The new Honda Civic Type R won our Sport Compact Car of the Year trophy during the 2018 Auto123.com Awards ceremony, held this past November 22nd in Toronto. It beat out the two other finalists in the category, namely the Subaru WRX/WRX STI and Volvo S60/V60 Polestar.
Faster and more nimble, with a striking design both inside and out, this car is a real home run by Honda—not to mention the brand’s most powerful production model ever sold in Canada.
The track-ready Honda Civic Type R produces 306 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque thanks to a direct-injected and turbocharged 2.0L DOHC i-VTEC engine. Other performance goodies include a short-throw 6-speed manual transmission, a helical limited-slip differential, Continental SportContact 6 high-performance tires, massive 20”x8.5” aluminum wheels in a black finish and 4-piston Brembo calipers up front.
Let’s not forget the dual-axis strut front suspension and multi-link rear suspension (both with anti-roll bars), exclusive springs, bushings and damper mountings, and newly designed Adaptive Damper System with the ability to continuously adjust damping force at all four corners using input from three on-board G sensors, four suspension stroke sensors and a steering angle sensor. Drivers also have three modes to choose from including COMFORT, SPORT and +R.
The Honda Civic Type R further stands out with an all-aluminum hood, a high-flow exhaust system with three centre-mounted outlets, plus a comprehensive aerodynamic package. Inside, the cockpit is damn near perfect; you’ll find red-illuminated performance indicators, a 7” touchscreen Display Audio interface (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility), navigation with voice recognition and a 12-speaker 542W audio system. Elsewhere, the 727.7 litres of cargo space (rear seats up) should allow you to transport a few spare tires if you like doing burnouts.
What Honda has to say about it…
“The all-new Civic Type R offers a sporty and stylish exterior with advanced aerodynamics that immediately distinguishes the hatchback at a glance, while also providing a performance-focused interior with comfort, convenience and the latest in technology and connectivity features.”
Interested in buying a Honda Civic Type R? Check out its specifications, read our expert review, watch a video of its record-setting lap at the Nürburgring and then browse through our photo gallery below.
