Honda Civic Type R (2007 – 2012) Review

Honda Civic Type R (2007 – 2012) At A Glance

4/5

+Great steering and handling, futuristic looks. Still practical and spacious inside. Huge fun to drive.

-Engine needs to be worked hard. Firm ride and not enjoyable to drive in traffic. Poor fuel economy.

Insurance Group 34
On average it achieves 99% of the official MPG figure

Not many hot hatchbacks have been awaited as eagerly as this one. The old Civic Type-R had close to cult status. 35,000 were sold worldwide. And punters are passionate. You could make disparaging remarks about a chap's nearest and dearest, but criticise his Type-R and he'd eat your liver with a nice Chianti. Such deification led to deep anxiety that the new Type-R would somehow fail to live up to the old one.

No chance of that. Honda itself is an enthusiastic company, so listens to Honda enthusiasts. And there were, dare I mention, some criticisms of the old car Honda felt it needed to address.

Too raw was one. The power came in too late. The engine wasn't flexible enough. The steering didn't have enough feel. And the ride was between a rock and a hard place.

Then, of course, there's Honda's brave new bodyshape. No other car in the world looks remotely like it. But how would it take to the Type R treatment?

Honda Civic Type R 2007 Road Test

Honda Civic Type R (2007 – 2012) handling and engines

The body alone a very good reason for buying the new car. It makes everything else look previous century. Besides that, it's very practical. No hatchback the same size has the same luggage capacity, and certainly no hot hatch has.

But that's not what you want to hear. What you want is the aural pleasure of Honda's 201PS, chain-cam, non-turbo I-VTEC engine reaching 7,950rpm.

And they've been very cleaver with that. Now the valve timing changes at the point of peak torque: 5,600rpm. Then a light on the dashboard helpfully tells you that power is rising sharply from around 130PS to the full 201 at 7,800rpm, no less. Push past that and another red light comes on to tell you you're reaching the limiter.

But the vital question you want answering is how's the handling?

Put it this way, on the day I got to drive the new Type R it snowed. And though the snow thawed through the morning there was always a chance of hitting a patch of slush on your exit from a corner. The steering felt sharper and more informative than I remember it on the old Type R, though. And by the afternoon, copious amounts of salt and sunshine had done their work so we were allowed to drive up the Earl of March's driveway.

After a sighting run I got two drives as quick as I had the bottle for. And discovered the combination of steering and throttle feel is very good indeed. The first two corners are third gear and just got better and better. Less good, the unsighted jink left from the main straight to a narrow bit. Then hook right and left round the flint wall. Then boot it but watch the next right-hander because that's very tricky to take flat. Then as quick as you can to the finish line.

My co-driver learned from my mistakes and proved a much better driver than me, managing a near perfect second run, and hitting 90 twice, which is fairly quick for a gentleman's driveway. And the point was made that the steering, power delivery and handling all come together very well indeed. Better, I think, than the old car, especially in terms of steering feel.

Out on the open road the ride is stiff but not unacceptably so. However, Honda has lowered the final drive ratio slightly, and that means you only get around 20mph per 1,000rpm in 6th. So though the engine is very smooth, don't expect a relaxed high-speed cruise. This is not the sort of car to brave the wrath of the gendamarie and attempt to race to the South of France at 100mph. On the other hand you could see it as a sort of licence protection policy, constantly reminding you that 4,000rpm plus means 3 points if a copper with an LT1 pinpoints you on the motorway.

The price is a nice surprise. Just £17,600 for the standard car we drove. And only £1,000 more for the GT version that comes with extra goodies worth a lot more than £1,000.

I can't recommend the lightweight spare wheel. Honda has gone overboard with its weight-saving, and chucked the spare wheel overboard. All you get is a repair kit that's as much use on a shredded tyre as a tube of Superglue. You can pay extra for a space-saver. But there's so much room in the boot you might as well buy an extra wheel and tyre. And a wheel brace. And a jack.

That's a minor niggle, though. The new Honda Civic Type R started with a much more exciting car than the old Civic. And finished with a better Type R.

