The 2022 Honda Civic Type R Combines the Best of Both Worlds
The Honda Civic Type R is a fairly uncommon car to anyone who isn’t a huge car nerd. As my pops says, the few times he has seen one in the wild, “I’m telling you, it looks like what Buck Rogers would drive.” Part of its rarity may come down to that ‘50s futurist look. Well, the new one has changed a bit more than just its looks. The 2022 Honda Civic Type R is trying hard to balance all-out racer and useable daily drivers.
What we know so far about the 2022 Honda Civic Type R
The new Honda Civic Type R is new indeed. According to MotorTrend, the new Civic Type R is built on an evolved version of the previous model’s chassis. All Civics across the board are getting this newer, more rigid chassis to strengthen all models’ handling.
The 2022 Civic Type R is roughly the same size as the last one but with a slightly longer wheelbase and wider rear. These dimension changes set the stage for one of the biggest changes coming for the 2022 Civic Type R; new suspension.
While the chassis for the new Civic is more rigid and is clearly a performance-minded change, Honda says this new suspension should be a much more sophisticated system. Although Honda promises a more refined ride, they still hold to this suspension being a sport suspension.
What will this suspension do for the 2022 Honda Civic Type R
The suspension is everything for any decent sports car. Without a well-tuned suspension, the car can’t handle the driver’s commands. In 2020 the Type R got an updated adaptive suspension that can adjust its dampers over 20 times a second. This adaptive suspension makes daily driving a bit easier and more comfortable. The suspension geometry was altered along with the ball joints to help the car corner more flatly and increase the overall driveability of the Civic.
The new Civic’s engine and transmission
According to MotorTrend, Honda has kept the lid tight on any engine specifics, as of now. Luckily for all Honda fans, the 2022 Honda Civic will be offered in a six-speed manual version for all sportier models like the hatchback, Si, and Honda Civic Type R, of course. The engine from the previous model was the 2.0-liter inline-four making 306 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. As far as Honda has said, there are no plans of changing the drivetrain from the FWD layout. It would be nice to see RWD or AWD, but Honda is not really about that life, and that’s ok.
When will we see the new Type R?
Honda tells us that the 2022 Civic sedan is set to launch for late spring-ish. The chances are that the hatchback would follow sometime in the summer, and the Type R maybe not until the Fall of next year. MotorTrend speculates pricing options as follows, “A hybrid AWD variant could push the model’s price tag well beyond $40,000. If Honda decides to stick with FWD, on the other hand, pricing should increase only slightly, keeping it in the $38,000-40,000 range. That’s the price point where we think the Civic Type R is most strongly positioned, and where it shines as a performance bargain.”
The Honda Civic Type R will be eagerly awaited
The Civic Type R is the kind of sports car we need. It’s flashy enough to be exciting and feel special. The is not only plenty fast but can handle its power in a manageable and fun way. These are the makings of true greatness; see Mazda Miata. If it can stay around the $40,000 mark, that makes this a very exciting car that many could actually hope to afford. The people’s sports car.
