Future Cars: 2017 Honda Civic Type-R Is The One Coming To North America

Caught recently undergoing testing at the Nürburgring, it’s hard to believe Honda are already developing their next generation Civic Type-R. It only seems like yesterday that the current Type-R was boasting about its 7:50.63 lap time on the famous Nordschleife circuit. Yes – progress at Honda is rather swift indeed.

So how about we take an illustrated closer look at Honda’s next Type-R; what will it look like, and what can we expect?

Aggressive Design:

When looking at the all-new Civic Type-R five-door hatchback based on the new 2016 sedan, first impressions are that it’ll frighten most species of animal, insect and probably your grandparents too; that’s right, subtle isn’t a word that applies here. From the large angular front air inlets, flared fenders, red accents and that massive rear wing; the overall theme is aggressive and in-keeping with the Type-R brand, complementing the base Civic’s rather handsome and dynamic design.

Revamped Sports Interior:

Whilst not overtly expressive in terms of interior design; the latest Civic has had a long-overdue upgrade which brought substantial improvements in perceived quality, materials, packaging and technology. As with most sports-orientated variants; expect figure-hugging race seats, dark upper environment (charcoal headlining and pillar covers), red/black Alcantara inlays and a thicker, flat-bottom steering wheel.

What Will Power It:

Currently the Type-R pumps out an impressively schizophrenic 306 horsepower and 295 foot-pound of torque through the front wheels, for a brisk 0-62 mph (100km/h) time of 5.7 seconds. Expect the new version to utilize the same 2.0-liter turbocharged VTEC unit, albeit with slight improvements to power and torque levels. Whilst we’d love to see a Focus RS-rivaling 350 hp; any major bump in power would likely force a re-think of drivetrain, and that isn’t happening anytime soon.

Hot Hatched Rivals:

In terms of pure front-wheel-drive opponents, Honda’s boosted hot-hatch primarily rivals the Renaultsport Megane 275 Trophy, Seat Leon Cupra 280 and Ford Focus ST. However this segment is a mix-bag of different drivetrains; so it’ll also battle against AWD’s like Ford’s eagerly anticipated Focus RS, Volkswagen Golf R and Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG – just to name a few.
Expect Honda’s next Civic Type-R 5-door hatch to officially emerge by 2017, with it finally being sold on both European and U.S soil (insert applause here).