Anyone got any experience of the latest Civic Type-R? I'm considering one as my next daily, test drive booked for Thursday which I'm looking forward to.
It is one of a varied range of cars I'm considering, I wasn't sure about the looks but my 30 year old daughter said it looks great and I should get one. Initial thought was that it would be nice to have a reliable car that I don't have to worry about, Honda or Toyota came to mind and the Type-R is the only Honda I could consider. Will also look at the Toyota GT86 but not convinced about a daily so much slower than my Coupe!

If it is only you and possibly one other in the car, why not consider an Abarth 500? Certainly quicker and handle better than the standard Fiat 500.

Have a few mates with them and they are all happy with them.

I test drove both the new Type R and a Scooby BRZ (GT86) along with a Focus ST. I eventually plumped for the ST as it was way better all round.

The BRZ was a hoot to drive. Going back to RWD would have been fun but decided against it in the end because the back seats (only 2) were very tight and the bootspace was pretty small too.

I very nearly didn't drive the Type R as I'd not seen one close up until the day I arrived at the dealership. It's definitely a marmite car with it's looks. Despite me not particularly liking the chavvy look I took it out for the morning and on the whole, enjoyed driving it. The day I drove it was damp and pulling away from lights it sometimes had difficulty in getting the power down. Cornering was very good but like most cars of the genre, the ride was pretty crashy over rough roads. The interior in the one I drove was awful The red seats looked awful and tbh the interior itself is pretty dated and naff looking.

As I said earlier, I plumped for a Focus ST in the end.

Thanks for the inputs. I did think about an Abarth but if I'm buying a new car I want to be able to do long journeys in it (regular trips to Brittany which can be 650 miles in a day) so not sure I want something that small.

Just something about the Focus I'm not keen on - a bit too normal I think! I like something different in my cars and whilst a Civic is pretty normal the Type-R does overcome that!

GT86/BRZ needs to be test driven I think!

Autocar Civic Type R vs Golf R (Sept 2017)

I'm test driving a Golf R on Saturday.

It certainly does that in spades!

Trappy - I watched that video a couple of days ago. Golf fits in the "normal" car category, sure it is great but doesn't appeal.

Bezzer - absolutely!

Should add the other car I'm considering is a Jaguar XK 5.0 - I had an XK8 for 5 years and loved it so would like another, it is my heart choice, just my head suggesting new, warranty, no issues etc. hence looking at Honda/Toyota.

Fair enough. I'm in a similar boat really, but I've decided to get a new, reliable, practical and moderately nippy car for 'normal' use. And keep the Coop for... abnormal use

Funnily enough I was picked on by a Mk6 Golf R last night while heading home from work. I wish I'd been able to tell him it was on the low boost setting to give me more grip in the damp conditions

i had the pleasure of driving a car I didn't know existed until the evening before! I would say, go give this a try. Loved it... N30
all sorted by the guy responsible to the M power BMW's..

it reviews very well to

Read the Autocar road test of the N30 last night, they liked it but felt it wasn't as good as the Golf GTi or Civic Type-R, conclusion was that the Civic is worth the extra money. Sounded like the second gen from Hyundai will be pretty good though! Might try and have a look at it.

Andy, have you considered a year old Focus RS or S3?

At a push you could get a 2 year old A45. With the aero pack, they look pretty different to a bog standard A Class.

The A45 is ridiculously quick and, for me at least, an example of a car that’s far too capable to use effectively on UK roads and I would find it deeply frustrating. I test drove one and came back completely cold - impressed but uninterested. In some ways, it’s a driverless car: it doesn’t matter who is behind the wheel - they just need to tell it where to go - the car will do the rest. And, I’m sorry, but the aero kit is ridiculous too - little winglets and a high-level spoiler. The insane popping and banging from the exhaust will get you noticed - but maybe not in a good way.

Not a fan then?
I only pointed out the aero pack as it would make it stand out from an A Class which is what the OP is after.

Plenty of Performance/Super cars which fall into your example of a car that’s far too capable to use effectively on UK roads

FWIW, I enjoyed driving the A45. Fantastic car.

My partner had the GT86 for 2 years and it's a very capable and quite quick car. In the front it's a nice place to be but as Bezzer says the rear is non-existent if you travel more than 500 yards!
The other, final thing for me was (and partner) on long trips the very nice seats became uncomfortable and if anyone is prone to a bit of backache I'd suggest avoiding it.
on the plus side it was an engaging drive when pushed and sedate when needed to be. Nothing ever went wrong with it either and that reliability is a massive plus point.
Good luck in what you choose.........

Great car but, at the kind of road speeds you get to do most of the time in this country, you may as well just be driving the Sport model because at least you’d avoid that insane exhaust popping.

It’s in stark contrast to say, a BMW i8, which, on paper, has the same performance figures but is far more of an event to drive - fantastic cabin that is such a lovely place to be. And, if you want to tootle along with electric, totally quiet or add the petrol engine for some theatre. Twice the price (or more) granted but just to make the point that bald performance figures aren’t everything.

Or the Alfa 4C - quick (and flawed) but involving (once that horrible understeer is dialled out). Or a Cayman.

The A45 is just too capable - there’s no fun in that. Take the train.

I wasn’t having a go about the aero bits - but I just think they look ridiculous.

