● First test of Honda’s mega hot hatch
● It’s pricey, but well worth the £47k cost
DESPITE the rabid anticipation surrounding the new Honda Civic Type R, and the eye-watering £46,995 price tag Honda has attached to it, the car itself contains surprisingly few all-new components when compared with the model it replaces. Yes, it has a new bodyshell that’s 15 per cent stiffer than before (which is a great starting point), but its engine and gearbox are essentially the same as in the car it replaces, as are its steering, brakes and suspension.
And yet the overall result is a hot hatchback that once again rewrites the rulebook
