← Carshot hatch · japan · FWD · hatch

Civic Type R

FN2 · Euro 8th-gen hatch2007–2011

The driver's benchmark in the hot hatch class. Four decades, five generations, one of the most committed FWD platforms ever built.

2 reviewers · 3 videos · 52 press articles

Generations
FN22007–2011FK22015–2017FK82017–2021FL52023–present
// 00 the verdict

Reviewers strongly agree on its performance and handling, but split on fun to drive and daily drivability.

across 2 reviewers

// scorecard at a glance
// where reviewers split
Fun to drive
1 say · liveable

"rowing your own gears in these cars is an utter pleasure"

JayEmm on Cars · ▶ 14:08
1 say · critical

"I like hot hatchbacks I always have done but this one it's absolutely hopeless"

Top Gear · ▶ 11:43
Daily drivability
1 say · liveable

"this vehicle is ridiculously practical"

JayEmm on Cars · ▶ 3:22
1 say · critical

"on normal roads it is intolerable... this is completely unacceptable"

Top Gear · ▶ 10:43
// the categories
// 01

Performance

2.5/52 of 2 reviewersconsensus

so it's slower than its dad

critical · Top Gear · ▶ 8:52

it had something like 1 extra horsepower over the outgoing car a little bit more talked a little bit earlier but also more weight to carry so it wasn't really any faster even in a straight line

JayEmm on Cars · ▶ 1:54
// 02

Handling

2.5/52 of 2 reviewersconsensus

suspension is joy expensive so in this it's been replaced with a simple torsion bar

critical · Top Gear · ▶ 5:52

knackering this cars handling ability was the ditching of the independent rear suspension and replacing it with a much simpler torsion beam setup

mixed · JayEmm on Cars · ▶ 2:24
// 03

Fun to drive

3.0/52 of 2 reviewerssplit

I like hot hatchbacks I always have done but this one it's absolutely hopeless

critical · Top Gear · ▶ 11:43

rowing your own gears in these cars is an utter pleasure

positive · JayEmm on Cars · ▶ 14:08
// 04

Daily drivability

2.5/52 of 2 reviewerssplit

on normal roads it is intolerable... this is completely unacceptable

critical · Top Gear · ▶ 10:43

this vehicle is ridiculously practical

positive · JayEmm on Cars · ▶ 3:22
// 05

Value

4.5/52 of 2 reviewersstrong consensus

the prices are certainly appealing to thanks to the fact that nobody seems to love the car you can pick one of these up from about a thousand pounds

positive · JayEmm on Cars · ▶ 3:57

like the old model it's not that expensive

positive · Top Gear · ▶ 3:55
How it stacks up

Hear it in the reviewer’s words

JayEmm on Cars
Posted Feb 29, 2020Open on YouTube
Moments worth your time
Top Gear
Posted Mar 9, 2011Open on YouTube
Moments worth your time
AutoTopNL
Posted Aug 21, 2026Open on YouTube
From the press · 52 articles