"Honda’s 2017 Civic Type R is one of those rare cars that lives up to the hype of being equally adept at the daily commute and a racetrack." - KBB
The Civic Type R uses a hot-rodded version of the new Honda Accord's 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4, making a class-competitive 306 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. It's mated to a slick six-speed manual driving the front wheels and mechanical limited-slip front diff. Between the two is a lightweight, single-mass flywheel. And this transaxle features Honda’s first application of automatic rev-matching for downshifts. Shifter feel is precisely what we’ve come to expect of Honda: absolute precision.
There’s no waiting for the VTEC to kick in, and there is no turbo lag at all. The Type R' trademark odd center-exit exhaust is not just for styling. Each of the three pipes does something. The fat outer two are the primary exhaust routing while the smaller center pipe connects to a resonator tucked just behind the bumper cover to add to the engine note.
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Models
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2017 Honda Civic Type-R
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2017 Ford Focus RS
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2017 Subaru WRX STI
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2017 Volkswagen Golf R
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MSRP
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$33,900
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$36,120
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$35,195
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$35,655
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Engine
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2.0L turbo 4-cylinder
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2.3L GTDI 4-cylinder
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2.5L turbocharged BOXER 4-cylinder
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2.0L Inline-4
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Transmission
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6-speed manual
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6-speed manual
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6-speed manual
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6-speed manual
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Horsepower
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306hp
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350hp
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305hp
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292hp
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Torque
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295 lb-ft
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350 lb-ft
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290 lb-ft
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280 lb-ft
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However, when you take a peek at other cars in the segments, the 350 hp Focus RS tops the table as it is the most powerful hot rod in the segment. The Type R is the only Front Wheel Drive (FWD) car among the all-wheel-drive Focus, WRX STI, and Golf R. Honda applies a mechanical solution to avoid torque steer.
2017 Civic Type R 0-60 mph and Quarter mile Acceleration
At roughly 3,100 pounds, the 306-hp Type R accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds. That's less than a second slower than the 350-hp all-wheel-drive Focus RS' 4.5-second time but quicker than both a 305-hp 2017 WRX STI and a 292-hp Golf R, both of which benefit from grippy all-wheel-drive launches and need 5.7 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph.
The Civic Type R maintains second place through the quarter-mile, too. Its 14.0-second run at 102.5 mph trails the Focus RS' 13.3-second run at 103.3 mph, but the Civic still just beats out the WRX STI (14.1 seconds) and the Golf R (14.1 seconds).
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Models
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2017 Honda Civic Type-R
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2017 Ford Focus RS
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2017 Subaru WRX STI
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2017 Volkswagen Golf R
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0-60 MPH
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5.3 sec
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4.5 sec
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5.7 sec
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5.7 sec
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Quarter mile
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13.5 sec
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13.3 sec
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14.1 sec
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14.1 sec
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Engine
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2.0L
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2.3L
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2.5L
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2.0L
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“It was a symphony of dips, crests, blind corners, and on- and off-camber corners, some with uneven pavement, and the 2017 Honda Civic Type R was absolutely annihilating it.”- MotorTrend.
2017 Civic Type R Handling and Steering
The Civic Type R is a track-ready hatchback on the street. Most high-power hot hatchbacks are beset with a compromise—peaky engines, punishing rides, and poor fuel economy but not the Type R. On a good pavement or around town or on the highway, it is an easy-going cruiser. The Honda is agile and absorbs bumps and bruises from the road without upsetting the driver or chassis.
Steering is crisp and quick, and the throttle response is linear. The Honda Civic Type R is an FWD and a good one at it. However, the 20-inch wheels and low-profile tires are adaptive dampers with 3 settings as standard.
With the Civic Type R’s track-focused tuning the ride quality is on the stiffer side, though can be ignored. There is a three-mode adaptive damping system, with Comfort mode providing smooth traveling during daily commutes, and Sport mode lets you drive in between compliance and responsiveness. +R mode (better known as Track mode) delivers the kind of flat cornering and dive-less braking you’d expect from a track-ready car. With the change of each mode, the throttle sensitively and steering weight along with the suspension also changes.
2017 Civic Type R Braking Performance
In braking tests, the 2017 Civic Type R manages to tie the Focus RS' 104 foot stop from 60 mph. This braking performance again outperforms the WRX STI's and Golf R's 109 foot stop. Weighing almost 3100 pounds, the Type R is equipped with standard 13.8-inch cross-drilled brake rotors with four-piston Brembo calipers on the front axle and Single-piston sliding calipers grab the rear rotors.
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Model
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2017 Honda Civic Type-R
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2017 Ford Focus RS
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2017 Subaru WRX STI
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2017 Volkswagen Golf R
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Brake Front (in.)
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13.8
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13.8
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13.0
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13.4
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Brake Rear (in.)
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12.0
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11.9
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12.4
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12.2
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Curb Weight (lbs.)
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3117
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3434
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3391
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3283
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60-0 MPH (ft.)
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104
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104
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109
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109
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The pedal feel is excellent, even if its travel is a bit farther than we might like. There are openings in the front bumper to help cool the brakes. The big Brembo give a lot of reassurance in the Type R, so, relax and drive the hot hatch to the fullest.
