turn it up to eleven: The 2023 Honda Civic (FL5) Type R

The Honda Civic Type R. For many, that name conjures images of the JDM-only EK Hatch, the EP3 or - most likely - the previous-generation FK8 Civic Type R. Remember, the one with the outlandish styling that divided opinion? Yeah, that one.

It would seem Honda’s Type R department has grown up a little since then, however. If the FK8 was its teenage rebellion phase where it played loud punk music at full volume, stayed out late and enjoyed dabbling in illicit substances, the FK8 represents its young adult years; as if its trying to appear grown up and less polarizing, but still with a rebellious streak. A bit like wearing a three-piece suit to the office, but having every inch of unexposed flesh covered in tattoos.

With designer Dai Hara at the helm, the overall image of the FL5 is significantly more grown-up than that of its predecessor, not that its a bad thing. The FK8 was always a bit ‘marmite’ even amongst die-hard enthusiasts; there was never any doubt about the car’s power, performance or abilities, but did it REALLY have to be so dramatically styled?

Evidently, Honda decided that the answer was a simple ‘no’ when designing the now-current CTR; gigantic rear wing non-withstanding. In our view, it’s all the better for it.

In fact, Dai summed up most people’s thoughts in one quote: “[on the appearance of the FK8] Being a fast car was no excuse. We were very conscious of every detail, such as the ownership satisfaction this sports car would offer to its owners and how sleek this vehicles should look.”

Whilst immediately recognisable as being based upon the ‘standard’ Civic architecture and styling, there are a mix of subtle and not-so-subtle visual cues as to the CTR’s performance-oriented nature. The geeks among us will also love knowing that instead of using plastic arch extensions (as with the FK8) the FL5 actually features wider rear wings and enlarged rear doors - something that any engineers reading this will appreciate, as this is not an easy, nor cheap modification to make for what will be a small-volume sales run in comparison to the non-R Civics. In fact, only the roofline, front doors and rear tailgate are identical with those of the e:HEV.

In terms of not-so-subtle cues, there’s the bright red interior. Yes, BRIGHT is the correct adjective to use here. Oddly, despite the front half of the cabin verging on the edge of requiring sunglasses in all weathers with Honda’s trademark red seats and carpets, the rear bench seat remained black as per the standard car, with only red ‘belts to give any variation. Whilst we can appreciate that having the rear seats in the Type R also finished in red might actually cause a nervous twitch for passengers and require mandatory viewing of a green board at timed intervals to reset our brains, it does seem somewhat half-finished having upgraded red front seats and standard, black rears.

Other than the aforementioned 50:50 seat split, Honda have absolutely nailed the cabin. We loved the standard Civic cabin with its physical controls, switches and knobs rather than the seemingly all-encompassing haptic tech that plagues modern cars, and this remains the case in the Type R. In fact, the interior is largely unchanged, with only a lovely machined shifter for the fantastic six-speed gearbox poking out the centre console and a perfectly-sized Alcantara steering wheel being the other noticeable changes from the standard Civic. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

That steering wheel is worthy of a mention in its own right, in fact. Much as working through the gearbox is perhaps as close to Nirvana as one can achieve within the boundaries of the law (as was the case with the FK8) the steering wheel is just… well, it’s just right. The size is perfect, it’s round, tactile and with just enough thickness to inspire confidence whilst fitting into your hands with ease. Yes, Alcantara wears far too easily in day-to-day use, but a leather wheel would feel out-of-place here. A neat red centreline (yes, more red!) wouldn’t go amiss, if we’re being really picky.

One of the advantages of the CTR being based upon the standard Civic is that it boasts all of the practicalities and wonders of the ‘normal’ car, making it easy to justify as a second car for a family, or if you just need to convince yourself that you’re making a smart choice when buying one! That gargantuan boot space - 404 litres with the rear seats up - better-than-average rear legroom, headroom (ideal for wearing helmets on track days!) and crystal-clear infotainment/digital screens, with the CTR also boasting a full virtual cockpit as standard, versus the 50:50 digital:analogue split found on all-but the top-end models of the standard Civic.

And then, most importantly of all, there’s the drive. The real reason for the CTR’s existence. If the driving experience didn’t deliver, the Type R and its infamous red R logo would be no more.

