Honda Civic & Civic Type R - What’s different

Honda gave its D segment sedan, Civic an update for the year 2020. While it receives mild exterior and interior changes over the previous version, the engines have been carried over from the predecessor. It now comes with Honda Sensing suite of safety and driver assistance features and packs a few new equipment on the inside. Speaking of the more aggressive version of Civic, the Type R, it also undergoes some changes as part of the update. Juxtaposed to the regular version, the Type R is sportier, though it is a hatchback, and appear shorter than the standard Civic. Under the hood, it carries a more powerful engine as compared to the sedan version, though it makes do with a solo manual unit. The Civic Type R is faster, more aggressive and has a lot in distinction to its elder sibling which we will discuss in this write-up, but before we begin, let us go through the dimensions of regular Civic and Type R.

Honda Civic & Type R - Dimensions

Dimensions	Civic	Type R
Length	4,648 mm	4,557 mm
Width	1,799 mm	1,877 mm
Height	1,416 mm	1,434 mm
Wheelbase	2,700 mm	2,700 mm
Cargo volume	519-litre	420 litre

The regular Civic is longer, while the Type R, despite being a hatchback measures wider and higher. Both sit on the same wheelbase, though the sedan has a larger boot capacity. This implies the Type R is more spacious on the inside, with better room for the occupants. Moreover, the Type R weighs 47 km lighter than the standard Civic, which aide better performance.

Honda Civic & Civic Type R - Exterior

Currently, in its tenth-generation, the Civic features piano black trim ‘wing’ grille at the front. The restyled bumper merges with black trim, while elements such as boot spoiler and rear bumper have been carried over. The LED headlamps and fog lamps have replaced the ageing halogen unit. At the flanks, there are chunky 18-inch alloy wheels, reserved for the top-spec variant.

As for the limited edition Type R, it sports 20-inch BBS forged alloys that help reduce weight by 8 per cent. The exterior now features bright yellow and black colour scheme, and the mirror caps, roof as well as air intakes have been painted in black. The Civic badge on the tailgate gets a dark chrome finishing. Since it is a hatchback, the boot is missing at the back, instead, it comes with a hatch.

Honda Civic & Civic Type R - Interior

The only addition in the regular Civic is the new 60:40 split-folding rear seats, rest all have been carried over from the predecessor. It continues to feature a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment unit with rotary on/off and volume control knob along with soft-touch function button. Other bits, such as Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, eight-way adjustable driver seat, walk-away door lock, are some of the interior features available.

On the other hand, the Type R sports Alcantra steering with red highlights, red bucket seats with the build number of the car, and much more. Though it comes with a 7-inch display, however, Apple CarPlay and Android auto are missing. Cruise control, smart entry with push start button, touch panel AC control are a few prominent features packed inside.

Honda Civic & Civic Type R- Specifications and engine details

Specs	Honda Civic		Honda Civic Type R
Engine	1.8L, SOHC	1.5L, four-cylinder turbocharged	2.0L, V-TEC four-cylinder turbocharged
Power	141 PS	173 PS	320 PS
Torque	174 Nm	220 Nm	400 Nm
Transmission	CVT	CVT	Six-speed MT

 

According to the power figures, the limited edition Type R hatchback is more powerful in comparison to the regular Civic which comes with two engine options. While the Type R misses out on a CVT or automatic gearbox and makes do with a single manual unit.

Honda Civic & Honda Civic Type R - Safety

Speaking of safety, the regular Civic specs sheet is more loaded. It gets Honda Sensing safety suite of driver assistance features, which the Type R misses out on. Here is the list of safety features available with the Civic sedan.

• Dual front airbags
• Side & curtain airbags
• Rear Seat ISOFIX
• Vehicle stability assist
• Agile handle assist
• ABS with EBD and brake assist
• Auto brake hold
• Hill-start assist
• Emergency stop signal
• Front & reverse sensors
• Multi-angle rear-view camera
• Honda Lane watch camera
• Security alarm with immobilizer
• Honda Sensing

Also Read: 2020 Honda Civic: Safety explained

As for the Civic Type R specs sheet, it gets dual front airbags, side & curtain airbags, rear ISOFIX, vehicle stability control, ABS with EBD and brake assist, auto brake hold, hill start assist, and security alarm with immobilizer.

Honda Civic & Civic Type R - Price

Model Name	Price
Honda Civic	RM 108,165 to RM 128,631
Honda Civic Type R	RM 330,002

The sedan version of Civic comes in three variants, Honda Civic 1.8S, Honda Civic 1.5 TC and Honda Civic TC-P. As mentioned above, the base trim is priced at RM 108, 165, and the top-spec grade can be availed for an additional premium of RM 20,000. The mid-sped 1.5 TC comes for RM 120,855. Speaking of Type R, the limited edition hatchback comes in a single trim priced at RM 330,002. In comparison, it is more almost three times the price of the base Civic sedan.

Out of the two models, the Type R looks sportier and aggressive, though the sedan version is longer and is more premium. While the regular Civic is more feature-packed, the Type R, despite its high pricing misses out on many prominent connectivity, comfort and safety bits. Though it is more powerful and offers great performance, thanks to the 2.0L turbocharged unit. Overall, the Civic sedan is a more practical car, and if you are ready to shell out a hefty amount for an aggressive looking performance hatchback, Type R is your pick.

Also Read: 2020 Honda Civic Type R Limited Edition is out