The long wait is over. Yes, you read that right. The long wait is finally over. The Honda Civic Type R, arguably one of the most anticipated U.S.-bound performance models in a long time is set to make its arrival this summer. The hot hatch is scheduled to go on sale sometime in June or July 2017 - Honda’s press release did say “late spring” - and will carry a price tag that will be “in the mid-30k range.”

Okay so the timetable and price of the Civic Type R are not yet official, but that’s really an academic point, especially for those who have waited years for the hot hatch to make its way in U.S. soil. See, for those who aren’t familiar with the Type R’s history, the model has actually been around since 1997, spanning five different generations, including the one that was unveiled at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show. In all that time, the four previous-generation Civic Type Rs never made their way to the U.S. Sure, they were sold at one point or another in places like South Africa, Malaysia, and Hong Kong, but the U.S. had always been shut out of the hot hatch despite the fact that the country remains one of Honda’s biggest markets.

None of that matters now though because the 20-year wait is finally coming to an end. The Honda Civic Type R, with its luscious 306-horsepower and 295-pound-feet of torque capabilities will be roaming American streets. It’s worth noting though that the U.S.-spec Civic Type R will carry slightly less power than the international-spec cars, which will have 315 horsepower at its disposal.

The disparity in output probably won’t matter in the long run given how long U.S. customers have waited to get their hands on the car. So while all of us wait for “late spring” to arrive, we can at least look forward to the car making an appearance at the 2017 New York Auto Show where it will be on hand together with the Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid and Honda Clarity Electric models, both of which will be making their global debuts at the event.

Continue after the jump to read the full story.

Don’t expect people to be dissuaded by the Honda Civic Type R’s prices

The Honda Civic Type R’s pricing point has yet to be made official, but even with the automaker confirming that the MSRP will be somewhere in the “mid-30k range,” don’t expect customers to start becoming a little anxious about buying one. For one, even with that estimate, the Civic Type R’s price strategy would be very competitive compared to some of its rivals. The 2017 Ford Focus RS, for example, starts at $36,995 while the 2017 Subaru WRX STI has a base price of $36,015. If the Civic Type R is priced at around $34,000 to $36,000, that would instantly give the hot hatch a good and favorable price relative to its competitors. At the very least, it would even be a lot cheaper than the $40,195 base price of the 2017 Volkswagen Golf R. So as far as pricing goes, there doesn’t appear to be any reason for interested customers to worry about getting priced out of the car.

If there was a concern about the Civic Type R, it would be in terms of volume. Honda has traditionally kept the quantity of the model in check, often allocating a specific number of models to certain markets. It’s still unclear how many units of the Civic Type R will go to the U.S., but it’s something that customers should keep a close eye on, especially those who are bent on buying one.

In the event that luck is on the side of those people, they stand to get a hot hatch that’s not only brimming with power and performance, but also in terms of styling and all-around appeal. Remember, the Civic Type R is based on the current-generation Honda Civic, regarded as one of the better-looking versions of the model in recent memory. On top of that, the Type R, which is only available in hatchback form, carries a spate of tech and equipment, including 7.0-inch touchscreen with navigation, 12-speaker sound system, sport seats with heavier bolstering, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter.

All of that are included on a car that will cost around the same price as some of its competitors. I’d say that’s a big advantage for the Civic Type R since the excitement of seeing it in the U.S. for the first time will be heavy in the minds of a lot of potential buyers.

Read our full review on the upcoming Honda Civic Type R here.