A woman and a car are first of all chosen by their appearance. Then we move on to other details. But both high-quality beautiful women and high-quality beautiful cars, the more years they have behind them, the more impressive. Let’s think, for example, even about Sophia Loren …
The Honda Civic from its first generation introduction in 1973 to the latest tenth generation Type R is a clear confirmation of the above lines.
Introduced in 1972 as a 1973 model, the first generation Honda Civic (www.hondabook.ru/en/Civic) was equipped with a 50 hp engine but boasted options such as air conditioning, a wooden interior and anatomical seats . Today, the top version of the tenth generation Honda Civic in the Type R version has a 2-liter turbo engine with 305 hp, a spacious interior, an aggressive aerodynamic body kit and many options.
When we pronounce the name Honda the first thing that comes to the mind of a motorist is sporty dynamism and aggressive exterior design, atypical for mass Japanese cars. I don’t want to dwell on the design of the car, but let the photos speak for me. I will only share that the car definitely belongs to those who you like at first sight or not. I am the first …
I can’t hide that the Type R definitely exceeded my expectations. The design of the car is sure to please the most avid fans of not only this Japanese brand and exceeds everything that can be expected from such a “civilian” and not designed for a track model.
The same can be said about the technical part of the car, which may surprise a not very trained driver. Harnessed only to the front axle, 320 “horses” can surprise the unprepared at the wheel, at full throttle even adjustments are required with it, and the car continues to spin the wheels even in third gear at sharp accelerations.
It is no coincidence that the car was tested in the «Green Hell» — the northern version of the Nürburgring and won the title of the fastest front-wheel drive production car with a result of 7 minutes 43.8 seconds.
The car «talks» directly to the driver, uses a mechanical differential lock, does not hide or restrain its temper with modern electronics designed for some models to directly «store» them on the road for greater safety. This car is definitely not for everyone, but for serious riders, in whose hands it reveals its full «potential».
Unfortunately, the latest Honda’s test drive was shorter than I wanted — a 50km lap and light throttle on a stumbled little test track at the Honda Academy grounds in Germany — but it was enough for me to answer all sorts of questions. important questions that everyone asks when they get to know a new car.
The Honda Civic Type R is not a new name in Honda’s lineup, so it’s interesting to see what Japanese engineers have been able to improve on the latest iteration of the car. The word sport is important in the brand’s genetics, but sport is sport, and cars do not drive every day on the track, but in urban and other everyday conditions.
From a technical point of view, the new Honda Civic Type R has more serious brakes, a two-liter gasoline turbo engine has become a little more powerful and offers 320 «horsepower» and 400 Nm of maximum torque as the main characteristics. This allows it to move from place to place in 5.8 seconds and reach a top speed of over 270 km/h.
Each element of the car’s aerodynamic body kit is designed not only for beauty, but also performs certain functions to optimize the airflow around it. A huge rear spoiler provides much needed extra pressure at high speeds and definitely makes an impressive aesthetic impact on sportier hearts. Three muffler tips hint at what’s possible in this four-wheeler, and the big 20-inch wheels complete the picture.
At first glance, the car’s interior is one idea less sporty than the exterior. The seats are quite sporty, but at the same time comfortable, slightly lower than those of the “civilian” version. The dashboard is impressive with a combination of digital and analog instruments, right on the shoulder is the gear lever, next to which is the selector for three driving modes. Sport mode is standard, the other two are Comfort and + R.
Adrenaline in the car comes from the first revolutions of the motorcycle, which is a bit like «Jekyll and Hyde» from the famous story of Sir Conan Doyle. At low revs and high gears, the engine hums quite exquisitely, and at high revs its sound is transformed. Sharp acceleration and no less abrupt release of the pedal immediately gives the impression of the sound of a professional rally car. At high speeds, the car transforms, and others involuntarily turn towards the noise.
In +R mode, the color of the instruments changes to red, and the sound of the engine makes you press the gas with maximum force. The behavior of the car on the road is changing and requires a really higher level of skill than the driver. The steering wheel obediently follows the commands of the hands, the suspension becomes stiff, and in this mode the balance of the car and the role of aerodynamics are best seen. Body elements do their job perfectly, but it cannot be said that the car rides like it is on rails, it requires constant and serious control from the driver. But it’s unavoidable if you’re looking for more driving experience that this really hot car offers.
Honda engineers have really managed to create a car with excellent dynamic performance and road behavior, which can be easily used for everyday driving. Some «experts» may grumble that there is no all-wheel drive or a reverse range of drivers why there is no automatic transmission available. But the only thing I can say to these two teams is that this car doesn’t need both.
Brief technical characteristics of the Honda Civic Type R: Four-cylinder in-line turbo engine with a displacement of 1996 cm³, 320 hp. at 6500 rpm and maximum torque of 400 Nmv in the range of 2500-4500 rpm. The gearbox is mechanical, six-speed gearbox, front-wheel drive, tires with dimensions 245/30 R20. Hatchback body with 5 doors and dimensions 4557x1877x1434 m, wheelbase 2699 mm, weight 1380 kg, maximum load 1760 kg, trunk volume — 420 — 1209 liters, tank volume 46 liters. Top speed 272 km / h, acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h in 5.7 seconds, fuel consumption — extra-urban / urban / average 6.5 / 9.8 / 7.7 liters per 100 km, CO₂ emissions — 176 grams per kilometer.
www.hondabook.ru/en/Civic/6 — repair and maintenance of the sixth generation Honda Civic.