I think the i8 looks great but beyond the budget so not much point trying that. Would love a 4C but probably just too impractical and the offers that Mangoletsi had not long ago aren't available now - they were Coupe only though and my preference would be the Spider.

There is a definite problem with cars that are just too good, and those which have to be driven at 10/10th to feel good - not much point most of the time. By contrast after selling my XK8 I bought an MG TF which is just great fun anywhere except a motorway, don't need to drive fast in it to enjoy the experience and be really involved - it does encourage spirited driving though meaning I probably drive it quicker than I generally did in the Jag.

I'm intrigued to see people agreeing with the point I've been making for years... you can have so much more fun in a car which doesn't have ridiculous speed and acceleration but good handling, pretty much anywhere except on a track, because you can have it all the time.

This forum does puzzle me at times

If we're going to get taken down for talking about cars that exceed the speed limits/drive well/have a loud exhaust, then I'll not bother!

@OP, I hope you get what you're after, please ignore my suggestions as they appear to upset certain Forum members

Think I'll bow out from this thread.

I think you’re overreacting to what I said. I’m in no way upset but I do have a strong opinion on the A45 (and cars like it) - it’s an “arms race” car to look good on paper but, in my opinion, totally pointless. I used to drive my Alfa on the road but hated it because, at safe and even vaguely sensible speeds, I’d be using a fraction of its capability. Another example was my brother had a Caterham 1700 Supersprint - one of the least powerful Caterhams at the time - and he kept wondering whether to upgrade it. But he said other road users simply weren’t expecting it to be as quick as it was.

@Barnacle - I’ve been saying the same thing for a long time too. I’ve had as much fun, if not more, in 69bhp Fiat 500s hustling them along. The day I spent in Mark Hales’ Mazda MX5 at the Blyton circuit demonstrated what a bog-standard “hairdresser” car is capable of. Brakes are the only thing that most road cars need to improve to survive on track. On my Abarth 595, they’d last only one lap at racing pace before the pedal went.

@OP - worth checking the Fiat “employee” (can’t remember the proper name) deals on the 4C Spider. I’ve been half-tempted as they seem to be trying to give them away with big dealer contributions and very cheap finance. I assume they’re just not selling enough.

It seems that Evo agree with me



Evo A45 review

They even comment on my experience of the exhaust



though that maybe better now

You wouldn't believe the number of times I use to find myself next to one of these 'Caterfields' at the lights. Two old boys in, flat caps and smug faces, smirking at the pasting they thought I was going to get. You probably would believe the result though...



Isn't it the Fiat Affinity Scheme?. I imagine that they're not selling enough because it's about £20k more than it should be. For the same money you can have a Giulia Quadrifoglio that would murder it in every conceivable comparison.

On the subject of too fast / capabale for fun MRS, I have to wonder if your race experience has changed your idea of what fun is on the public highway? If you're used to hustling a car along at consistent, high speeds around a track, where you're nailing every bend and carrying as much speed onto the next straight as you can, then you're going to find the sorts of speeds us mortals consider 'fun' a bit dull. You'd no doubt give my 400bhp coop a bloody good hiding in your 595 over a country road for example. For me though, fun is a damn good squirt off a roundabut or slip road, hopefully embarrassing someone who thought they were going to leave me in the dust. Noise and drama to go with that is great

If a car does that and happens to double as a comfortable, smooth cruiser that doesn't get out of shape at the same time due to modern stability systems, then great.

Most people don't have a track special to let of steam so their choice of car would probably be very different to yours.

Exactly

Ah yes, Affinity, well done! - I still get the regular updates and there are some fabulous deals in there if you’re after a Fiat, Alfa or Jeep. The 595 was only £199 a month for a year then give it back - fun car except for the seat/seating position.




I have wondered about that which was why I was interested to see what Evo said and I couldn’t disagree with a single word. Merc are clearly locked in a arms race with Audi so I expect to see even more absurd versions of the A45 to appear.

ETA - it’s not the speed (or lack thereof) that I find dull but the lack of involvement at any given speed. To be involved in the driving of an A45, you need to be going at absolutely blistering speed. To be involved in the driving of a small, fun, hatch like a 69bhp 500, you are barely keeping up. The car needs to be rewarding - there are some truly hateful cars out there (Vauxhalls I have hired for instance) - but It’s the percentage of the capability of the car you can use.

If all you are looking for is the ability to squirt the car in a straight line, then fair enough - but that’s always been the lowest hurdle.

Post removed so I don't get a slap on the wrists.

Test drove the Type-R this morning. It is very impressive. My concern is that it could make the Coupe feel a little inadequate!

Actually, it is probably now down to a head v heart decision. Head is the Civic, heart is a Jag XK. Can't help thinking that in all the drives I had my previous Jag I never wished I was in a different car (except when it broke or had warning lights etc!) but not sure I would think the same in a Civic, even the Type-R.

The new type R is really good but it just looks to Halfords in my eyes I prefer the last model but the new one is better from every review ive read.


The Coupe isnt something you can compare it against because its very dated now so Coupe is all about the heart for me now and being the under dog

I agree, not fair to compare it to the Coupe, the Type-R really does show how suspension and engine technology has improved in the last 20+ years. But it doesn't have the 5 pot sound!

The Golf R does!

Seriously, what is this stupid 5 cylinder 'Soundaktor' going to sound like?

Thought the Golf R was 4 cylinder now?

It is.