Engine MPG 0-62 CO2
Type R 2.0 i-VTEC 31–32 mpg 6.6 s 212–215 g/km

Real MPG average for the Honda Civic Type R (2007 – 2012)

RealMPG

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Average performance

99%

Real MPG

23–38 mpg

MPGs submitted

146

Honda Civic Type R (2007 – 2012) interior

Dimensions
Length 4140–4276 mm
Width 1695–1785 mm
Height 1425–1460 mm
Wheelbase 2570–2635 mm

Full specifications

So it's already a bit like a Touring Car racer. The red button starter comes from the standard Civic, but was itself the idea of old shape Type R enthusiasts who bought the red starter buttons designed for Honda S2000s and fitted them into their cigar lighter apertures. The red and black Alcantara trimmed bucket seats are like racing seats, but comfortable. The gearlever is just as close to your left hand, like a Touring Cars and the tight gate means quick changes.

Honda Civic Type R (2007 – 2012) models and specs

Dimensions
Length 4140–4276 mm
Width 1695–1785 mm
Height 1425–1460 mm
Wheelbase 2570–2635 mm
Miscellaneous
Kerb Weight 1204–1267 kg
Boot Space 315–1326 L
Warranty 3 years
Servicing 12500 miles
Costs
List Price £16,975–£21,725
Insurance Groups 34
Road Tax Bands K
Official MPG 31.0–31.7 mpg
Euro NCAP Safety Ratings
Adult 4
Child 4
Pedestrian 3
Overall 5

On sale until November 2010

Hatchback
Version List Price MPG 0-62
2.0i V-TEC Type R (S grade) 3dr £20,620 31.0 mpg 6.6 s
2.0i V-TEC Type R GT 3dr £21,725 31.0 mpg 6.6 s

On sale until February 2010

Hatchback
Version List Price MPG 0-62
2.0i V-TEC Type Championship White 3dr £21,534 31.0 mpg 6.6 s

On sale until January 2009

Hatchback
Version List Price MPG 0-62
2.0i V-TEC Type R 3dr £18,020 31.0 mpg 6.6 s
2.0i VTEC Type R GT 3dr £19,000 31.0 mpg 6.6 s

On sale until January 2007

Hatchback
Version List Price MPG 0-62
2.0i V-TEC Type R S 3dr £17,500 31.0 mpg -

On sale until March 2006

Hatchback
Version List Price MPG 0-62
2.0 i-VTEC Type-R 3dr £16,975 31.7 mpg 6.6 s

Model History

July 2006

Type R of 2006 Civic. 3-dr body. 201PS at 7,800rpm from chain-cam 2.0 litre naturally aspirated i-VTEC. 18" wheels with 225/40 R18 tyres. GT version with added spec. Shown London Motor Show July 2006. Eagerly anticipated. On sale from February 2007 at £17,600 for standard car and £18,600 for GT with a/c, etc. Better to drive than the old Type R.

January 2009

From January 2009, just 500 Type Rs in Championship White with white alloy wheels, smoked chrome trim and limited slip diff, priced at £20,140 or £21,540 with satnav. You can feel the diff working turning into fast corners.

July 2009

MUGEN EURO Co., Ltd has confirmed the development of a highly-tuned Honda Civic Type R 'MUGEN' concept prototype road car, using the same powertrain as the Civic MUGEN RR saloon launched in 2007 in Japan. The car is being developed in Japan by MUGEN EURO – the Northampton-based subsidiary of Honda’s long standing tuning partner MUGEN – and will be brought to the UK for testing later in the year.

At this stage, the car is being prepared purely as a prototype model. To enhance the performance of the Civic Type R, MUGEN EURO will tune Honda’s 2.0-litre i-VTEC engine to produce more power and torque, as well as developing the brakes, exhaust and suspension. Externally, the Type R takes on a more aggressive appearance, with a new aerodynamic package including a larger rear boot spoiler. There are currently no plans for a production model.

What to watch out for

01-01-0001:

Complaint of lights on hatchback filling with condensation.

Complaints of fault factory fitted alarms.

One owners list of faults with Type R GT after 15,000 miles: Not started 3 times due to flat battery which has been checked by Dealer and found to be ok. Nothing to do with being at standstill. On one occasion I had driven 120 miles, stopped for 1 hour and it wouldn't start. Constantly wondering if it will happen again. Climate Control cannot hold a steady temperature. Drives me crazy with constant fiddling. Been in 5 times to Dealer but no fault found. 3rd gear not engaging without baulking. Sorted by dealer without question. Interior fittings poorly assembled. Dashboard squeaks but Dealer cannot fix.

Mystery battery leakdowns can be through the starter switch. Can also be though a faulty oil sensor switch.

31-03-2016:

Front brake calliper reported as seized on 2009 Honda Civic Type R. Needs new front brake discs, callipers and pads. Possibly due to the way the car had been driven.