Driving Torque

It's All About The Motors.

Driving Torque

This is the YouTube page for Driving Torque - Articles, reviews and opinions about cars and all things automotive.
Go to www.drivingtorque.com

Driving Torque
Review by Ben Harrington from Driving Torque of the Suzuki Jimny SZ5
Suzuki Jimny Review
YouTube Video UCOtVdrU-nsf_4BZwMKZ08NA_tBEwl0WmNRw
Watch as a Model X performs its Celebration Mode Easter egg in the snow
Tesla Model X Celebration Mode
YouTube Video UCOtVdrU-nsf_4BZwMKZ08NA_Z04UK1MRXjE
This is what the exhaust tail pipe of a Ford Focus RS sounds and looks like when you accelerate quickly.
2017 Ford Focus RS Exhaust
YouTube Video UCOtVdrU-nsf_4BZwMKZ08NA_QkKOE0J4baE
Another gratuitous exhaust video for you. This time it's the behemoth that is the Mercedes GL63 AMG.
Mercedes-Benz GL63 AMG exhaust sounding immense
YouTube Video UCOtVdrU-nsf_4BZwMKZ08NA_S7TdJrBe8aw
This is a Porsche Cayman in Sport Plus mode with a Sports exhaust, showing the exhaust revving and moving as the car is put through its paces. Great footage of over-run and even the heat haze from the hot engine.
Porsche Cayman PDK Sport Plus
YouTube Video UCOtVdrU-nsf_4BZwMKZ08NA_8l_WTgJB0sk
Subscribe
  • Home
  • About
  • Ben’s Car CV
  • DTQ Partners
  • Contact

Honda Civic Type R GT Review – Just When You Thought It Couldn’t Get Any Crazier…….

May 22, 2018 by benharrington Leave a Comment

civic type r blue front side

We barely had time to get used to the last, 4th generation Civic Type R’s slightly nutty approach to driving when the new, 5th gen model was announced. This is due to the Type R being late to the 9th generation Civic party; replace the base model and you’ve got to replace the hot version, too.

Civic Type R blue side

Civic Type R

So, what’s new? Well, despite the engine being an updated version of the turbo-charged, 4-cylinder, 2.0 litre unit we found in the last Type R, it’s had a power increase up to 316bhp whilst torque remains the same at 400Nm. That’s only half the engine-story, though. Lag has been all-but eliminated and there’s hints of the good ol’ VTEC engines as it screams through the rev range up to 7,200rpm. We may have been forced to say goodbye to Honda’s n/a 9,000rpm Type Rs but they’re working damn hard to make up for it.

civic type r badge blue

Far More Than Just a Power Hike

It’s the rest of that car that’s seen the most dramatic changes, though. Honda claim that this is the first Type R to have been built from the ground up, being not just a modified ‘normal’ Civic. Practically everything has been improved upon; suspension, steering, chassis, transmission – if Honda could make it more Type R-ish, they did.

civic type r cabin

What this adds up to may not look like much in performance terms, on paper at least. 0-62 is still 5.7s (5.8 in GT) and one solitary mile per hour has been added to the top speed (169mph). Don’t believe everything you read, though, the new Civic Type R is the current record holder for a front-wheel-drive car to lap the Nurburgring, beating the VW Golf GTI Clubsport S by a whopping 5.4 seconds.

Why is the Civic Type R so Fast?

So, just how have Honda gleaned such an improvement in real-world performance (this Civic Type R beat its predecessor by 7 seconds around the Nordschleife)? Well, for starters, the 0-62mph times may be very similar but it’s what happens after 62 mph that matters. The similarities to the hey-day of VTEC engines continue as the engine seems to find more oomph as the revs increase. Couple this to one of the most precise six-speed manual ‘boxes and the results are captivating.

civic type r bonnet scoop

To really understand why this Type R is so special, you’ve got to take the time to have a good look around it. Everywhere you look there’s fins, scoops and carbon-fibre bits, all there to make it more efficient at cutting through the air, adding downforce or cooling hot bits. See those exhausts? They’re not just there for your Ferrari 458 fantasies. At high speeds, the smaller diameter central pipe can actually suck air in – the result is a good, raspy sound at lower speeds when you want it, but nothing too droney on the motorway. Now that’s attention to detail.

civic type r exhaust

Fancy a Bit of Heel & Toe Cheating?

