We have been seeing the spy shots of the all-new Honda Civic Type R for over a year. The company itself started a teaser campaign about half a year ago where the new Type R made several auto show appearances wearing some kind of camouflage. Now, the Japanese automaker has fully revealed the 2023 Civic Type R, but unfortunately didn’t provide us with all the vehicle specifications and details, including power, performance, and price.
Powertrain
Well, without telling us the power and performance figures, Honda firmly iterates it is their most powerful and fastest production car for the US markets. The hot hatchback still uses the old turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine we find in the 2022 model, but the engineers have tweaked it along with its six-speed manual transmission to enable it to deliver more power and better performance.
The power exclusively goes to the front wheels through this manual gearbox, so it means you won’t find a sequential transmission or an all-wheel-drive variant. It would be a pure stickshift joy.
Apart from the enhanced engine, suspension, and steering performance, Honda has made the performance hatchback lower, longer, and wider than the 2022 Civic Type R. Besides, it gets a wider set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. All the changes contributed to enabling the hot hatch to make a front-wheel-drive lap record at Suzuka, Japan.
Exterior
Speaking of the exterior changes, we find a bigger rear wing than before, a more assertive mesh grille, and updated corner intakes. Furthermore, the side sills on the fenders at the back of the front wheels increase the airflow efficacy. We also see swelled fender flares neatly hide the wide wheels and tires to make the car sportier than before. These changes complement the wider back doors compared to the previous model. At the back, the new Type R gets a restyled rear bumper, three-round exhaust outlets, and a fresh diffuser.
Interior
The interior is a mix of red and black, with sporty red seats, red carpeting, and contrast stitching. The black interior elements are the same we find in the regular Civic, but the exclusive +R driving mode is there to add a touch of pleasure to the information display. In addition, an onboard data logger brings real-time data on the vehicle and its response to driver inputs.
There is so much more the automaker will reveal in the coming days and months, and we have to be patient about it. Overall, this visual launch shows what we should expect from the last non-electrified Type R from Honda. Expect the complete details before the fall of this year, as that’s the time when the new Civic Type R will be launched.
Source and Images: Motor1