2018 HONDA CIVIC TYPE R – THIS BEWINGED BEAST KICKS BUTT!
In recent years Honda's have gained a reputation for being "Ricers" cars. Love it or hate it, this is one mental little car!
The radical Civic Type R is a polarising hi-po hatchback. Haters think it’s too hideous to own, and backers believe it’s too fantastic to miss. We know it’s the latter. To all who disagree, we say don’t knock it till you try it. Honda has seemingly perfected front-drive performance on the Type R by all but eliminating unpleasant torque steer and prioritising balance through celestial chassis tuning.
The sole powertrain is a sweet six-speed manual gearbox paired with a 306-hp inline-four; unlike hot Civics of the past, this engine is turbocharged. Its in-your-face styling may be too much to stomach, but its funky looks are forgotten after your belly fills with butterflies from its bonkers engine and gigantic grip. While words can’t fully describe what the Type R is like to drive, we strongly suggest you don’t judge this crazy go-cart by its cover.
What’s New for 2018?
After the Type R's successful return to South Africa – and many other corners of the earth – in 2017, Honda’s bold and outrageous top-spec Civic is unchanged for 2018. However, that doesn’t mean the competition has rested on its laurels. The Ford Focus RS is available only as a limited-edition model since production is ending but, for the final year, features that were previously optional are standard. Likewise, Volkswagen has increased the Golf R’s warranty and gave its dual-clutch automatic transmission a seventh gear, and revealed significantly quicker acceleration times than before.
What trims and options we'd recommend:
• Navigation, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto
• Passive entry and push-button start
• Adaptive dampers
• Front sport seats
Apart from a handful of optional accessories, the only buying decision is to pick a paint colour that calls the most, or least, attention to this rolling caricature. Personally for me though, I'd go for white, I have always been a fan. But the colour of a car is almost as personal as taste in music. Hint: Rallye Red is eyebrow-raising and outrageous.
Bewinged wickedness aside, the Type R is an incredible machine that’s supernatural on the track and legitimately livable in daily driving. For a drivers car, this Type R has most definitely exceeded the expectations of diehard fans across the globe and will surely continue to impress.
So, whether in traffic, on the track, or on your way to church, this new Civic Type R will most certainly do the trick.
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