2015 Honda Civic Type-R tested in Japan

The 2015 Honda Civic Type-R is nearing the end of its development stage, to the point where journalists from around the world, including the GCC, have been invited to briefly test the prototype in Japan this week. Of course, we weren’t invited. But the reviews are already coming in.

According to Caradvice.co.au, the new-generation 5-door Honda Civic Type-R will have a turbocharged 2.0-litre 4-cylinder generating 276 hp and 400 Nm of torque, although these figures aren’t finalised yet. All that power is dumped to the front wheels via a 6-speed manual, with no plans for any dual-clutch automatic. Peak torque comes in at 2300 rpm, but shift-points are now near 7000 rpm.

Apparently the car suffers from “controlled” torque steer on launch, but it is very fast. However, the car is speed-limited to 200 kph, and Honda is unclear about whether the production version will have a limiter or not. It also has a very harsh ride, probably since Honda is on a quest to set some front-wheel-drive Nurburgring record by their own admission, but that would make for an uncomfortable commuter car.

The 2015 Type-R is slated to hit showrooms elsewhere as late as 2015, but if it comes to the UAE, it’ll likely be limited in appeal by the lack of an automatic. History has taught us that the manual Ford Focus ST succeeded because it’s affordable, while the pricier VW Golf GTI succeeded because it’s automatic. Both were 5-door as well. The previous-gen 3-door Civic Type-R was manual and pricey, which led to it being offered here for only one year, with several leftovers allegedly sitting in showrooms the following year. We can always hope for the best with this new model.