Honda promised that it will be a “Performance like never before” and true to its word, Honda delivered in a way that politicians will truly envy; with the Civic Type R – a world-renowned compact that needs no further introduction. The Type R is as iconic to driving as is Silver to The Lone Ranger. Rightfully so thanks to its superb performance, literally pwning other cars of its class leaving them behind before you can even finish saying “Hi-yo Silver, AWAY!” in a faint cloud of smoke that spells out “I *heart* VTEC” Okay, it was a bit of an exaggeration but if there’s a car you want to ride off into the sunset, this will be IT. Eat your heart out, Tonto. 

I see it a lot. No dead people walking around but eventually you get the same feeling of dread Haley Joel Osment did. Everyday while driving to work, I see a lot of cars with Honda’s “Type R” emblem stuck to the back of their cars… even when said cars carry the name of locally-manufactured cars, and this always gets me thinking “Why even bother?” 

Driving the Type R for the first time made me feel like sticking the red type R onto my car but me, I want the real thing. To the unwary first-timer it probably looks like a normal sexy car. This car is no Schwarzenegger but you know it’s one lean, mean Hugh Jackman that will definitely sweep the ladies’ feet off the ground. Twice. And to be fair to the ladies, this is one car that even the gents will fawn over.  

Exterior  

Our test model’s exterior color was in Championship White but really; white is the only color you’ll ever need. The color itself is to the chassis much like peanut butter is to jelly - a match made in heaven to complement the JDM four-door FD2 chassis, a variant that is only sold in Malaysia and Japan as far as I know. Not that we’re complaining, of course. The design of the car is obviously meant for aerodynamics. I don’t know nuts about aerodynamics but if Honda says that it’s good, we all know it’s a word I’ll take to the heart. 

The records state that the Type R stands at a height of 1,430mm, measures 4,540mm long and is 1,770mm wide. Now, I can go on with the measurements but we try to keep our readers so no hitting below the belt, and seriously guys this car will only extend your portfolio even more. *wink* Now, with a ground clearance of 135mm, you won’t be facing much problems with speed humps unless you are driving around Bandar Baru Bangi (AKA Bandar Banyak Bumper) but this is where Type R works its magic with the front-equipped MacPherson Strut and rear-fitted Reactive Link Double Wishbone setup. You can’t exactly say “Bumpers BeGone!” and expect smooth sailing; this is after all, a sports-based performance car built with the young (and young at heart) in mind but fret not – this Type R owns higher damping rates compared to the Integra Type R. Speaking of the Integra Type R, Honda claims that the Civic Type R is “50% more rigid and 11.6kg lighter than the Integra Type R”.  

A quick look around the car will always remind you it’s a Type R – the red Honda symbol proudly displayed at the front and back side of the car. The taillights, the grills, the full-length straightened dual exhaust pipe, high-mount brake light, and even the HID light (only for JDM) reek of Type R exclusivity. A Type R large tail spoiler calmly rounds off the exterior. 

18 inches of love: that’s what you get from the Bridgestone Potenza RE070 (previously used in the NSX-R) that lets you tackle the tightest of corners with no problems even at high speeds. And assuming that high speeds ever become a problem, the huge 17-inch disc brakes with 4-piston Brembo calipers inside will give you keep you safe and sane thanks to the improved stopping distance and fade resistance. The ABS and EBD is said to be tuned to circuit driving for that enhanced steering control under hard braking and in slippery conditions. I told you it’s all about the performance, didn’t I?

Interior

Now, if you want to enjoy this car you should do it the right way – by being inside it. The interior was designed with minimalistic simplicity for us interface-challenged drivers. And by that, I mean that the dashboard is neat, clean and minimal. The radio buttons are there with basic bass and treble . The Alpine 2 DIN CD player complements the package, giving you the option of plugging in your Need for Speed OSTs for that adrenaline rush, or something like N Sync if you fancy yourself being something like The Stig. 

As you set your plush behind upon the trademark black and red Honda Type R bucket seats, feel the support from the shape of the seat growing on you. 3-point safety belts ensure your safety, and 2 Intelligent Sensor Control (i-SRS) front airbags sets everything in stone. The legroom was marvelous – a feature we lanky people truly appreciate.  

The big, red start button reminds you of a racing car with a red Honda logo on the leather-wrapped steering wheel to yank you back to reality but once you hit the pedals, it’s back to being a racing car. Now THIS is the stuff dreams should be made of. The smooth aluminum knob provides comfortable grip on the stick shift, and speaking of shifting, this car changes gears as easily as oil prices before August. The short clutch distance, quick gear-shifting action can only be described as just right, for lack of a better word. The aluminum pedals provide a sporty feel complemented with good grip for the feet as I could actually drive it in my RM5, worn-out Sandak sandals – a feat I cannot do with my personal car as it slips off the pedals far too easily. The massive tachometer provides an easy viewing of your revs and dominates the lower instrument display. The speedometer is located at the top of the instrument panel, right where it belongs. I would not be exaggerating when I say everything inside the car is well-placed within reach. Ergonomic? You bet. I could keep going on and on but words cannot do justice to this car. Go see the pictures. 

So what’s cooking under the hood?  

A 2.0litre K20A DOHC i-VTEC engine offering 222bhp at 8,000rpm and 215Nm of torque at 6,100rpm, mated to a six-speed close ratio manual transmission equipped with a torque-sensitive, helical limited slip differential system. In other words: driving this car makes slipping in and out of traffic as easy as if you were on a supercharged motorbike. Taking corners at high speed was fun and was very stable as the car remains firmly planted on the ground. The windscreen view is large and friendly but I honestly felt the car was a bit lethargic at low speed, stuttering, and I swear I could hear the gas pedal begging to be pressed even deeper in. Keeping the RPM above at least 5000 makes me a happier person but when the iVTEC starts engaging itself at around RPM6000 (I think); you officially coronate yourself as King of the Road. Aside from what I have already said in the previous paragraphs, I can only tell you that this car is well-suited for both city and non-city driving – it can be either a relaxing drive or a Gas-guzzling as it may be, it gets me where I want to be, in a jiffy and best of all, in style.   

Conclusion 

Honda wasn’t lying. This car totally rocked. This is the sort of car that makes you marvel at the wonderful world of engineering. Simply put, the Civic Type R is performance personified. I can imagine people buying this car for any one of these three reasons; style, performance, and speed and no matter what they choose for their criteria of purchase they will still get all three. 3 in 1, and it doesn’t get any better. Unless they throw in Kiera Knightley (yes, I’m still fawning over her). At only RM199,800 (OTR price with insurance), the Civic Type R is one awesomely hot, adaptable car that makes driving a yummy-licious experience for even non-car enthusiasts such as yours truly to enjoy.