Honda Cars PH Brings In Updated Civic Type R

While many are waiting for the local launch of the 11th generation Honda Civic and with its rival, Toyota having just recently introduced the GR Yaris, Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. has introduced the updated version of the high-performance version of its well-loved model.

For 2021, the Honda Civic Type R is refreshed with an updated exterior and some mechanical updates which aims to further improve the model’s already exhilarating driving performance.

The Civic Type R was first introduced in the Philippine Market in 2017. Having the highest distinction for performance for the Civic model line-up, the Civic Type R has been phenomenally sought after with the first one hundred (100) units made available for the Philippine market, booked within 48 hours upon the announcement of its availability.

On the outside, the updated Civic Type R has new lower fog light surrounds. It features a new symmetrical design, smooth surfaces, and sleek styling blades which contributes to the Civic Type R’s cleaner styling. The front and rear bumpers and side skirts continue to sport a carbon fiber effect front splitter, side underspoilers, and a rear diffuser with a sporty red accent line, which runs around the entire vehicle. There is also a new front grille design with a new thinner grille beam. It provides a 13 percent larger air intake area. Combined with the Type R’s updated radiator core, this decreases coolant temperature by up to 10 degrees (under Honda internal testing) during high-demand situations, such as track driving. The 20-inch alloy wheels, finished in Berlina Black remain the same.

Inside, the updated Civic Type R remains almost the same but gets a new Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel and a new teardrop style gear knob, similar to previous Type R models. These interior updates are not purely for aesthetics as they aim to provide optimized steering wheel grip and improved gear shift feel and accuracy. These subtle changes combined aim to enhance the driver’s feel once behind the wheel. On top of these new upgrades, the exclusive Type R serial number plate is still found below the gear shift lever.

Under the hood, the updated Civic Type R still retains its 2.0-liter VTEC Turbo engine that produces a maximum power output of 305 horsepower, and peak torque of 400 Nm. The engine is still exclusively mated to a 6-speed manual transmission equipped with a rev match control system enabling the car to sustain maximum power during gearshifts.

The updated Honda Civic Type R also now comes with Active Sound Control (ASC), complementing the Type R’s triple exhaust system’s refined note. With the ASC, the Type R’s audio system provides an enhanced engine sound within the cabin during aggressive driving in Sport and +R modes, refining it during acceleration in Comfort mode and enhancing the driving experience.

To further improve the Civic Type R’s responsive and confidence-inspired handling, improvements on the suspension and brake systems have also been updated for more responsive and sharper handling. The Civic Type R’s Adaptive Damper System’s control software has been upgraded to allow faster road condition evaluation, resulting in improved damper reactions for better handling response and ride quality. 

In terms of braking, upfront, the Civic Type R comes equipped with Brembo four-piston calipers paired to a new two-piece floating 350mm front brake discs and new brake pads. The enhancements in the Type R’s braking system not only improves thermal efficiency but also reduces brake fade for increased capabilities during high-intensity driving for optimized on-track performance.

The Honda Civic Type R is not all about performance and looks though because it now comes with Honda SENSING, a suite of driver-assistive functions, as standard. Through a monocular camera and wave millimeter radar simultaneously working to monitor and assess various road conditions in front of the vehicle, Honda SENSING alerts the driver of potential hazards that may occur. Honda’s suite of driver-assistive features provides an array of advanced safety features such as Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), Road Departure Mitigation (RDM), and Lane Departure Warning (LDW). 

Aside from that, the Civic Type R comes standard with an array of safety features such as Front Driver and Passenger Airbags, Side and Side Curtain Airbags, Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), Hill Start Assist (HSA), and Multi-View Reverse Camera with Dynamic Guidelines. 

The updated Honda Civic Type R will be available at a suggested retail price of Php 3,210,000. It will be available in three colors, including two new colors. These are Championship White, and the new Racing Blue and Sonic Gray. As a special treat, HCPI is also offering an introductory discount of Php 100,000 for the new Civic Type R from July 27 up to September 30, 2021.