Honda Civic Type R [FK8] (2017 - 2022) used car review

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By Jonathan Crouch

Introduction

The Civic Type R is a hot hatch that only Honda could make. This fifth generation 'FK8'-series model continued with the DNA of a track tearaway but at the same time, also claimed to have a softer side. As before, the car remains defiantly front-driven and frantically fast. It looks the real deal. Let's check it out as a used buy.

Models

5-door hot hatch [2.0 VTEC petrol turbo]

History

There have been ten Type R models since the famous badge first appeared back in 1992, half of these based on Honda's Civic family hatch, including the MK4 'FK2' version, introduced in 2015 and on sale for just 18 months because it was launched right at the end of the MK9 model Civic's production life. When the tenth generation Civic range arrived in late-2016 featuring a stiffer, lighter and far more sophisticated platform, the Type R development team saw the opportunity for a big step forward in the development of this ultimate shopping rocket performance version and on paper at least, with this FK8 design, launched in the Summer of 2017, we got exactly that.

Not much was new beneath the bonnet - we'd already had a major change there with the introduction of turbocharging for the first time on the previous model. With this FK8 design, there was much the same 2.0-litre VTEC engine but exhaust tweaks liberated a further 10PS, boosting power to 320PS in total, enough to deliver the kind of performance that once upon a time would have been limited to a supercar. The way the previous model drove was a bit supercar-like too - great when you were in the mood but, to be frank, rather wearing when you weren't. This 'FK8' generation model was a little different thanks to an extra 'Comfort' driving mode that made it easier to live with when owners weren't in the mood to give it everything. The better ride from the much more sophisticated multi-link rear suspension also helped here, as did the new variable-ratio steering. This FK8 model sold until late-2022.

What You Get

So what was different with this FK8-series model? Well this fifth generation Civic Type R is certainly a much larger thing than its predecessor, 165mm longer and 2mm wider, plus it sits 36mm lower too. What didn't change was its in-your-face styling treatment. Honda called this 'a race car for the road' and you certainly get that feeling the first time you make this model's acquaintance.

Inside, the differences over the standard Civic are only slightly more restrained. The high-backed competition-style sports seats with their red belts are the main change. They were the lightest chairs ever to be fitted to a Type R and are the kind of thing buyers had to pay extra for on most rivals, with prominent side bolsters for greater lateral support through the kind of extreme cornering that Honda thinks owners will habitually engage in. You get lovely suede-effect black fabric with red double-stitching and positioning that places you 22mm closer to the floor than was the case with the previous model.

Typically for a Type R, the gear knob is fashioned from machined aluminium alloy, which looks nice but feels freezing in winter, while branding your palm with the gearshift chart in the heat of summer. It's beautifully positioned though, falling perfectly to hand, as close to the steering wheel as it could be for easy access to the short shift throw that gives you lovely, quick snikerty changes. Ah yes, the wheel - the other point of Type R cabin differentiation. It's a proper flat-bottomed leather-trimmed affair with a really tactile feel.

In the rear, taller folk might feel the effect of that lower roof line once inside - those over six foot will find their hair brushing against the ceiling. In every other regard though, this rear cabin is a vast spacial improvement over what was provided before - as you might expect would be the case given that the wheelbase is 94mm lengthier than the FK2 model. You might expect that this FK8 design's slightly larger size and longer wheelbase would deliver a bigger cargo area. As it is, the 420-litre capacity when loaded to the window line is actually 57-litres less than was offered by the previous model, not helped by a slight ramp in the section of the floor closest to the rear seats, this necessary to accommodate the revised exhaust and more sophisticated rear suspension.

