Honda Civic TYPE R – red-hot and hardcore

DEVELOPING what manufacturers like to call ‘a race car for the road’ usually involves some compromises.

Go for the full racetrack set-up and the car can often feel like a racehorse that won’t take hold of the bridle – not the easiest or most comfortable of conveyances.

Lean more towards the everyday sports car and that icy edge, the sensation of unharnessed fury, can feel a touch dampened.

Honda made lovers of its fabled hot hatch, the Civic TYPE R, wait five years for the latest generation model to hit the streets and after spending a week in the company of a top spec GT version I can say the wait was worth every second.

The car is powered by the most extreme Type R engine yet to be built. It’s a turbocharged 2.0-litre direct injection petrol unit with an easy-shift six-speed manual transmission and front-wheel drive.

A race car for the road, you bet it is. The TYPE R is hardcore, really hardcore, but without the rough edged, stripped out, bone-shaking characteristics of a competition vehicle.

And that surprised me, because despite all that savage power the Honda behaves in a civilised manner and, rear spoiler apart, looks racy rather than overblown.

In a straight line it’s both thunderous and supremely stable, offering heaps of torque, while round bends it grips like a limpet.

In fact an almost completely flat underside helps airflow under the car and, along with a rear diffuser, increases downforce to help suck the TYPE R into the road.

This is a car that almost compels you to drive fast, aided by the positioning of the six-speed manual gearshift – and if you need to brake late, the car comes with a Brembo package developed specifically for the vehicle.

So on the gloss black alloy wheels at the front, there are 350mm discs – the largest ever to have been installed on a production Type R model – which are drilled to help cooling under extreme load.

The big numbers are 0-62 in a fleeting 5.7 seconds and a potential top speed of 167mph.

The CO2 figure could be worse at 170g/km and though the official average fuel return is 38.7mpg it’s realistically one for the dreamers, especially if the +R mode for a more track-focused experience, is engaged.

Inside, the high backed black and red sports seats are both attractive and body-hugging, there’s plenty of room for adults in the rear and the boot is spacious too.

And the multi info display provides TYPE R specific read-outs like acceleration time, lap time and boost pressure.

Opting for the GT version adds stuff like parking sensors, red ambient lighting, Adaptive Cruise Control, a 320-watt sound upgrade and a suite of sensor-based safety features for an extra £2,300.

There may be a wealth of choice on the hot hatch scene at present but the Civic TYPE R has all the boxes ticked – it looks fabulous, is family friendly and is just sensational to drive.