The new generation of Honda’s legendary compact car is here and now we are eagerly waiting for its high-performance iteration, which will come next year, as the 2023 Honda Civic Type R. The famous hot hatch is about to get a new iteration and from what we know so far, it will continue the evolution of an ultimate FWD sports car. The new model won’t get all-wheel drive, as some speculated. Instead, we will see an improvement of the light FWD car that has always been famous for impressive performance at a bargain price.
Of course, the new iteration will be based on the 11th generation of the popular hatchback. It will come with all kinds of upgrades, starting from the well-known 2.0-liter turbo-four engine, upgraded chassis, suspension and brakes, as well as with all kinds of exclusive styling details. Furthermore, the interior will be upgraded with traditional Type R features, such as red interior, sports seats etc.
2023 Honda Civic Type R Design
As we’ve just mentioned, the all-new 2023 Honda Civic Type R will be based on the eleventh generation. Like always, it will be based on the hatchback model, which debuted a few months ago. However, it will come with all kinds of upgrades, starting from the new suspension setup, which will be adjustable and allow different drive modes. Besides dampers, these drive modes change throttle response, steering and other things.
Compared to the previous generation, the new Civic features less dramatic styling. However, the new Type R won’t lack any drama. It will come with all kinds of styling upgrades. At this point, the testing model has been riding around but it still wears a camouflage. Despite we can’t see the details, we can see something. This refers to the large grille and air intake on the bumper, as well as to the large rear spoiler on the other end.
Another thing we can notice is new wheels. What’s interesting is that the test mule wears 19-inch wheels, while the outgoing model comes with 20 inches in diameter.
2023 Honda Civic Type R Engine
When it comes to 2023 Honda Civic Type R specs, the first thing we should mention is that the new model will continue with the same engine. The well-known 2.0-liter turbo-four will carry on, though we expect to see some power increase. The current engine is good for 306 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, so we may presume that the new iteration will feature a max output between 320 and 350 horsepower.
Of course, the engine will be paired with a 6-speed manual transmission, which is arguably the best manual gearbox on the market, along with the one found in Porsche 911. The power will be sent to the front wheels, which will be equipped with a limited-slip differential.
At this point, it’s early to talk about numbers. We presume that the 0-60 time will go around 5 seconds, but keep in mind that this has never been a straight-line car. It is much more than that – the most capable FWD car you can buy on the market today.
AWD Version – Rumor or Something More?
In the last couple of months, we heard a lot of rumors about the new 2023 Honda Civic Type R. Some of them suggest a completely different drivetrain compared to the traditional Type R setup. They speculated about the AWD version of the car, which would come with a hybrid setup and electric motors on the rear axle.
While that would definitely improve the max output and acceleration, it would also have a bad effect on the Type R’s light and perfectly engineered chassis and suspension, which make this hatchback one of the best driving cars you can buy at this price range.
Interior
The Civic Type R has always featured several exclusive interior details and the new model shouldn’t be any different. The first thing that comes to mind is that red interior, which characterized the previous generation as well. Furthermore, we count on sports, bucket seats, as well as on a number of exclusive details on the dashboard.
Still, the overall cabin layout will be the same as in the standard model, which has brought a completely new dashboard design, which combined nice materials, good build quality, retro and modern aesthetics in such a nice fashion. Of course, there is also a long list of tech and convenience features, which seems like a certain thing in this case.
2023 Honda Civic Type R Release Date and Price
We expect to see the 2023 Honda Civic Type R sometime in 2022, though the more precise launch date is yet to be announced. When it comes to the price, we expect that this performer will go slightly under 40.000 dollars. Key competitors will be models like Golf R, Hyundai Veloster N etc.