What You Pay

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What to Look For

You'll obviously need to buy carefully because quite a few examples on the used market will have been thrashed mercilessly on track days. Try and steer clear of those: graunching front brake pads are a giveaway here. Still, not a lot goes wrong with the sixth-generation FK8 Civic Type R. Buyers are, on the whole, a contented lot if customer satisfaction surveys are anything to go by. However, we did come across a few issues, the most common of which seems to be a 'crunch' that you get when changing quickly from first to second gear. Look out for that on your test drive. Ask the owner whether he or she regularly allowed the car to warm up before using full throttle: if they look at you blankly, then you're not looking at a careful owner.

There are various known issues with the FK8 Type R. Overheating on track days, in-tank fuel pump failures and OEM charge pipe failures. We've also heard of 3rd and 4th gear track failures and a flickering of the dash lights. Bear in mind that the low skirts and bumpers are easy to damage and curbs (as are the wheels), so inspect them carefully for scrapes and splits. Ensure as well that the enormous rear spoiler hasn't been damaged by a car park or garage roof - you might well come across scratches along the edges. There was a recall for models built between April and September in 2017 regarding side airbags deploying. If the car you're looking at is affected, make sure that this was rectified.

Replacement Parts

(based on a 2019 Civic Type R - ex VAT): Front brake pads sit in the £37-£60 bracket: rear pads are in the £26-£40 bracket. Rear brake discs are in the £54-£59 bracket. Oil filters sit in the £4 bracket. A wiper blade is around £2-£12, while a pollen filter is in the £7-£25 bracket. An air filter is around £78.

On the Road

This was the first global Type R model - even America got it - and in keeping with that, we were promised that this MK5 model 'FK8' generation design would be easier to live with and would have wider appeal. Apparently though, that didn't mean it would be any less extreme. In a world where the fastest hot hatches have lately become subtle and sophisticated, this wild Civic continued to buck the trend and return this genre to its years of shopping rocket excess. Key to its ability to do that here lies with a trio of selectable driving modes that tweak throttle response, suspension feel and feedback from the variable-ratio steering system. The car defaults to its mid 'Sport' setting on start-up but it's the ultimate '+R' option that you'll need if you're planning to put all the skirts and spoilers to the test by taking to the track.

At the same time though, this fifth generation model can also be less of a racetrack refugee on the occasions when you need to dial everything down a bit. That's thanks to an extra 'Comfort' driving option that makes everything a little softer and less manic, allowing you to feel the benefits of the more sophisticated multi-link rear suspension set-up. The four cylinder turbocharged 2.0-litre VTEC powerplant is pretty much the same as that used in the previous FK2 version of this car - and produces very similar running cost returns, 36.7mpg being possible on the combined cycle and 176g/km of CO2 (both NEDC figures). Exhaust changes though, improved the aural fireworks on offer and marginally boosted the engine's total output by 10PS to 320PS. That wasn't enough to see any improvement on the old FK2 model's performance stats, but then they were already pretty rapid, with 400Nm of torque enough to see 62mph disappear in 5.7s en route to a 169mph maximum. It's an addictive recipe from a proper driver's car: and a proper Type R.

Overall

The way a car looks is not usually our main criteria for judging it. But in this case, it's useless to pretend that aesthetics won't be a huge determining factor for potential buyers. If you like the whole 'Max Power'/ touring car vibe, you'll absolutely love the attention this fifth generation FK8-series Type R attracts. If you don't, you'll be uncomfortably aware that there are places where this bespoilered tearaway might be seen as something of an embarrassment - your company car park for example.

In some ways, the body kit accurately previews what's on offer here - and in some ways it doesn't. As the looks suggest, this really is a focused track tool with a level of intensity above anything else you can buy in this segment. With the previous model, we could have ended there, but with this one, there was more to it. Thanks to the improved suspension, the longer wheelbase and the extra 'Comfort' driving mode, this car's suitability as day-to-day transport was very much improved. That Honda was able to deliver this without diluting this Civic's racing instinct was deeply impressive. This Type-R remained still incredibly fast, it sounded even better and there was more cornering traction than you'd ever believe would be possible from a front-driven hot hatch with this kind of power. There's nothing else from this period quite like it.