- Driving the EK9 Civic Type R is Honda’s B16B 1.6-liter 4-cylinder with 182 hp.
- The JDM hot hatch rocks a five-speed manual gearbox and a limited-slip differential.
- This example was imported into the U.S. from Japan in 2023.
The FL5-generation Honda Civic Type R is arguably the most exciting hot hatch currently on the market, building on Honda’s rich history of red-badged Civics, and today we’re looking at the one that started it all.
The EK9-generation Civic was the first model sold with a high-performance Type R variant and like most other Japanese sports cars from the early 2000s, prices for used examples have jumped significantly over the past few years. While some would argue the EK9 isn’t as impressive as the EP3 that followed it, it remains a highly capable and incredibly agile front-wheel drive hot hatch, appealing to a broad range of astute buyers.
Watch: The Civic Type R And Integra Type S May Be Closely Matched, But There’s Still A Clear Winner
This model has been listed for sale through Bring a Trailer. It was imported into the U.S. in 2023 and is painted in Championship White, the most iconic of all Type R colors. It has been driven ~63,000 km (~39,000 miles) and in December, the timing belt, tensioner, water pump, and engine mount insulators were replaced. Two similar 1997 Civic Type Rs have fetched $34,000 and $36,000 on BaT, although at the time of writing, and with three hours before the auction ends, the highest bid for this example stood at $20,000.
Power comes from a 1.6-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder known as the B16B. This rev-happy engine delivers 182 hp and 118 lb-ft (160 Nm) of torque while coupled to a five-speed transmission and a limited-slip differential driving the front wheels. The redline sits at a sky-high 8,400 rpm and unlike modern-day hot hatches, this is one you can wring the neck out of without breaking speed limits just seconds after stamping on the throttle.
Inside you’ll find the original red Recaro bucket seats, red carpets, and Civic Type R-branded floor mats, the perfect combination with the Championship White exterior.
While the car looks to be in good condition, the seller has acknowledged that there are areas of rust across the car’s floor pan but doesn’t believe this rust is structural. In any case, this is a 26-year-old hot hatch that requires some caution but if everything checks out, it should be an incredibly fun car.
You can check out the listing for yourself over at Bring a Trailer.
