Honda Civic Type R review - ignore the looks, this is an astounding hot hatch - Honda Civic Type R vs rivals

Honda Civic Type R vs rivals

It might have been one of the most eagerly awaited machines of 2017 but how did Honda’s latest Civic Type R fare when it went up against Ford’s Focus RS and SEAT’s Leon Cupra 300 in our Supertest in issue 241?

The Civic packs 316bhp and 295lb ft of torque and features more wings, vents and scoops than you can shake a stick at but underneath it all there’s a heavily revised chassis with a sophisticated multi-link rear axle and adaptive dampers. And on both road and track it stamped its authority on proceedings with aplomb.

Weights, dimensions and performance data

The Type R couldn’t match the lissom SEAT on the scales – at 1412kg the Honda’s 65kg heavier than the Cupra – but it undercuts the portly Focus by a significant 150kg. Despite this all three cars have a similar power-to-weight ratio but thanks to its four-wheel drive the Focus blitzed the acceleration test, beating the Civic’s 5.9sec 0-60mph time by a clear second. The Type R did have the legs of the lighter SEAT though, beating the Cupra by 0.3sec.

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Where the Type R really scored though was in its braking ability, especially up against the heavier Focus, with the Civic’s 85.1 metre stopping distance from 100mph besting the RS by 15 metres.

Lap time and track driving

While the Civic was a great companion on the road its superiority was further demonstrated at Bedford’s West Circuit where its 1:26.2 lap time was 0.7sec quicker than the RS’s and 1.6sec better than the SEAT’s. 

A combination of tenacious grip, a punchy power unit and precise steering saw it carry serious speed through the quick corners but its ability to turn-in and resist understeer at the Hanger Hairpin and the Bank Complex was also deeply satisfying. Ultimately it was a dominant performance from the Civic on both road and track.

Supertest data and specs table