first time, a treatment previously only seen in other markets. As of now, we are not sure if Honda will offer black carpet or not.
The rest of the hot hatch’s interior is what you’ll find in the upper versions of the regular Civic hatchback. That means a 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, automatic dual-zone climate control and a fully digital dashboard. In the Type R, the latter shows a unique design in the +R drive model. It includes shift lights, gear position and race car-inspired graphics for the tachometer.
Honda hasn’t said how much the 2023 Civic Type R will cost, but it’s expected to exceed the price of the 2021 model, which starts at $38,910.
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