Thankfully, Honda’s best-loved department has been spared the chopping block, and by some margin. If you thought the FK8 was good, the FL5 really does step things up and turn the dial up to 11.

From that utterly magnificent gearbox to the intuitive steering, driving the FL5 as Honda intended is an utter joy. The K20C1 VTEC Turbo engine spurs you on when driving spiritedly, encouraging you to push further and further up towards the redline, the shift lights on the steering wheel beginning to illuminate as you breach the 6,000RPM mark, the steering wheel giving you plenty of feedback as you negotiate the various ruts, bumps and imperfections in the road.

When it comes to corners, it feels as if you merely look at the apex, shift down, and the car telepathically guides you through and out the other side, almost without input. Straight lines are devoured in the blink of an eye, all whilst the four-cylinder engine up front barely breaks a sweat.

When its time to bring things to a halt, you’ll be relieved to know that braking is also a strong point for the FL5, as the pedal travel, balance and ‘feel’ (to use a horribly unscientific term) is excellent, allowing precise and measured braking applications to fit the situation, rather than being an on/off switch as some performance cars can be.

Interestingly, the car feels far faster than its on-paper figures suggest, which gives it a certain… soul, or perhaps character; something that point-and-shoot 0-60 sprint cars often lack. Its hardly lacking in the Top Trumps stakes with a 0-60 time of 5.4 seconds, but it feels much, much faster and more engaging when measured by the patented ‘butt dyno’ that most car enthusiasts have, and who can put a price on that?

So far, then, so good. Can the CTR put a wheel wrong? Well, yes actually. Nothing is perfect, and the FL5 is no exception to this rule - sorry Honda!

That same engaging, enthralling driving experience that makes the FL5 so utterly fantastic when driving spiritedly is also the car’s achilles heel in day-to-day life. Yes, the gearbox is the best we’ve ever used, and yes, the FL5 has all the practicalities of the Civic e:HEV, but that stiff suspension will rattle your fillings out over an imperfect road, and make ‘normal’ journeys or commutes feel like hard work at times.

There’s also a number of small, seemingly insignificant issues that have a surprising impact on day-to-day life. Take the front passenger seat for example; there is no height adjustment option, which - in conjunction with the CTR’s bone-breaking ride (even in comfort mode) made the car virtually impossible for my partner to travel in without getting carsick, let alone any rear-seat passengers. The built-in rev-matching system is also annoying at times, and needs to be manually switched off, even in comfort mode.

Given the controversial triple-exit exhaust setup at the rear (something we wish had been left with the FK8) the FL5 is also painfully quiet. Yes, particle filters kill the fun of pops and crackles on over-run, but despite the drama and fun of the K20C1 engine when out on the road, it sounds so utterly, utterly bland at idle, and even when pushing on its all-too-apparent that the noise within the car is almost entirely fake - come on Honda, if companies such as Abarth can still make cars that sound like the gates of hell are opening despite the various emissions restrictions manufacturers now face, surely you can too?

The final gripe is that despite my best efforts, even on a long-distance motorway run I couldn’t get above mid-30s on the MPG gauge. Sure, this isn’t a car designed for economy (the e:HEV certainly has that covered with a quoted figure of around 60mpg) the Type R’s 47-litre tank seemed to disappear in the blink of an eye, so be sure to figure that into your running costs when doing some man maths after reading this review!

So, Honda’s latest Type R isn’t quite perfect, and it has an unfortunate tendency to make less thrill-seeking passengers rather green around the gills, but it IS fun, and that’s what enthusiasts want out of a car; economy and comfort be damned.

Perhaps the best way to sum up the FL5 is that it is a nearly-perfect diamond, shiny, glistening and expensive, with just has one or two flaws to keep it from being perfect.

It is a true driving sensation, and one which all performance car enthusiasts should have the chance to experience in their lifetime.

When the stars align, the road conditions are perfect and the tyres are warm, it’s utterly, utterly brilliant. This is the stuff of engineer and driver dreams alike; pure, unadulterated driving nirvana, and yet not only is it available to mere mortals like us, but it is also a Honda, meaning you can give it all the abuse you can imagine, and at the end of it you’ll have a massive grin on your face, and the car will simply go “that was fun, can we do it again?”