Honda Civic Type R UK orders to continue despite pause in Japan
Design treatment is more subtle than the outgoing Type R but huge spoiler remains
Next-gen Ford Focus ST rival arrives in the UK this month but prospective owners told to sign up to waiting lists
Orders for the new Honda Civic Type R will continue in the UK despite being temporarily halted in Japan after an influx of demand outstripped supply.
The latest version of the hot hatch – of which all globally sold examples are produced in the same Yorii plant in Japan – will be made in limited numbers due to strict emission regulations: the UK will get “hundreds, not thousands”, Rebecca Adamson, Honda UK’s head of cars, previously confirmed to Autocar.
Because of a lack of parts, such as semiconductors, and a recent surge in coronavirus infections within Japan, “it is difficult to forecast future production”, the firm wrote on its Japanese-market website. It could not confirm when orders would again be taken.
It added: “In order to ensure the delivery of Civic Type R to all customers who have already placed orders, we have temporarily stopped accepting orders.”
However, the UK will continue to take orders for the £46,995 hot hatch, the firm has told Autocar, albeit with customers placed on waiting lists with their nearest dealer rather than being put on any nationwide waiting list.
“Within the UK, we can confirm the demand for it is exceeding the volume. However, dealers do have a waiting list and we are expecting more in the country over the next few months,” a Honda spokesperson told Autocar. The first orders are due to arrive with UK owners this month.
Released at the end of last year as the most powerful variant of the venerable Japanese hatch to date, the Type R enters its sixth generation with redesigned bodywork concurrent with the new 11th-generation Honda Civic, also gaining important mechanical upgrades and improved aerodynamics.
It is driven by an “evolved” version of the 2.0-litre turbocharged 17YM engine seen in the previous car, mated to an improved six-speed manual gearbox. As Honda's 'mainstream' models have already gone hybrid-only in Europe, this is likely to be the last pure-ICE car the brand ever launches here.
Power stands at 325bhp and torque is 309lb ft, making it the most powerful version yet. The 0-62mph sprint takes 5.4sec and the top speed has increased to 171mph.
All of the Type R's stats are a slight improvement over those of the previous-generation car, which offered 316bhp, cracked the 0-62mph sprint in 5.8sec and topped out at 169mph.
Honda says the uprated engine, which gains a revised turbocharger and new compact housing, is the strongest VTEC turbo yet and it helps to “deliver the fastest, most addictive yet secure and rewarding drive” in Type R history.
Camber rigidity, which improves front-end response, is also upped by 16% courtesy of heavily revised suspension geometry, and wider, 265-section, 19in Michelin Sport 4S tyres play an important part in the Type R upgrades.
A resin plastic bootlid and an aluminium bonnet help to save weight, while the platform delivers a 35mm-longer wheelbase over the previous Type R and has 38% better structural rigidity.
Ko Yamamoto, technical advisor for Honda Motor Europe, said: “It’s the improvement in chassis rigidity and the handling performance – and also the updates to the steering and suspension – that are the biggest gain over the previous Type R. It’s more engaging and more confident.”
The brakes have also been upgraded, this time with “enhanced temperature control and air cooling”, with the vents behind the front wheel helping to reduce air pressure in the wheel arch.
The new 2022 Civic Type R also gains an upgraded exhaust system, with improved back pressure to help deliver faster turbo response, but the distinctive triple exhaust remains. A sound synthesiser now features, but is only active in the R+ drive mode, or can be switched on independently in the new Individual drive mode, where the adaptive dampers, steering, rev-match and engine response can also all be adjusted separately.
Inside, the Type R gains similar upgrades to the Honda Civic e:HEV. The sporty character of the Type R, meanwhile, is differentiated with a 10.2in touchscreen, a bespoke digital cockpit, red Type R trim, sports seats designed for both road and track and suede-effect upholstery.
While the old Type R sported a particularly dramatic exterior design, this new version is far more understated. A large rear wing makes a return, though, and it rides on purposeful, lightweight 19in alloy wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres.
Other design features include a larger lower grille, added front bumper air vents and a revised bonnet to improve airflow to the engine.
Honda has emphasised the improved performance of the Type R throughout the build-up to its reveal. Prior to its unveiling, it rounded Japan's 2.2-mile Suzuka circuit in 2min 23.120sec, setting a new lap record for front-wheel-drive cars.
The time was 0.873sec faster than the previous record holder - the Honda Civic Type R GT Limited Edition, based on the FK8-generation car.
The model is also said to be "ready for Nürburgring testing", suggesting the Type R could be set to challenge the front-wheel-drive record at the Nordschleife, too.
“With the all-new Civic Type R, Honda engineers have again delivered on our goal to create the most rewarding driving experience in the performance hatchback segment,” said Honda Europe senior vice-president Tom Gardner.
“Through exceptional advancements and the application of motorsport-derived technologies, we have exceeded the capabilities of even the stripped-out, lightweight version of the previous model. It is this dedication to performance excellence that has made the Civic Type R so popular with driving purists for 25 years.”
*Additional reporting by Jack Warrick*