Though the Honda Civic Type R has only been available to us here in the U.S. for two model years; for 2019, it gets a mild refresh that it shares with the rest of the Civic Hatchback family. 

And of course we never pass up an opportunity to drive a Type R, especially when we have a track like Roebling Road Raceway at our disposal.

Powertrain still consists of 2.0-liter turbo-4 with a hearty 306-horsepower, connected to a joy-to-work 6-speed manual with automatic rev matching.

It proved the perfect combination for getting us around this 2-mile track in a hurry. The fact that the Type R is so dialed in, you can mash the gas mid-corner and only good things happen. It’s really almost too easy to drive fast. Not something we often say about a front driver.

Once you tighten things up with the R+ drive mode, the chassis and tires delivery tons of grip. Brakes hold up well too. It really is track ready right out of the box.

You might think that most of those things that make it so great on the track, would make the Type R less than ideal for the street. Not so, in Comfort mode it’s quite compliant and very livable.

Now, as for recent updates. Most are inside. Our favorite is an updated Display Audio System with physical buttons and an actual volume knob. That may seem silly, but functionality-wise, it’s the equivalent of slapping a bigger turbo on an engine, speeding things up exponentially. 

Other functionality-enhancers include more actual buttons for climate control, upgraded steering wheel controls, and an indicator light on the electronic parking brake switch that more clearly declares when it’s engaged. 

Finally, new color choices round out the changes in this U.K.-assembled hot hatch.

The Type R is still the most powerful Honda you can buy, and still a performance bargain, at around $36,000.

Specifications

  • Engine: 2.0 liter
  • Horsepower: 306
  • Price: Around $36,000