2023 Honda Civic Type R Specs and Features Revealed
Honda's giant-slaying hot hatch packs 315 horsepower, a six-speed manual transmission and all of the automaker's latest safety tech.
It's been just over a month since we first saw the 2023 Civic Type R, and on Wednesday, Honda released the official details about the US-spec car that'll go on sale this fall. Nothing here is particularly surprising, but honestly that's fine. The last-generation Civic Type R was a freakin' blast, so I'm happy Honda stuck to the old "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" adage when creating this one.
The new Type R hatchback builds off the clean-sheet design of the 11th-generation Civic, and the overall look is more mature. Sure, the huge wing and wider fenders are still there, but the new Type R looks a lot less like a roadgoing anime character than it used to. For better or worse, it's a car that looks like it was designed for adults.
Boost Blue is always a good choice.
Honda widened the Type R's front and rear tracks by 1 inch and 0.75 inches, respectively, and the 2023 model rides on 19-inch wheels with 265/30 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires. Interestingly, the old CTR rode on 20-inch wheels with narrower 245-section tires, so the new setup should help with overall grip, despite the smaller-diameter wheels. Ventilated 13.8-inch front and 12-inch rear brakes are standard, as are 4-piston Brembo aluminum front calipers. The new Civic Type R also has adaptive dampers like its predecessor.
Under the Type R's hood, you'll find the same turbocharged 2.0-liter I4 engine as before. Power increases slightly for 2023, with 315 horsepower delivered at 6,500 rpm and 310 pound-feet of torque available between 2,600 and 4,000 rpm. These are only gains of 9 hp and 15 lb-ft, so don't expect a noticeable bump in performance, but I've always loved the Type R's punchy K20C1 engine, so I'm not complaining. (Be sure to check out our spec comparison to see how the Civic Type R stacks up against its rivals.)
A six-speed manual is the only transmission offered, and it has Honda's excellent automatic rev-matching tech -- something I personally love, but can also be turned off if you insist. Honda says the shift lever is stiffer and the shift gate pattern was optimized for "hyper-precise" gearchanges. The CTR continues to use front-wheel drive, and a standard limited-slip differential helps put the engine's power to the pavement.
A 9-inch infotainment screen and 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster are standard.
Honda will only offer the Civic Type R one way: fully loaded. The 9-inch central display runs the same infotainment system as other Civics, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and there's a 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster, as well. You can only get a red-and-black interior scheme with Type R-specific seats, and Honda is keeping the Type R's color palette the same, with Rallye Red and Crystal Black as the standard colors and Championship White, Sonic Gray and Boost Blue offered at additional cost.
Unlike a lot of performance cars, Honda packs the Civic Type R with its full roster of driver-assistance tech. Forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control are all standard. You'll find LED headlights and taillights, as well.
Honda won't release pricing information until closer to the Civic Type R's on-sale date, but a starting MSRP around $40,000 is a pretty safe bet. (The 2021 CTR cost $38,910 including destination.) All that's left to do at this point is drive Honda's new hot hatch, and if it's anything like the old one, we've got a lot to look forward to.
