Honda Civic Type R (07-10) - Review

The Type-R is certainly more refined than its predecessor but compared to a Golf or Focus it lags behind in the comfort stakes. The ride is firm and the suspension isn't particularly forgiving over uneven road surfaces while the engine's relative lack of in-gear pace means a fairly frantic driving experience most of the time. The bucket-style seats are superbly supportive though, if a little on the firm side and as with the standard Civic, there's decent room in the back - although headroom is a limited due to the sloping roof. The engine has been made a little more vocal and the note has a lot more character than the old one.

The Type-R offers superb luggage space with a 485 litre capacity - that's 100-litres more than the Ford Focus, plus the boot features a neat twin-level floor. But it's the rear seats that are the Civic's cleverest feature - they fold flat in one go, or alternatively the bases can be lifted up - there's also extra storage space underneath the chairs. This is an area where the Honda is way ahead of rivals. However there are gripes - rear visibility is obscured slightly by the spoiler in the split rear screen and there's no rear wiper either, the bottom pane has a water-repellent coating that Honda claims clears itself - but in practice it doesn't really work and collects dirt easily.

The Type-R's interior is similar to the standard Civic but adds some sporty features such as an aluminium gearshift, sporty pedals, red stitching on the steering wheel, red seats and deep red carpets. It feels different enough from the standard car to remind you that you're in a hot hatch while still retaining the futuristic look. The instrument cluster features a strip of red LED lights that illuminate as the revs rise but while the driving position is good, some drivers may find that their view of the digital speedo is obscured by the top of the steering wheel. The quality is excellent though with precise buttons and soft touch materials.