Following on Honda’s uber-successful formula with the last-generation Civic Type R, this new CTR is matured stylistically, but no less fast or fun. As one of our 2023 Performance Car of the Year contenders, we took it out for a 3-Lap Review. On track, it didn't disappoint.
With some of the best inputs in the business, the new Civic Type R is a joy to wield on the track. With a huge back seat, roomy trunk, and versatile sport seats, it would also make a great road tripper.
The 315-hp 2.0-liter turbo four is the most powerful engine ever sold under the Honda badge (which is actually a rather disappointing statistic) but it’s the chassis control, the brakes, and the ability to translate power to real performance that impresses here.
Though in photography it’s hard to see the new fender flares because they are now molded into the sheetmetal, rather than tacked on like before, the CTR is visually impressive in person, and is longer, lower, and wider than before, for an even more aggressive stance.
This year’s PCOTY has a tough batch of hot hatch competition with the GRolla and Elantra Type N, but the Civic Type R was a repeated favorite of our staff. It continues Honda’s legacy as the maker of the car with the best inputs for under exotic prices.
Matt Farah is a lifelong car enthusiast who began his automotive career at dealerships, rental agencies, and detail shops before discovering the power of YouTube in 2006, with his channel The Smoking Tire. Farah has a Bachelors of Fine Arts from the University of Pennsylvania, with a concentration in Photography, helping not only create YouTube content but also providing his own photography for his Editor-at-Large position at Road & Track.
He has hosted and produced television series on NBC Sports, G4 Network, SPEED, and Esquire. The Smoking Tire Podcast is #1 in the category every week of the year. Now at 800+ episodes, The Smoking Tire podcast is the definitive guest stop for who’s who in the auto industry. Farah’s Westside Collector Car Storage is a game-changer in luxury, concierge parking that expanded to a second location in 2023.
