The Honda Civic is one of the most popular and fuel-efficient cars on the market. If you want a Civic with a little more “oomph,” get the heavily stylized and powerful Type R version. According to MotorTrend, it provides a considerable amount of horsepower for your dollar.

Most of the vehicles this list look like more traditional muscle cars, like the Ford Mustang and the Chevy Corvette. However, the Honda Civic Type R is thousands of dollars cheaper and still supplies plenty of power. It definitely proves that you don’t need an official sports vehicle to relive the pony car era.

The Honda Civic Type R’s powertrain

This Honda Civic comes with a turbo inline-four capable of 306 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. It’s also paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and only comes with front-wheel drive. It has a blistering 0-60 mph time of 5=five seconds flat and a top speed of 169 mph.

The Honda Civic Type R usually retails for around $36,000, which equates to $124.02 per hp. While it’s not as conservative on fuel as the regular Civic, the sportier model still gets decent mileage. It’s rated for 22 mpg on city roads and 28 mpg while driving down the highway.

Where it ranks with its competition

If you’re not getting an expensive sports car, the Honda Civic Type R provides you with the best value. The Hyundai Veloster N came in second place, boasting $111.55 per hp. While it’s around $4,000 cheaper than the Civic Type R, it’s slower and doesn’t produce as much horsepower.

The Honda Civic Type R also beat the Toyota Camry TRD, which supplies $106.72 per hp. Like the Hyundai Veloster, it’s less expensive than Honda’s offering, plus it has almost the same amount of horsepower. However, Edmunds reported that the engine is very noisy and the infotainment system has some hiccups.

Driving the Honda Civic Type R

Car and Driver reports that the Honda Civic Type R accelerates without any fuss and the transmission gives perfect shifts. The steering gives drivers excellent feedback and the car feels firmly planted to the road while cornering. Testers were also impressed with the Type R’s emergency braking response.

For 2020, the Type R received an upgraded set of brakes and suspension, making it even more track-ready than before. The ride is stiffer than the regular Honda Civic’s, but it’s still comfortable and absorbs almost all road imperfections. The cabin is usually quiet, but Active Sound Control is also included to give drivers some pleasing artificial engine growls.

Plenty of included technology

The infotainment touchscreen’s graphics could use an update, but the system functions nicely overall. Smartphone integration is included, as well as built-in navigation and a 12-speaker sound system. Its standard safety offerings include automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and forward-collision warning.

The Honda Civic Type R also has highly supportive seats made from cloth and Alcantara. The double stitching in ruby red is intricate and aesthetically pleasing. The seats can’t be heated or ventilated, but automatic dual-zone climate control is standard.

The Honda Civic Type R’s high resale value

If you want to resell your Honda Civic Type R down the line, you likely won’t be out too much money. When MotorTrend returned theirs, the staff was surprised to learn that the car had retained nearly 90 percent of its original value. This was after three years and 42,000 miles.

However, most drivers probably won’t be willing to part with the Honda Civic Type R. Thanks to its powerful and efficient drivetrain, it’s a great car both for daily driving and fun on the track.