January car of the month: 2023 Honda Civic Type R

by Baron Wilton

posted on January 30, 2023

The new Honda Civic Type R is more powerful than ever

The Honda Civic is one of the most popular cars in the United States and is well loved globally as a value-packed, economical, compact car. Although the Civic Type R borrows many practical benefits from the Civic Hatchback, the Type R is in a completely different league. This performance-focused hot hatch is a true manifestation of Honda’s prestigious motorsports pedigree without the exclusivity that comes with an elevated price tag. This makes the Type R an accessible dream car for enthusiasts looking for the best Honda engineering has to offer, and in a head-turning package. And the newest generation of the Civic Type R takes its award winning formula and dials up the performance to 11 as the most powerful Honda ever produced. Let’s take a deeper look into our January car of the month, one of the most well-respected Japanese performance cars ever to hit the streets.

2023 Honda Civic Type R

The Type R nameplate started back in 1997 on the sixth generation Honda Civic. But even with its significant global following, the Type R first became available in the US as recently as 2017. During those years, the Civic SI served as Honda’s only sports car — a quick compact sedan with a manual transmission and aggressive styling. Yet the performance of the SI sedan is no match for the Type R hatchback. LA Auto Spot has listed the first 2023 Type R on Turo, which offers the hatch’s standard turbocharged 2.0L V4 engine powered by a six-speed manual transmission. This engine is upgraded over the prior Type R, propelling the car with 315 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. Whereas sports cars traditionally leverage rear- or all-wheel drive formats, the Type R proudly offers a front-wheel drivetrain, increasing traction on slippery roads and enabling extra cargo room for rear passengers and trunk storage.

An unmistakable difference between the new and outgoing model is the Type R’s shift from a life-sized Hot Wheels toy towards a more refined, handsome look. The redesigned icon has straighter, simpler body lines and a more understated rear diffuser and hood. But make no mistake, the Type R is still unapologetically over the top. LA Auto Spot’s Type R features a curvaceous rear wing, 19-inch matte black aluminum alloy wheels, Brembo brakes, and plenty of red accents and “R” badging to honor the storied brand. Also compared to the prior generation Type R, the new model offers a 48% larger grille and wider tires.

Inside LA Auto Spot’s eye-catching Boost Blue Pearl hatch, you will immediately be welcomed by a vibrant red interior smothered in soft suede fabric. It’s impossible to feel anything but special when driving the Type R, with red carpet beneath your feet and an aluminum shift knob in your hands. You’ll even find a unique serial plate attached to the mesh vents that displays that Type R’s spot on the assembly line in Japan. But what truly makes this sports icon special is that it’s still a practical, daily driver at its core.

While many high performance vehicles are suited just for the driver, the Type R is an amplified Civic hatchback, with seating for up to five passengers, rear folding seats, wireless smartphone charging, and even a premium Bose sound system with 12 speakers. And when you’re looking to dial down the playlist and listen to the growl of the engine, you can adjust the engine audio that is pumped into the cabin speakers to appreciate the mechanical beauty in full surround stereo. Every Honda also comes standard with Honda Sensing — the brand’s suite of safety and assistance features including lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and a multi-angle rear view camera.

It’s not every day that you see a major auto brand undertake a complete refresh for a manual performance vehicle. In a world full of electrification and minimal driver involvement, it’s exciting to see Honda prioritize a thoughtful redesign for the gasoline-powered Type R that is deeply connected to the world of motorsports. The Type R is a beloved badge for Honda that globally broadcasts the brand’s engineering talent, all while showing off the limitless potential of the architecture that the widely popular Civic is made of. This reborn hatch is a powerhouse just begging to be driven, and you won’t find one more adventure-ready than LA Auto Spot’s Type R out in the Los Angeles area.

Baron Wilton

Baron is a walking encyclopedia of car facts. His favorite sport is behind the wheel of his Jaguar F-Type, which he drives more in the canyons of SoCal than on the streets.

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