Honda Civic Type R Review

Honda has been refining the same idea for three generations and has now essentially finished it. The 2.0 litre turbo makes 315 horsepower, the dual axis front strut design separates steering from suspension loads so completely that torque steer is simply absent, and the helical limited slip differential fires the car out of a corner with a confidence that front-wheel drive should not permit.

The gearshift is the best in production, short and mechanical and impossible to mis-slot. The FL5 also dropped the previous car's fake vents and spoiler forest for a shape you can drive to a client meeting. Inside it is plastic-heavy but laid out with real intelligence, with physical climate controls, a proper handbrake and seats that hold you without hurting.

Fuel economy is genuinely good. Honda reliability applies. Resale has been extraordinary, helped by limited supply and dealers who behaved badly enough that used cars looked cheap by comparison. The catch sits inside. At forty four thousand dollars the hard plastics on the doors and the flat expanse of dashboard feel like a Civic with better seats, and that is the one place the money does not show.