2023 Honda Civic Type R, Daily Driver or Track Car? Casper & Luke Decide

Casper and Luke head for the hills. #shorts

Ahead of the full Review, Luke and I took the new Civic Type R to the cosy cottage compound, discretely nestled in the loving bosom of wine country. The other boys have already all had a steer so we left without them. Besides, I had things to get on with, like bro time with Luke. Luke is hot, excellent company, loves booze, and can chop an onions. All will become clear later.

The Type R

Civic Type R is a cunning mix of butch enthusiasm and maternal care, an odd thing to say about a hot hatch. As the generational power levels crept up with the stealth of Darth Vader, the quality did too. Civic Type R now feels like a quite-posh, form-hugging oasis on wheels.

Speaking of Darth Vader, our black car was as difficult to film as the big man’s helmet itself, with its delicious curves and bends seeming to suck up the light. Once ubiquitous, black cars became rare, remaining popular only with despots, drug dealers, and conservative leaders. But, they also stayed well within the realms of desire of the purveyors of fine corners. Although hot hatches have always looked deeply menacing under a veil of inky darkness, but we all know red is faster.

If nothing else, Honda’s “agency” sales model means no profiteering by dealers and sharks. You pay $72,600 through the website and the rest takes care of itself.

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ABOVE: 2023 Honda Civic Type R in white

Taking the Civic Type R on the road was like dancing with a tiger in tails

Despite Honda making the Civic all grown-up, the Type R kept its youthful feel. 19” wheels have Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres that are little more than bands of sticky rubber painted on the glorious black alloys.

Honda’s grip on race glory had always been closely linked with its road cars, and indeed with the fate of the company itself. Honda has battled with questionable Eddy-esque design choices, when what they needed was a touch of Patsy, and in a strange way the Civic Type R is Patsy on a bender.

Our date with destiny started early Friday morning, and as we crossed the Harbour Bridge with not a small amount of anticipation, premature deliberations spewed forth.

We set the mode to Comfort, keeping other modes including R mode, for another time. A leisurely country drive elicits memories of mum and dad bickering about snacks, and summer day return trips with sand in cracks and crevices where sand has no right to be. We determined this to be an altogether more splendid affair.

The 235kw/420Nm engine is utterly divine. It sings with the voice of a cherub, eschewing that venomous snarl so often common in “hotted up hatches”. Thuggish brutalism is fine on occasion, but gets old fast. Awful monotone drones give me the most abominable headache after little more than an hour, but the Civic Type R is all refined and gorgeous, and more importantly, as quiet as a Bublé ballad.

It would be horrendously remiss of me to venture further without touching on the heavenly rev-matching 6-speed manual and its Goldilocks clutch. Gear changes feel direct, but not so urgent as so slap you upside the head. Everything is so refined and sophisticated, and although were saw no tracks, mountain passes do just as nicely when sorting the Krug from prosecco.

The front wheels do their fair share of scrambling for grip, and even with a Helical Limited Slip Differential (LSD) doing its best, frankly darling, it often feels like the Type R is angry with the road and everything else one it. I like a good iron fist/velvet glove persona.

I was glad to see that even in this manual-only model, driver aids abound (see brochure). The automated steering can be used with or without clever cruise, however the cruise is not yet clever enough to work a clutch so queue assist is not a thing. What does help though, is Auto Brake Hold, which acts like a Hill Start Assist system, except this keeps a grip in the disc until told otherwise.

Brochure HERE:Honda Civic Type R 23YM digital spec sheet

In the bends:

Once we turned off the highway, we came over all brave by ordering up Sport on the mode menu. The steering and suspension firm up, and the engine becomes that little bit friskier.

Feathering the accelerator makes the Civic Type R hunker down, changing direction with the alacrity of a capering kid. It feels so brisk, and as it bites in, the rear follows obediently. The suede seating is a welcome sight. It grips you with the determination of Pepé Le Pew, something that lets you get on with keeping the shiny side up.

Once out of the corners, the rough country lanes warrant a gentler hand. Driving over those roads in sport would rearrange organs, whether they needed it or not.

We turned into the gates slightly down hearted, no more driving tonight.

We sat on the verandah with a fruity young merlot and some granny blankets, and declared the trip a great success. It was meant to be a weekend away with the Civic Type R and GR Corolla, but as the latter had thrown a hissy fit, plans changed.

The other boys were due any time, and I do most of the cooking, so on my heel I must turn. I can hear Luke cursing, so he has obviously gotten to the onions for my special one-pot-winter-stew.

I sign off amid a storm of speculation as to whether or not the GR Corolla would have given the Type R a run for its money. I rather think not. The Corolla is aimed at a becapped chavs in knock-off LV, whereas a Civic Type R owner would consider “H” branded coats and caps at a push, but usually sport a more civilised “Lauren” insignia.

Civic Type R was an equal partner in our weekend away, an honour we don’t always bestow. As for Track or Daily? It does both well, but as a daily driver, the Type R is very easy to live with, whereas the GR Corolla is hard edge 100% of the time.

One last word, we resent not also being referred to as “resident hunks,” as hot as Charlie and Nico are.

2023 Honda Civic Type R