- Honda ‘concludes sales’ for Civic Type R
- Marks end of love affair lasting more than two decades
- Celebratory ‘Ultimate Edition’ model revealed
- We test the FL5 Civic Type R one last time…
Petrolheads will be weeping into their oily rags after Honda announced the end of sales for the Civic Type R.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll recognise that the Honda Civic Type R has been one of the quintessential hot hatches for more than two decades.
First launched in Blighty back in 2001, we’ve seen five of the fire-breathing variants on UK roads, from the original EP3 to the current FL5.
But all good things must come to an end.
Honda says European sales will soon ‘conclude’. To mark the occasion, Honda is launching a celebratory ‘Ultimate Edition’ that will end up being the R’s last hurrah.
The Edition, limited to just 40 models across Europe, comes in ‘Championship White’ with bespoke red decals across both the bonnet and down the side.
There’s a black roof and carbon fibre detailing throughout (you even get a commemorative carbon fibre keyring), including on the wing spoiler and doorstep garnish.
The carbon theme continues inside the cabin while you also see uprated ambient lighting and Type R logo projection when you open the front doors.
Hannah Swift, Head of European Strategy and Product at Honda Motor Europe, said: “As we say farewell to a true icon of the Honda automobile line-up in Europe, we thought it was fitting to give the Civic Type R the ultimate send-off with this special edition model offering our customers a unique opportunity to celebrate its legacy. The industry is changing, and our model range is having to evolve with it in accordance with European legislation. However, Type R has always been Honda’s ultimate expression of our passion for driving excitement, and we look forward to celebrating its heritage in the weeks and months ahead.”
What makes the Honda Civic Type R so intoxicating? We took one for a spin to find out.
It’s not the most powerful hot hatch going, its looks have divided opinion down the years, and its engine has only been turbocharged since 2015.
But there’s something magical about the Honda Civic Type R (not least the handling) which means you’d be mad not to want one in your garage.
The one you can lease right now is called the FL5 and it was first launched in 2022. For some, the design of the FL5 is slightly underwhelming and sedate compared with the unadulterated, in-your-face FK8 that preceded it, with its massive rear wing and menacing presence (it looks like it’d chin you in the nearest carpark for looking at its partner the wrong way…).
As it stands, a 2.0-litre VTEC Turbo engine offers 329 PS and 420 Nm and can propel you down the road from 0-62 mph in 5.4 seconds.
When you consider that the all-wheel drive VW Golf R can do the same sprint in 4.6 seconds, thanks to power of 333 PS, then you might be forgiven for wondering what all the fuss is about with the humble Honda.
But acceleration stats tell just half the story.
The Civic Type R has set front wheel drive production benchmarks at several circuits around the world – most notably the Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany on several occasions. It has also achieved similar feats at other circuits, including Magny Cours (France), Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium), Hungaroring (Hungary), Estoril (Portugal), Suzuka (Japan), Silverstone (UK), and Mount Panorama Bathurst (Australia).
As we pilot the Civic Type R around the hill route at Millbrook Proving Ground, Bedfordshire, you can sense its lightness (it’s much less hefty than the Golf R), its willingness to scamper around bends, and its razor-sharp precision.
A six-speed manual gearbox is surely among the best fitted to any modern car, with short throws letting you row with abandon, while a rev match control system is so smooth any idiot (like us) can feel like a racing driver.
And then there’s the Civic Type R’s interior, with bucket seats proudly swathed in red and black upholstery for more than 20 years.
There’s a sense of drama you don’t get with other hot hatches and the Type R is fiercely unapologetic. Which is why we’re going to miss it terribly (sob).
If the hot Civic is being put out to pasture because of stricter and stricter emissions regulations, what about the prospect of electric Type R?
It’s something Honda is working on, apparently, but only if they can create an EV that really matches the sensation of having a combustion engine under the bonnet.
Toshihiro Akiwa, head of the Japanese firm’s BEV Development Centre, recently told Auto Express: “A battery and motor have different characteristics so we can’t come up with something exactly the same as before. As an EV, how can we provide the joy of driving? We haven’t given up of course, but it’s not just about power, it’s about the sound, vibration, acceleration and the human experience. These are the joys of driving.”
If you want to lease a Honda Civic Type R before it throttles off into the sunset, we suggest you act now before you miss your chance.
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