There is no denying that the Civic Type R is an excellent hot hatch. It feels good to drive, has loads of power, and one of the best stick shifts out there.
But there are compromises to be made for the Limited Edition, all in the name of weight saving. To that end, it loses its infotainment system (and the radio along with it) as well as its air conditioning and some sound deadening material, too.
For that, you lose 46 lbs (21 kg) compared to the standard Type R, and also gain fancy BBS wheels and Michelin Cup 2 tires. Together with the weight savings and the faster adaptive dampers, Carwow’s Mat Watson likens the experience of the Limited Edition on track to that of a race car.
“I’ve had this car on track recently,” says Watson. “I was hooning it about and it was an absolute blast. It feels like you’re driving a touring car. It is so good!”
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Unfortunately, like a touring car, Honda’s compromises have affected it on the road. The lack of sound deadening means it’s loud on the road and since there’s no radio you can’t drown out the drone. It’s also stiffly sprung, even in the most comfortable drive mode.
Even the tires, meant to make it handle better on track, hurt it on public roads. Unless you’re really pushing the car, it’s hard to get enough heat in them to really feel confident in cooler temperatures. That makes the Civic Type R Limited Edition feel somewhat skittish on the road.
It’s an unfortunate combination, one that makes on-road driving feel neither fun nor comfortable. On the track, though, it’s an absolute monster, reports Watson.