Meet the 2024 Honda Civic Type R
Youthful enthusiasm. Words that may best describe one of the more appealing performance cars in the market today -- the 2024 Honda Civic Type R.
A Car & Driver “10 Best” Award winner for 2024, the Type R hatchback takes the best of what Honda offers in the Civic and places it in a high-performance package. Enough that the magazine’s writers lapped the 4.1-mile Virginia International Raceway road course in less than 3 minutes -- the only front-drive machine to do so thus far. And that’s just the beginning.
Last year, the 2023 Civic Type R set another mark when it ran Germany’s famed 12.8-mile Nürburgring in a blistering 7 minutes, 44 seconds. It was the quickest lap ever posted for a front-wheel drive car at the historic circuit, considered one of the toughest to navigate throughout the world.
What’s also interesting is that these results were intentional. Already a popular vehicle for its reliability, fuel mileage and engaged styling, engineers at Honda were looking for another avenue to set the Civic apart. Building a performance machine was their solution. Civic Type R Development Leader Hideki Kakinuma had this to say about their goals at the time.
HENDRICKCARS.COM I SHOP INVENTORY I SCHEDULE SERVICE I HENDRICK CAREERS I BLOG
“Under the concept of 'Ultimate SPORT 2.0,' we developed the all-new Civic Type R with the spirit of 'going beyond our past achievements' and strived for the ultimate FWD sports car by refining the 'essential value' and 'emotional appeal' unique only to our Type R models.
“Since the start of sales in Japan in September 2022, we have received numerous customer feedback from all around the world filled with amazement and joy, far exceeding our expectations. However, we still had one more mission to fulfill, which was to claim the title as the world's fastest FWD car with a record Nürburgring lap time.
“Six years after the lap record was set by the previous-generation Civic Type R (FK8), we reached this new dimension as a result of all of the passions we poured in and all the advancements we made for this Type R model. Finally, our wish to share this title with all Type R fans all around the world came true.
“We sincerely hope that all current and prospective owners of the Type R will enjoy and love their vehicle with the pride we share with you."
One Special Car
As Kakinuma stated, it is a special car, starting with its turbocharged, 2.0-liter incline four cylinder that outputs at 315 horsepower and an impressive 310-foot pounds of torque. With aluminum block and heads, its low center of gravity and a curb weight of just over 3,100 pounds makes for a potent track-day contender.
HENDRICKCARS.COM I SHOP INVENTORY I SCHEDULE SERVICE I HENDRICK CAREERS I BLOG
In further solidarity with the enthusiast crowd, the Type R Civic is only available with a rev-matched, six-speed manual transmission. Added performance bits include wide-track suspension with dual axis front struts, 13.8-inch ventilated brakes, adjustable dampers, and 19-inch Michelin Pilot Sport 4S performance wheels. It may be the best-handling vehicle in its market segment.
For those worried about the daily commute, the Honda Civic Type R gets 28 miles per gallon on the highway and 22 mpg in city driving.
Attractive Inside & Out
The vehicle’s aggressive look is a proper complement to its impressive numbers. Aerodynamics tuned to perform, including both ground and rear spoilers highlight these. A large hatch and cargo area, LED lighting and auto-high beam headlights also add to the appeal.
The interior is also true to form, with black or red-accented seats, an aluminum shift knob, trim that mimics carbon fiber and an impressive digital cluster that includes multiple vehicle operations and settings. Amenities such as a nine-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and subscription-based WiFi bring additional options to the table.
The Civic also has an abundance of safety and driving-assistance features. Standard items such as forward-collision warning, automated emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist and adaptive cruise control assist the driver in both highway and city driving conditions.
HENDRICKCARS.COM I SHOP INVENTORY I SCHEDULE SERVICE I HENDRICK CAREERS I BLOG
Honda Civic Type R is a halo car for both the brand and the model. It blends enthusiasm with practicality, performance and economy. If you are looking for something fun that will impress your friends and colleagues, the Honda Civic Type R is the perfect choice.