The 2022 Honda Civic Si has garnered a lot of attention as of late since it hit dealer showrooms. Many prospective buyers and new Civic Si owners around the Internet have reported insanely marked-up prices for the redesigned sport sedan – some dealers are pricing them for more than $40,000. If that sounds too ridiculous of a price to pay (it is), then one good alternative is to spend your hard-earned money on a used Civic Type R instead. Here are a few reasons why.

1. The Honda Civic Type R has more power than the Si

The 2022 Honda Civic Si is powered by a turbocharged 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine that makes 200 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque. I’ve tested it – here is our full review of the Civic Si – and am happy to report that the power rating is good enough for any type of daily driving duties. However, if you really want to be pushed back in your seat when you stab the throttle, then the Civic Type R is the way to go.

Under the hood of Honda’s fabled pocket rocket is a fire-breathing turbocharged 2.0-liter engine that pushes out 306 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. That potent mill is connected to a six-speed manual transmission that routes power to the front wheels, a formula that equates to a 0-60 mph time of 5 seconds, according to Car and Driver. In contrast, the Civic Si takes almost two more seconds to get up to the same speed.

2. The Civic Type R is a four-door hatchback

Many Honda enthusiasts are not too thrilled that the all-new Civic Si is only available in a sedan body style and not as a hatchback. If you’re the type that loves the thought of being able to seat four adults comfortably while storing all of their stuff, the Civic Type R is the way to go. Its hatchback configuration boasts 26 cubic feet of cargo volume as opposed to the Civic Si’s 14 cubic feet of trunk space. It doesn’t take a math wizard to realize that the Civic Type R is obviously more practical and usable in daily operation.

3. You can currently buy a used Civic Type R for around the same price as a 2022 Civic Si

As far as pricing, the 2022 Civic Si has a starting MSRP of $27,300. Admittedly, that’s an amazing price for what you get in terms of comfort and performance. However, dealers have been marking them up to the mid-$30,000 range and even the $40,000 range due to its popularity and scarcity.

However, if you do a nationwide search on CarGurus, you can currently find 2017 and 2018 Civic Type R examples listed for around $33,000. That’s a steal – especially in the current market – compared to the new Civic Si.

There are plenty of more reasons that a used Civic Type R is the better option

Of course, there are plenty of other reasons that buyers should choose the Civic Type R over the Civic Si any day of the week. Many of them stem from the car’s heightened performance and visceral driving dynamics over the more civilized Si. However, these three reasons are key when picking between the two. And if you happen to be a prospective buyer, then the choice is clear – unless you really want to pay $40,000 for a Civic Si.