If features like that are your thing, and I’ll assume they are, then you’ll love this. Always wanted to keep those revs up using a ‘heel and toe’ technique, but couldn’t quite get your plates of meat around it? Honda have sorted this for you and the engine will automatically rev-match on downshifts and even upshifts if necessary. Speaking of revs, scroll through the dash display and you’ll find a digital version of a set of shift-lights for optimum gear-changes. This thing isn’t messing about.

civic type r roof fins blue

Could the exhaust be louder? Well, yes, but that’s not what the Type R is about. Don’t like the styling? Again – tough luck, it’s not there to be a stationary work of art, it’s there to go quickly. Go, not show if you like. Personally, I can see how it may all be too much for some, but I think the basic Civic shape is much improved with the aero bits added.

civic type r rear wing blue

More Extreme, yet More Comfortable Too

One major criticism of the last Type R was that it was too harsh, all of the time. Honda must have been listening because there’s now not only a +R mode that puts everything at its sharpest for ultimate pereormcane, there’s a Comfort mode too. No, it’s still not exactly a Rolls Royce Phantom but it’s a hell of a lot easier to live with when you happen to not be driving around a track.

civic type r +R switch

Should I Buy a Civic Type R?

The New Civic Type R is an exercise in taking the hot hatchback genre to the extremes. It still holds the FWD Nordschleife record – for how much longer, who knows? Whatever beats it is going to have to be something special, though.

By Ben Harrington

Honda Civic Type R GT Specifications

Specifications; Honda Civic Type R GT, Transmission – 6 speed manual, Layout – Front engine, FWD, Power – 316bhp, Torque – 400Nm, Emissions – 176g/km CO2, Economy – 36.7 mpg combined, Maximum Speed – 169mph, Acceleration – 5.8s 0-62mph, Price – £32,995 OTR with GT pack, £30,995 without.

The Honda Civic Type R is available now. For full details go to; www.honda.co.uk

civic type r carbon fibre

Filed Under: Driven, hot hatch, Road Test Tagged With: Civic, civic type r, focus rs, golf gti, Honda, Hot hatch, i30 n, type r

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Driving Torque

I'm Ben Harrington and I'm a car lover, freelance motoring journalist and family-man (I'll let you decide the order!) I started Driving Torque in 2010 to share my love of all things motoring with the wider world. Since then, … continue reading

Driving Torque’s Instagram Posts

driving_torque

We’ve spent some time recently with the crossove We’ve spent some time recently with the crossover it’s ok to be seen in - the All-New Subaru Outback. #subaru #outback #carsofinstagram
Got to be honest, I didn’t think much of the las Got to be honest, I didn’t think much of the last Honda HR-V. This goes back today, though, and I think I’ll miss it. #honda #hondahrv #carsofinstagram
Got to be honest, I didn’t think much of the las Got to be honest, I didn’t think much of the last Honda HR-V. This goes back today, though, and I think I’ll miss it. #honda #hondahrv #carsofinstagram
Got to be honest, I didn’t think much of the las Got to be honest, I didn’t think much of the last Honda HR-V. This goes back today, though, and I think I’ll miss it. #honda #hondahrv #carsofinstagram
Another highlight from this week’s SMMT Test Day Another highlight from this week’s SMMT Test Day was this; the unashamedly macho Ford Mustang Mach 1. A full review will follow later this year, hopefully. #ford #fordmustang #forduk #carsofinstagram
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Driving Torque’s Twitter Feed

Ben Harrington Follow

Freelance motoring writer and Editor of Driving Torque. @NGMWcars member. Classic VW owner. Husband and father to a wonderful wife and two amazing young ladies.

DrivingTorque
drivingtorque Ben Harrington @drivingtorque ·
5h

https://buff.ly/3a464Wv #subaru #outback #review #roadtest #crossover

Reply on Twitter 1543299467960532993 Retweet on Twitter 1543299467960532993 Like on Twitter 1543299467960532993 Twitter 1543299467960532993
drivingtorque Ben Harrington @drivingtorque ·
1 Jul

https://buff.ly/3a464Wv #subaru #outback #review #roadtest

Reply on Twitter 1542936828826763269 Retweet on Twitter 1542936828826763269 Like on Twitter 1542936828826763269 1 Twitter 1542936828826763269
drivingtorque Ben Harrington @drivingtorque ·
1 Jul

https://buff.ly/3a464Wv #subaru #outback #review

Reply on Twitter 1542831103362404352 Retweet on Twitter 1542831103362404352 1 Like on Twitter 1542831103362404352 Twitter 1542831103362404352
drivingtorque Ben Harrington @drivingtorque ·
29 Jun

https://buff.ly/3ObO4Z5 #honda #hrv #hybrid #review #roadtest

Reply on Twitter 1542117432768299013 Retweet on Twitter 1542117432768299013 1 Like on Twitter 1542117432768299013 Twitter 1542117432768299013
drivingtorque Ben Harrington @drivingtorque ·
28 Jun

https://buff.ly/3lWtAH5 #ssangyong #tivoli #review #suv

Reply on Twitter 1541740446468243458 Retweet on Twitter 1541740446468243458 1 Like on Twitter 1541740446468243458 Twitter 1541740446468243458
Load More

© 2022 · DrivingTorque.com · Site designed and built by Kobestarr.com