2023 Honda Civic Type R: What We Know So Far
The details behind Honda's upcoming hot hatch.
Honda
Article QuickTakes:
The Honda Civic Type R is more than just another hot hatch: it's one of Honda's high-performance halo cars. It’s also the quickest model in Honda’s U.S. showrooms and one that has historically served as the focal point for the company's fans. For 2023, an all-new version of the vehicle is slated to arrive at dealers, and while it's based on the same hatchback platform as the standard Civic, it considerably ups the ante in terms of speed, handling, and design.
Here's what we know about the 2023 Honda Civic Type R's price, performance, and interior.
Honda
2023 Honda Civic Type R Pricing
Honda has yet to announce official pricing for the 2023 Civic Type R. However, educated guesses in the mainstream automotive media peg the window sticker in the neighborhood of $39,000. The rationale for this sum has to do with the price of the previous-generation Civic Type R (which started at around $38,000), as well as information posted by Honda dealers concerning the vehicle's imminent launch.
This would price the Honda Civic Type R below the similarly-powerful Volkswagen Golf R (a turbocharged hatchback that includes all-wheel drive), and above the front-wheel-drive Hyundai Elantra N.
Honda
2023 Honda Civic Type R Performance
Honda finally revealed the Civic Type R's performance details and things have been turned up compared with the previous Type R. The engine is still a turbocharged four-cylinder paired with a six-speed manual transmission, but now it makes 315 hp and 310 lb.-ft. of torque, improvements of 9 hp and 15 lb.-ft. over the previous Type R. That’s enough to take the crown as the most powerful Honda-badged vehicle to ever be offered in the U.S. market.
Drivers will be able to switch between a number of different drive modes, including Comfort, Sport, and R+ mode. There is also a new Individual Model mode that allows drivers to customize their settings.
Honda
Handling and ride comfort should also both improve, given the announcement that the 2023 Honda Civic Type R is reducing its wheel size from the 20-inch rollers found on the older model. In its place are a set of 19-inch rims wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. The additional sidewall should help the Civic handle rough roads and remain planted.
This year the Honda Civic Type R will be available in 5 colors: Championship White, Rallye Red, Boost Blue, Crystal Black Pearl, and Sonic Grey Pearl.
Honda
2023 Honda Civic Type R Interior
The Honda Civic Type R's cabin is fitted with a prominent set of bright-red sport seats, which are matched with similarly hued carpets. The dashboard retains much of the same look and feel as in the top-tier trim of the Civic hatchback, including a 9-inch infotainment touchscreen, as well as an LCD gauge cluster. The latter provides additional Type R-specific graphics to go with its performance info readouts.
Honda
New this year, and exclusive to the Type R, is an enhanced version of the Honda LogR Performance Datalogger, which lets drivers monitor a number of different performance data points while driving on a track. Notably, the system has been updated so drivers no longer need to use a smartphone app, but can use the onboard system in a standalone capacity, or alongside the app.
The Civic Type R is rated to hold 24.5 cubic feet of cargo behind the rear seats, which is a slight decrease from the more affordable base model Civic hatchback. Honda has yet to confirm the cargo capacity of the Civic Type R with the rear seats folded, but that same figure in the base model Civic hatch is just over 46 cubic feet.
