With the European version of the latest-generation Civic having been launched in 2011, it sure took Honda long enough to bring out the Type R model. After countless teasers and what seemed like neverending testing sessions in various types of camouflage, the new Civic Type R has been finally launched at the Geneva Motor Show, along with the first official information about the model.

In case you were expecting an outrageous body kit, more than 300 horsepower and more torque than any other previous Type R model in history, your assumptions have been more than met by Honda, making the long wait until the reveal almost worth it. If anyone can truly make a sporting front-wheel-drive model that would be the engineers from Honda, and at least on paper the new Type R looks like an impressive piece of kit.

Updated 07/02/2015: The new Civic Type R went into production at the company's European car manufacturing facility in Swindon, UK.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2016 Honda Civic Type R.

2016 Honda Civic Type R

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2016 Honda Civic Type R
  • Segment: Array
  • Engine/Motor: inline-4
  • Horsepower: 305
  • Torque: 295
  • Transmission: six-speed manual
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

Unfortunately, not all the flamboyant details sported by the Civic Type R concept were kept on the production version, with the "devil's horns" taillights integrated into that massive rear wing missing from the model brought at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. Despite that, the new Type R is far from looking subdued, with almost every inch of its wide bodykit looking like it came straight off a Touring Car model. The front end is dominated by two enlarged upper and lower grilles, while the bumper is adorned with two functional intakes that send fresh air toward the engine bay and front brakes. The wide front splitter attached to the bumper helps to reduce lift at high speeds, while also redirecting some of the air toward the almost completely flat underside and rear diffuser thus creating a venturi effect that sucks the car onto the road.

The side view is also motorsport-related in terms of design, with functional outlet vents being visible on both the front quarter panel above the wheels and behind them, near the door. Enlarged wheel arches that house 19-inch wheels in 235/35 R190 tires specifically designed for the Type R are also present, along with a set of aerodynamically-enhanced side skirts. The rear end is where most of the magic happens in terms of styling, even though the rear wing looks a bit less scary than on the Civic Type R Concept from 2013. Thankfully, the four-pipe exhaust system is present in production form, as is the functional aerodynamic diffuser.

Exterior Dimensions

Overall length

4,390 MM (172.83 Inches)

Overall width

1,878 MM (73.93 Inches)

Overall width

2,065 MM (81.29 Inches) (including door mirrors)

Overall width

1,466 MM (57.71 Inches) (unladen)

Overall height

2,594 MM (102.12 Inches)

Wheelbase

1,605 MM (63.18 Inches)

Track Front

1,528 MM (60.15 Inches)

Track Rear

118 MM (4.64 Inches) (with driver)


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Interior

Compared with the exterior, the Civic Type R's cabin is a bit less extravagant, but you will never confuse it with an average Civic econobox in terms of sporty details. A gear lever made from machined aluminum alloy is present, like on almost every previous Type R model, while the front seats are deeply sculpted to provide ample lateral support during hard cornering.

Trimmed in black and red fabric with a swede effect and red double stitching, the seats are accompanied by a leather-engulfed sports steering wheel that is also adorned with red double-stitching and red leather inserts, including a 12 o'clock mark. The red accents are found in almost every area of the cockpit, including the dashboard, the instrument cluster and an "+R" go-fast button.

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Drivetrain

Red-lining at a rather high 7,000 rpm, the new turbocharged, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder looks like a pretty capable powerplant. Sporting a fast-spooling turbocharger, direct injection and VTEC valve technology that further boosts low-end torque, the new Type R engine delivers 306 horsepower (310 PS) and 295 pound-feet of torque, more than any previous Type R production model. Paired in standard with a short-shifting six-speed manuaal transmission that channels the power to the front wheels, the new Civic Type R can hit 0-62 mph in 5.7 seconds, while its top speed stands at a segment-leading 167 mph.

A so-called Dual Axis Strut Front Suspension can apparently reduce torque steer by 50 percent compared with a standard Civic suspension set up, while a new four-point addaptive damping system increases the basic damping force by up to 30 percent when the +R mode is activated by the driver. Oddly, Honda hasn't specified anything about a limited-slip differential, so it may be safe to assume that the carmaker has turned to a brake-actuated understeer control and torque vectoring, which could be bad news for track fanatics.

Drivetrain Specifications

Type

direct-injected turbocharged 2.0 litre VTEC TURBO

Type

4 valves per cylinder

Type

1,996

Capacity

86.0 x 85.9

Bore x stroke

9.8

Compression ratio

306 HP @ 6,500 RPM

Output

295 LB-FT @ 2,500 RPM

Torque

5.7 seconds

0-to-100 km/h (62 mph)

270 KM/H (167 MPH)

Top Speed

six-speed manual


Suspension and Brakes

Honda didn’t dive too far into the Type R’s suspension system yet, but it did mention that it worked hard to produce as much downforce as possible. It installed an aggressive rear spoiler, rear diffuser, and front splitter. Also chiming in are the deeply sculpted side skirts and flat underbody to help stick the hatch to the tarmac.

