Road test: Honda Civic Type R

The battle of the hot hatches, an intriguing, poke-you-in-the-eye sort of contest, got a little hotter in the spring.

In a sector where horsepower and torque figures are pored over and debated with a neo-religious fervour, the new Honda Civic Type R entered the arena.

They had been waiting for this one. It was almost as if the deck of cards that includes the VW Golf Gti, Ford Focus ST, Seat Leon Cupra, Volvo C30 and Vauxhall Astra had been incomplete without the famous red H badge.

Honda had virtually torn up the rulebook when it designed the new Civic, so the Type R version was going to be a bit special, right?

After all, the previous Type R became something of an icon, selling 35,000 units, when its modest initial target was only 1,500 sales.

What Honda did - much to the annoyance of some dinosaurs who wanted a prehistoric, turbo-charged hectic monster - was simply refine it, make it easier for everyday use in the real world and more mainstream.

Make no mistake, this is still a raw, involving experience, and the high-revving engine is still a scream, but for those looking for a significant increase in horsepower, torque and acceleration the figures came as a disappointment.

There is still that wonderful 2.0-litre iVTEC engine under the bonnet, but Honda says it was not prepared to get involved in a horsepower war with rivals. So the normally-aspirated engine stayed and the temptation to strap on a big turbo was resisted. Instead, there was an evolution. The way the engine delivers its power to improve the driving experience was changed so that the driver can get to the VTEC power band more frequently, and this was matched with the improved drive-by-wire throttle to give smoother acceleration, especially at high speeds.

The low-down torque thrills available in the Ford Focus ST cannot be matched by the Civic, but equally the hot Honda will positively thrill as you slice through the superb six-speed gearbox surrounded by that strangely addictive sound of the engine.

Acceleration figures for the Type R show that it achieves the compulsory hot hatch club membership sub-seven seconds time for 0-62mph, registering 6.6 seconds. It will go on to a top speed of 146mph.

Those figures, and the Billy Whizz manner in which you are likely to drive this machine, mean that you are unlikely to achieve a combined fuel economy figure of more than 28mph, despite the official figure of 31mph.

The Type R is of course only available as a three-door in either standard or GT format (the only other version available), but it shares the same silhouette as the five-door Civic. What sets it apart are the lower sills, front and rear bumpers, outward-flaring side skirts, front and rear spoilers, black honeycomb mesh grille, 18-inch seven-spoke alloy wheels and twin triangular exhaust pipes. And that red H badge, of course.

Inside, it's all red and black. The two-tier space age dashboard has a 3-D effect, with the speed figure indicated in the largest lettering, behind the all-important rev dial.

Honda intended that the Type R should provide as near to a race car-driving experience as possible, and there can be no doubt that the racing-style front seats are a key component. Finished in black Alcantara with red stitching, they hug and cosset with wide banked side bolsters. The Type R name is emblazoned across the backrest, and the height and recline adjustment features ensure a snug fit. They look the part and feel more comfortable than others I have tried in this class.

Other touches include the drilled aluminium sports pedals, automatic air conditioning, digital trip computer, leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel and alloy gear knob. The handbrake tucks in nicely, too.

Legroom is reasonable for rear seat passengers, and the boot - which has under-floor storage is surprisingly large.

The door handles were a disappointment. They are nicely styled but sound awful and take some effort to open. I found myself having to open the door for passengers on three occasions during my week-long ownership of the vehicle.

My only other grumble concerns that rear spoiler, positioned half way up the back window. It hampers the mirror view and is bloody annoying.

The GT version adds dual curtain airbags, cruise control, power folding mirrors, automatic headlights, front fog lights, climate control, rain-sensing wipers and a refrigerated glovebox, and you can include a hands-free phone system and DVD satellite navigation.

Ride quality is more-or-less what you would expect in a car of this ilk. Honda opted for torsion beam type suspension, rather than independent rear suspension, and while you can expect a smooth journey on good roads, be prepared to feel some feedback to annoying levels on bumpy surfaces.

But there is no doubt that stability has been enhanced by a lowering of the ride height and increase in the rear track to 20mm wider than that of the Civic five-door. Assured cornering through an advanced setting of the electric power steering system is another great benefit.

All of this performance would of course be quite useless without a braking system to match, and here the Type R again scores highly in both dry and wet conditions. I drove it along twisting lanes through one of worst downpours of the year and never once felt vulnerable to the conditions.

That confidence is in part due to the combination of large ventilated discs at the front and solid discs at the back and the presence of electronic brake force distribution and a brake assist system which functions during emergency braking.

Vehicle Stability Assist also comes as standard to help the driver maintain control during cornering, acceleration and sudden manoeuvres. This feature can be switched off.

There's one other point to mention, and that is the reliability that has become a hallmark of Honda. There has never been a reported failure of a Honda VTEC system, anywhere in the world.

The company plans to sell 5,000 Type Rs a year. I suspect that the sales people will be in for some nice bonuses.

At a glance

Model: Honda Civic Type RPrice: £17,600 (GT £18,600)Top speed: 146mph0-62mph: 6.6 secondsCombined mpg: 6.6 secondsCO2 emissions: 215g/kmEngine: 1988cc petrolPower: 201 PS @ 7,800rpmTorque: 142 lb ft @ 5,600rpm