Since its introduction for the 2017 model year, the Honda Civic Type R has been a hot ticket item in the world of Japanese sport compacts. While the Honda has produced the Civic Type R in other countries for the better part of the past two decades, the Civic Type R that we can currently buy is the first one ever sold in the U.S.

And while the new Civic Type R’s currently sitting at dealerships still command an additional markup on their MSRPs, the ones on the used market are selling for really good prices.

Why buy one used?

While the Honda Civic Type R is rare and special in comparison to a lower-trim Civic, it’s still a depreciating asset just like any other car. It’s been out since 2017, so that means there is probably a good amount of 2017 to 2019 models currently on the used market with some miles on them.

As such, if the used car market is saturated Civic Type Rs, then they are no longer as rare as they once were when they were new. So we’re seeing prices drop pretty steadily. No need to worry about that $36,000 MSRP price tag anymore and you definitely won’t need to worry about being swindled into paying a markup.

Is it still worth it to buy one new?

Just to recap, we are talking about one of the fastest production front-wheel-drive cars ever made and it does put out over 300 horsepower. So if you feel that you need to own one that only you have possibly sat in and driven, then, by all means, buy a new one.

After all, the 2020 Civic Type R models do come with a list of new tweaks including suspension upgrades, cooling upgrades, revised aero parts, Honda Sensing, and a new Boost Blue color, so we would say it’s still worth Honda’s asking price.  

But what about reliability?

First of all, it’s a Honda. Second, it’s still a Civic. Therefore, we can be almost certain that with the proper care and maintenance, the Civic Type R will last just as long as any other Honda Civic.

If you need a little more reassurance, just know that Consumer Reports has given the Honda Civic a 5 out of 5 reliability rating for the last three models years. And if you need any more assurance, just know that Car and Driver has put over 20,000 miles on their long-term Civic Type R and they have only had to pay for routine maintenance and snow tires.

How much are they going for?

The new Honda Civic Type Rs are currently still going for about $37,000 plus any possible dealership markups or add-ons. However, a quick check on Cargurus reveals that 2017 models are priced in the mid $20,000 range and up to around $33,000 for the 2019 models with very low miles on them.

Is it a great deal? We would definitely say so, considering that any type of discount on the car would be a good thing. If you currently have the means to go buy one, then get one while the prices are still low. After all, you never know if the value may actually go up in the future.