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New Honda Civic Type R – World’s Fastest FWD Production Car.

New Honda Civic Type R – Powered By Adrenaline.

The new Honda Civic Type R is designed to look enticing from all angles, but those angles have been meticulously designed, honed and engineered so that it can cut through the air at speed. The unique vents, grilles and skirts work together with the rear tailgate spoiler and diffuser to minimize drag, optimize airflow and boost down force, providing improved handling and control at speed.

Ultimate Hot Hatch;

The Civic Type R is the ultimate example of what a hot-hatch should be. It has the ability to transform itself from a comfortable day-to-day hatchback into a hardcore performance car at the flick of a switch. Standard-fit adaptive dampers can be tailored to suit your driving mood, while the car’s broad range of abilities shine through no matter what driving mode the car is in. With a choice of ‘Comfort’, ‘Sport’ and ‘+R’ driving modes available, it is easy to adapt the car to the prevailing road surface and conditions.

World’s Fastest FWD Production Car;

Newly engineered from the ground up, the new Type R was developed in parallel with the new standard Civic hatchback, with mutual benefits to the dynamics and refinement of both variants. It retains the heritage of Honda’s high-performance hatchback bloodline, combining the purity of front-wheel-drive chassis dynamics with aggressive design and finely honed aerodynamics. The fact that the new Civic Type R is still the world’s fastest front-wheel drive production car around the legendary Nürburgring Nordschliefe racetrack in Germany really does add to the car’s overall appeal. Rivals to the new Honda Civic Type R include the VW Golf GTI, Renault Mègane RS, Hyundai i30N, Škoda Octavia vRS and the Peugeot 308 GTI.

Test Car;

My test car was a Honda Civic Type R fitted with an optional ‘GT Pack’ and finished in stunning Crystal Black Pearl paintwork. Standard specification is extensive, and includes 20” alloy wheels, keyless entry & start, Honda Connect infotainment system, Type R rear wing, privacy glass, LED headlights, sports seats featuring red suede, two rear seats, front fog lights, alloy foot pedals, alloy gear knob, limited slip differential, City Brake Active System, idle stop, climate control, Bluetooth, alarm, and a centrally-mounted Type R triple exhaust with finisher. As is the case across the entire Honda Civic range, Honda SENSING comes as standard. This suite of safety technologies consists of Collision Mitigation Braking System, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Keep Assist System, Lane Departure Warning, Road Departure Mitigation, Intelligent Speed Limiter, Adaptive Cruise Control with Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control and Traffic Sign Recognition. The optional ‘GT Pack’ includes a Garmin Satellite Navigation system, front & rear parking sensors, dual-zone climate control, red-line styling pack, high power audio system, auto-dim rear view mirror, automatic headlights, electrically folding exterior mirrors, ambient cabin lighting and wireless charging.

Excellent Boot Space;

Boot capacity in the new Civic is a healthy 478-litres with the rear seats in place and rises to 1,267-litres with the rear seats folded. Access to the boot is more than adequate for most bulky items and instead of a rigid boot cover (that can be difficult to store when you fold the seats), there’s a roller blind that brilliantly goes side to side. Rolled up, it’s little more than the size of a compact umbrella and the unit can be removed completely if necessary. Class-leading interior space and improved usability are key ergonomic features of the new Civic and excellent head and legroom will be much appreciated by all occupants.

Iconic Badge;

Honda’s Type R badge is an icon of performance that promises as many thrills as a GTI or RS-badged model from a rival manufacturer. The new Civic Type R uses similar running gear to the last model, but it has been given a thorough overhaul and a slight power boost to make the new car deliver even sharper handling than its predecessor. With the 2.0-litre VTEC Turbo petrol engine producing 320bhp and 400Nm of torque, the new Type R can accelerate from 0-100km/h in just 5.7-seconds and reach a top speed of 272km/h (where permitted). Claimed fuel consumption of 7.7l/100km on a combined driving cycle would appear to be very accurate, as I was pleasantly surprised at how slowly the fuel needle headed south after leaving the ‘full’ marking on the fuel gauge.

Terrific Driving Dynamics;

The first thing you notice from behind the wheel are the excellent bucket seats. They hug you very snugly and feel a lot more comfortable than they look. A new digital dash and cleaner centre console design also make the Civic Type R a very pleasant place to spend time in. On the road, the car rides with great suppleness and dynamic ability, allowing it to feel like a much more refined car than the previous model. A crucial change in the transformation is the addition of a more sophisticated multi-link rear suspension setup that replaced the old torsion beam. It means the Type R covers ground with more composure and control than before. A limited slip-front differential helps generate huge amounts of grip when cornering, creating an air of driving confidence when behind the wheel. The six-speed manual gearbox is truly excellent, with a precise, short and weighty throw between changes. A new auto rev matching function has also been added, which blips the throttle on down changes to help aid refinement. It works very well but you can turn the system off if you wish.

Pricing;

The new Honda Civic Type R has a recommended retail price of €51,750, while the optional ‘GT Pack’ offers outstanding value at an additional €2,200. Having spent a week behind the wheel of the new Civic Type R, it is clear to see that it really is ‘Powered by Adrenaline’.

Visit www.honda.ie for further information.

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