THERE’s a young man over there looking at me – well, the test car – and another and another.
That guy there is actually videoing me as I drive by and my boy tells me we look cool. What on earth is going on?
Apparently I’ve inadvertently joined an automotive sub-culture known as JDM, which stands for Japanese domestic market but stretches worldwide.
That’s because we are in the latest Honda Civic Type R – and it ain’t no shrinking violet. Lower, wider and sportier than the normal, and I must say excellent, Civic, Type R shouts at the world.
Triple trumpet exhausts emerge centrally from a prominent rear air diffuser like rocket launchers on a military vehicle. Bright blue livery, a deep air dam, huge boot spoiler and 19in matt black alloys complete an image that is unapologetically all about speed – it’s the fastest front wheel drive road car around Suzuka race circuit by the way.
Strangely muted on start up the 2.0 turbo does offer the driver almost 330PS of seamless power making Type R an absolute flying machine. With a sprint time to 60mph of just over five seconds very few vehicles will beat the Civic off the line.
But the real-life driving experience is more impressive still. Without breaking any legal limits on the motorway Type R knocks ten minutes off the school run as it allows the car to carry much more speed through the twisty sections, without being too hooligan, of course. It just loves bends, cornering flatly and gripping like a barnacle to a trawler’s hull. There’s no cabin roll yet the ride is never harsh or uncomfortable; I just don’t know how Honda does it.
The six speed box, operated by a tiny tactile alloy gearlever, is glorious and makes you want to swap cogs just to enjoy the super-slick action. Ironically, you don’t need to use the box that much because the highly tuned motor is exceptionally tractable – it will pull sixth gear cleanly from as low as 40mph, lower still if you have a bit of patience.
You rarely need to drop below fourth gear even for overtakes as there’s just so much power available any time you want it. Yet around town the Type R is a pussycat with a reasonable steering lock for manoeuvring. Even the huge spoiler manages somehow to stay out of the way – you actually look through it as it’s high enough to frame the rear window – so all round visibility is great and it’s an easy car to park despite its generous length.
Type R looks the part, drives stunningly well and the interior is every bit everything you would want and expect from a performance car. The fabulous sports seats are bright red, as are the seatbelts. The dash is spot on with easy to use buttons, touchscreen and virtual clocks, which turn red when you press the Type R performance button.
There’s no compromise either as it remains a Civic, which, now in its 11th generation, is supremely practical, large and accommodating. The only slight fly in the ointment is the fall off in economy which is only to be expected as performance trumps frugality. Where the 2.0 hybrid Civic easily manages mid-50s miles per gallon, Type R ekes out 34.5, less if you get carried away with the performance.
New Civic is a cracking vehicle and Type R takes that dynamism to a new dimension. It is so accomplished in every way that it can easily get away with the boy racer – or should I say JDM – aesthetics. I can see why it draws so much attention.
Fact File
Honda CivicType R
Engine: 2.0 petrol turbo
Power: 329PS petrol
0-62mph: 5.4 secs
Top speed: 172mph
Combined MPG: 34.5
Transmission: six speed manual
CO2 g/km: 186
Price: £46,995.00
