All-New 2022 Honda Civic Type R Makes Spy Debut With Softer Lines, Similar Massive Wing

Just about when Honda is starting the market launch of the facelifted 2020 model, our spies caught the Japanese carmaker testing the next-generation Civic Type R for the first time, which could arrive either as a 2022MY or 2023MY in North America.

The next Honda Civic Type R test car is unsurprisingly quite heavily camouflaged, featuring not only a full-body wrap but fake bumps in key areas in a bid to further hide its styling cues. However features such as the headlights and taillights appear to be complete, giving us a better idea of what to expect from the popular hot hatch.

One of the biggest criticisms on the current Civic Type R is about its overly aggressive looks, with some saying that it’s almost too much and others being turned off by the number of fake vents and the whole “boy-racer” image it projects.

Although it’s too soon for a solid conclusion, the pictured test car appears to adopt a softer approach, at least underneath all that tape. We can’t tell for sure if the covered bumpers are close to the final design but we do like what we see. The next Honda Civic Type R is also keeping the wider fenders, which help it house the bigger tire/wheel package, as well as the characteristic rear wing.

The camouflaged 2022/2023 Honda Civic Type R was also fitted with a temporary single exhaust tip, portraying the early nature of the test car. Another big change on the rear of the Japanese hot hatch is the lights; Honda will go with a full-width LED setup this time, giving the 11^th-generation Civic and the Civic Type R a more modern and less controversial rear end this time around.

Our spies were able to catch a glimpse of the interior too, which shows a new steering wheel and a tacked-on touchscreen display for the infotainment display. The instrument cluster is also expected to be new and fully digital, offering more customization options than before.

As for the powertrain, there isn’t much information apart from older reports suggesting that the hot Honda will go down the electrification route since the Japanese carmaker is planning to electrify its entire range by 2025.

As such, the 2022 / 2023 Civic Type R is expected to continue using a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder petrol engine, only here it will work in conjunction with two electric motors powering the rear wheels for a speculated 400 HP. Honda is even expected to use the torque-vectoring technology from the NSX in the next Civic Type R, which should make it exceptionally fast across the ground.

Honda is going to reveal the next-generation Civic in late 2021, with the hot Type R model to follow in early 2022.