Honda Civic Type R (FL5) review – the undisputed king of hot hatches
The FL5 is more exciting, tactile and rewarding than any other current hot hatchback, and one of the best everyday performance cars you can buy
It's easy to be cynical about the FL5-generation Civic Type R. On paper, it's very much an incremental upgrade over the FK8 and far from the most powerful hatch on sale, and now that Honda has significantly toned down its design, some question whether it looks extreme enough for a Type R (you can't please everyone, can you?). Then there's the small matter of the price, which at £50,050 pulls the Civic Type R into battle with some very serious metal.
In reality, none of that matters, because the FL5 is astonishingly good. We'd go so far as to say that it sits right up in the pantheon of all-time hot hatchback greats – which is even more remarkable when their future is becoming less than certain. Yes, it's expensive and UK availability is limited, but no other hot hatch quite is as polished and poised as this one.
Honda Civic Type R: in detail
- Engine, gearbox and technical highlights > A masterclass in powertrain engineering, perfectly paired to a highly tuned chassis
- Performance and 0-60mph time > Looks average on paper only due to the limits of front-drive traction. In the real world there’s plenty of performance
- Ride and Handling > Set up with an unerring focus that shines brightest on smoother roads
- MPG and running costs > If you’re able to get more than 30mpg out of a CTR you probably have a heart of stone
- Interior and tech > It’s perfect. Driving position, tactility, material quality, design. Honda got it so right
- Design > Same basic silhouette as before, but now with a more mature and bespoke aesthetic that makes it look every bit a £50k sports car
Price and rivals
At £50,050 the Honda's pricing is punchy, but as we found out when we tested it against every hot hatchback on sale in evo issue 318, its depth of engineering and involvement are unmatched in the class. It's simply the best new hot hatch you can buy.
What's more, although it's almost 100bhp down on top-tier machines such as AMG's A45 S and Audi's RS3, the Civic's fine-graded motorsport feel makes it more exciting than much more powerful alternatives. In our test, it was Toyota's Gen 1 GR Yaris that ran it closest. The Toyota has recently received a comprehensive update in £44,250 Gen 2 form, and it's more rewarding than ever – it might now be a match for the Type R.
In every test we have put the Type R into, the front-drive, six-speed-manual hatch has left its rivals behind, demonstrating that the highest level of driver engagement isn’t exclusive to the exotics and the specialists. It’s a hatchback that can carry a family for mundane tasks before instantly turning its hand to being a devastatingly rewarding car for trackdays, or those drives where you simply want to get away from it all. It's a sure-fire evo icon.
