Any written reviews? Vids are blocked at work...
Interesting tidbits from the review articles:
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Sure, it didn't have air-conditioning, but that was just hacked out to save weight, offsetting the mass of the roll cage. And before you ask, the cage didn't improve the shell's rigidity, because it was fixed to the car via rubber blocks.
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What is slightly unusual is that while most opt for variable vane turbo geometry to control boost across the rev range, Honda uses a monoscroll unit and depends on its VTEC valve control to manage things. It also electronically controls the wastegate.
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There's plenty of headroom, and the view out the back is surprisingly good, entirely unimpeded (unsurprisingly) by that lofty wing. We averaged 27.8mpg over the course of 450 mixed miles. And the ride is satisfying.
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Honda says 0-62mph takes 5.7 seconds. We did 0-60mph in 5.3 seconds and 100mph in 11.2 seconds.
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This new version puts those criticisms to bed, because in the default drive mode there is just enough cushioning at each corner to allow the body to ride bumps and potholes cleanly. Where the old car would have skipped and bounced over an uneven surface the new model is altogether more settled.
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You can’t feel the engine’s VTEC system kick in any more (it now performs its magic as low as 1,200rpm for better low down response), but there’s still a ferocious top end to play with and the engine will rev out to its 7,000rpm redline sweetly, so the traditional heady Type R character is still accessible.
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Er, it doesn't sound great. There are whooshes and sneezes and a blaring induction but that sweet metallic howl of old VTECs is missing. Amongst the competition it's good, and at least the noise isn't fake, but those yearning for a piercing shriek over the last couple of thousand revs will be disappointed. Sorry.
However, it's a brilliant turbo. Honda has reversed the VTEC - bear with us - so that the high-lift exhaust cam is in operation at low revs, allowing exhaust pressure to be built up and ensure the turbo is responsive at higher revs with the less aggressive cam. The changeover is entirely variable also. So there's no thrilling 'just kicked in' episode but in its place is a fantastically responsive forced induction engine.
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There's no sense of breathlessness as so often occurs, the keenness of 3,000rpm still there at 6,000 and above. Even with the lights you'll occasionally hit the (frustratingly soft) limiter, convinced there are more revs to come. By which point the Type R will be going really jolly fast too. It doesn't feel far off on A45 AMG to be honest.
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Moreover, even die-hard dual-clutch advocates will love the manual 'box. Honda of course has a reputation for these too and it's a pleasure to report business as usual for a great gearbox. The throw is short (just 40mm) and precise, the weight really satisfying and the whole process will remind you just why the manual is worth saving. Approaching in third, rolling a foot to the throttle and blipping just as the lever snicks into second is joyous.
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In all honesty, the '+R' mode ("optimised for the Nurburgring" say the engineers) seems a little redundant. Pleasingly it doesn't ruin anything with unnecessary stiffness or artificial weight but the standard setting never feels like anything is held back. It's the usual party box of sharper throttle, stiffer damping and heavier steering (through less power assistance actually) but also illuminates the dials bright red. That's enough to keep the button off.
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Honda says it's aiming for a 6.5 per cent market share with the Type R, which works out to about 1,500 cars in the first 12 months. Put simply this Civic will not be as numerous as the previous models, which seems a shame given the huge number of fans built up by the affordability of the old ones.
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