After a year of guessing following the prototype's debut in Paris, we finally get the whole story on the first Honda Civic Type R to arrive in the US. And the news is good.
The 2017 Honda Civic Type R gets its power from a 2.0-liter, turbocharged I4. US-spec Output is set at 306 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, all of which heads to the front wheels by way of a six-speed manual transmission -- no automatics or CVTs here, folks. The 13.8-inch Brembo front brakes help bring the car to a stop.
The CTR will arrive on a single platform -- the hatchback. It's a mean one, with exaggerated air vents in the front, fender flares on the side and a big ol' wing out back. A hood scoop up front delivers air to the engine, and out back, there are not two, but three tailpipes. Red accents line the lower portion of the body and the wheels, because red is the sportiest color.
Under the body, Honda made a ton of changes to give the CTR the performance cred it deserves. It takes advantage of Honda's "Dual Axis" front strut design, which separates the steering knuckle and strut to spread apart the steering and suspension forces, which Honda believes will mitigate torque steer and increase steering feel. An adaptive suspension setup featuring unique spring, damper and bushing settings is capable of changing based on vehicle mode.
The Civic Type-R will come with three different modes -- Comfort, Sport (which is default) and +R. Swapping modes will change the steering weight, throttle response, stability control, adaptive dampers and -- for enthusiasts who have a hard time with heel-toe -- enable automatic rev-matching.
The interior isn't too different from the normal Civic hatchback, save for some aggressive sport seats. There's a leather wrapped steering wheel, an aluminum shift knob and pedals, a red gauge cluster and a Type R plaque on the center console. The headlights, taillights, fog lights and turn signals are all LED.
The 2017 Civic Type R is offered in a single trim, Touring. Standard tech includes a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as satellite radio, HD Radio and Pandora compatibility. A 540-watt, 12-speaker sound system is standard, as well as automatic climate control.
You won't even have to wait too long to pick one up. The 2017 Civic Type-R goes on sale in late spring, and the price tag is expected to hover in the mid-$30,000s. It will be built in the UK, with the engine coming from Honda's plant in Anna, Ohio.