Bringing this 306-horsepower hot hatch to a stop are four-piston Brembo front calipers clamping down on 13.8-inch drilled rotors. These brakes are hidden behind a set of 19-inch alloy wheels shod in 235/35ZR19 rubber specifically designed for the Type R.

Prices

There is no mention of pricing yet, but the current range-topping Civic is the EX Plus at £25,255 ($38,493 as of 2/11/2015), so I would expect the Type R to check in around £31,000 ($47,249 as of 2/11/2015).

Competitors

Ford Focus RS

Ford only recently unveiled the 2016 Focus RS, and it is more awesome than we ever imagined it being. It will roll into showrooms boasting a 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine that produces at least 315 horsepower. Most estimates are putting the 2.3-liter engine at closer to the 350-horsepower mark.

The engine will mate to a six-speed manual transmission that delivers the power to all four wheels. That’s right, this bad-boy has all all-wheel drive. What’s more, this advanced all-wheel-drive system can deliver up to 70 percent of the power to the rear axle and 100 percent of that power to one wheel or the other. Pricing is still unknown, but most reports have the Focus RS checking it at around £30,000 in the UK and around $35k in the U.S.

Read our full review on the Ford Focus RS here.

Volkswagen Golf R

The VW Golf R is yet another hot hatch that the Type R will need to battle in both the UK and the U.S. (if it shows up here). The peppy VW checks in at $36,595 here in the U.S., putting it about in line with where I’d expect the Type R to fall if it does cross the pond. In the UK, the Golf R checks in at £30,150 ($45,903 as of 2/11/215).

Under its hood lies a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder that lays down 292 horses and 280 pound-feet of twist. This power routes through either a six-speed manual transmission or a DSG dual-clutch unit. With the added grip of standard 4MOTION all-wheel-drive, the Golf R can get to 62 mph in 5.3 seconds with the manual or 4.9 seconds with the DSG transmission. The Type R obviously can't touch those acceleration numbers, plus the Golf R just screams “sleeper,” not boy racer.

Read our full review on the Volkswagen Golf R here.

Conclusion

A new Civic Type R is always a glorious thing, and one packing a 306-horsepower Earth Dreams powerplant is even better. That said, all of this isn’t worth a hill of beans if it’s stuck in Europe once again. I understand it is expensive to import that Civic hatch to the U.S., but there are plenty of buyers here who are champing at the bit to get their hands on one and will pay whatever to do so. Besides, with the Focus RS now coming to the States, Ford is daring Honda to make the jump. Only time will tell if Honda will take the bait.

Update History

Updated 06/02/2015: Honda dropped a series of new images of the new Civic Type R and we have to admit it looks amazing in red!

Updated 03/04/2015: Honda unveiled the all-new Civic Type R at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. Check out the "Pictures" tab to see the model on the auto show floor.

Updated 02/27/2015: Shmee150 was one of the luckiest man: he managed to scope the rear of the next Civic Type R. Even if only part of the car is revealed, we have big hopes that next week we will be completely impressed.

Updated 02/23/2015: Honda teased the upcoming Civic Type R one more time in a very motivating commercial. This means of course that the official debut is getting closer.

Updated 09/11/2013: During its press conference at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, Honda offered the first official details on the Civic Type R set to be put on sale in 2015. According to the first details, the future Civic Type R will be powered by a direct-injected, turbocharged 2-liter engine that will deliver "at least 280 PS." While the official launch date is still far away, Honda unveiled a first video featuring the next Type R in action on Nurburgring.

Updated 11/19/2013: Honda has revealed the 2015 Civic Type R testing on the Nurburgring ahead of its debut at the 2013 Tokyo Auto Show. You can see the images after the jump.

Updated 06/25/2014: Honda unveiled a very wild teaser video for the future Civic Type R. Of course the video reveals pretty much nothing on the car, but it surely make us dreaming about the next Type R.

Update 8/13/2013: New spy shots show the Civic Type R being tested against the Focus RS and other European hatchbacks in the 300-horsepower range. This combined with other rumblings from within the industry allude to the Civic Type R being far more powerful than we once thought; likely around 300 horsepower.

Spy Shots

January 14, 2015 - Honda Civic Type R testing on the snow

September 30, 2014 - Honda Civic Type R Testing Near Nurburgring

The latest spy shots showed the Civic Type R pretty much uncovered, but with a less aggressive look than we expect to see from the production model.