Then, there’s the aptly named track mode. In the default sport mode, they tense up but still manage to travel with such finely tuned progression that, even over rougher roads, the ride is beyond acceptable.
Set in comfort drive mode, the dampers compress and rebound with relative ease, proving the CTR’s viability as a daily driver. The suspension’s rear multilink setup complete with adaptive dampers combines for a level of magic that is unheard of. The combination of the engine’s most generous powerband (there’s some minor turbo lag from the single-scroll charger that produces up to 23.2 psi of boost) and the chassis are what make it possible. The CTR is easy to drive whether cruising about or when thrashing it on a track. A satisfying “snick” into first gear and the relationship is engaged. Set to Sport drive mode by default, the Civic is always at the ready. of torque from 2,500 rpm to 4,500 rpm begin calling. Still, from the driver’s seat, nervous energy builds as the CTR’s 306 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 295 lb.-ft. While the clutch is in, one must work the shifter through the “H” pattern, at once discovering short stiff throws that, like the left-hand pedal, won’t cause one’s arthritis to swell. A quick prod to the clutch pedal reveals resistance but not the type that will be exhaustive and cramp-inducing in traffic. It helps that the turbocharged 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engine is relatively quiet even on start-up. And best of, the CTR doesn’t intimidate like so many other sports cars. A connection, an uplink if you will, is immediately achieved the moment the start button is activated.
The appeal in the 2021 Honda Civic Type R is its unmatched efficiency as an affordable driver’s car and a front-wheel-drive one at that. About the latter, I cannot be convinced that the new next CTR will be as analog, communicative, raw, and visceral as the 10 th. Not all is lost however as we know there will be a new WRX/WRX STI combo coming, the all-new MK8 Golf R is on its way, as will be an all-new 11th-generation CTR. By this fall, this niche club will more or less have died off as only the STI will still be offered for sale, that is if the anticipated new one isn’t delayed, create a time gap. This group, which once consisted of the Volkswagen Golf R, Ford Focus RS, Subaru WRX STI, and Mitsubishi Lancer EVO, has been reduced to nearly nothing of late. The Civic Type (CTR) is/was a member of a truly exclusive club of hot compact cars. I’ve also driven it a number of times since my first encounter in the fall of 2017 at the regional launch event held at the fantastic Circuit Mont Tremblant.
And now, I’m haunted by the Civic Type R. My most recent acquisition, a 2018 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen, was also the result of many a test drive with an MK7 Golf wagon. In the past, I’ve purchased used examples of a 2004 Volvo XC70, a 2003 Subaru WRX wagon, and a 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan following drives and reviews that took place years prior. The feeling has once more reared its face after spending a week with a 2021 Honda Civic Type R.Ģ021 Honda Civic Type R | Photo: Olivier Delorme In my 20+ year career of reviewing cars and driving more than 2,000 of them over this period, I’ve only felt an overpowering urge to buy an example a handful of times.
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