Steve vRS

Is the current shape Type R as bad as the motoring press make out? I quite like the look of one for the wife and it ticks a lot of boxes:-

- Practical (4 seats)
- Affordable
- Fast
- good looking (IMHO)
- Interesting engine

Are there any experiences from owners? I know the previous shape is allegedly a better drive but it's also a bit older and we would want something less than 3 years old.

Any other suggestions welcome!

Steve

mylilscooby

HAD one like me got it for the missus then got rid of it for a mini cooper GP @231hp its a real little animal i like to point out had

Steve vRS

Pardon?



Steve

stuart2008sti

iTrader: (1)

Had the first one out of honda in cardiff,me personally i liked it so did the wife.Only real issue is if you move the seats to let somebody in it does not go back to its original position,also not very fast.I am tempted to buy another for a bit of fun in.Dealer that i used in cardiff was very good nothing was to much trouble, unlike the subaru

wrx sti ppp

i am in the process of selling my STi and was seriously considering the CTR. took one out for a test drive this week. nice build quality for a Jap car, fizz bang engine that sounds superb, loads of leg and head room in the back (i'm 6' and had no probs), lots of toys and Honda super reliability. However...you really have to be in the mood for that engine if you want to make progress, but you will be rewarded with a wonderful sound. I also test drove a Golf GTi yesterday and that's what i will be going for when the STi sells...if it ever sells in the current climate!

ad uk

iTrader: (6)

fast who told you that neva come across a quick one

tony de wonderful

Problem is pslewis drive a new shape Civic.

I've heard the older shape Type R is better FYI.

wrx sti ppp

the EP3 civic, the previous shape, had independent suspension all the way round, the new shape has a torsion beam rear axle and is allegedly not as good a handling car as a result.

they are quite fast, but the engine revving so highly makes it seem faster than it actually is. besides, if youre coming from a scooby, nothing is going to really compare in terms of performance.

Norman Dog

iTrader: (1)

Get a Focus ST.

- Practical (4 seats)
- Even more affordable
- Faster
- Better looking (IMHO)
- More Interesting engine

+ A hell of a lot cheaper to tune than the Honda.

andys

Honda stopped making them last year

wrx sti ppp

cos they wont pass the new EURO 6 emissions regs.

Renaultsport Megane R26R? Golf GTi R?

sovietspybob

iTrader: (3)

My missus is looking at getting a Civic Type-R soon, we test drove an EP3 (previous shape civic) and loved it and then she drove the FN2 (new shape) and hated every single thing about it. Bare in mind she hates top gear with a passion so its not media clouding her judgement of it.

Bare in mind thought that my last car was a DC5 (Integra Type R) which was essentially a more hardcore version of the EP3 and she drove that quite a bit. The EP3 compares nicely just a slightly softer more easy to live with version of the teg. But the FN2 just feels slow and tacky compared.

zs_phil

iTrader: (1)

I own a ep3 and its hard going from a turbo to a NA ,no torque at all and i certainly miss it when im pulling off from junctions or roundabouts ,only gets moving around 5k revs then only last 2 seconds in vtec .yes its reliable but so are most cars if you look after them properly

martyrobertsdj

iTrader: (1)

My mate has a Supercharged one, and he's very happy with it

Certainly goes well with 340bhp

GlesgaKiss

+1. My parents drive a Civic and so does a friend of mine. Horrible, horrible cars in terms of headroom (getting in and out) and the view, or lack thereof, once inside. I liked the old Civic Type R and that had none of the problems that the new one does - it was a fairly normal car inside, whereas the new one is like it was intended to be a spaceship or something, not a car for driving and looking out of. Dash etc is also of poor quality, it looks terrible.

The Focus is much better in just about every respect.

You say it ticks the box of being practical, yet almost every time I get in it (after driving my Focus, or any other normal car) I hit my head on the drivers door frame. (not even that tall - 5' 11").

Steve vRS

I like the STs as well, escpecially in white. However, my wife does not. She was talking about Quashqais last night now

Steve

GlesgaKiss

Oh f*&k. I was only kidding, the Civic's great really.

CREWJ

sonic93

iTrader: (16)

my mate works at honda ses there crap apparently the brakes are very similar to the jazz s or the same lol

Steve vRS

She also likes the current shape WRX hatch! Are they that bad?

Steve

B0DSKI

iTrader: (17)

Had a EP3 CTR from new in 2003 for two years. Hated the lack of torque. Had to change down from 6th to 4th or 5th when cruising on either a motorway or A road to make any progress at all. Even worse when the air con was on

lunar tick

iTrader: (2)

You need the JDM FD2 Civic. Four doors, large boot, lighter, stiffer chassis (only 1270kgs), better suspension, better brakes, more powerful engine (mine dynoed at 238bhp totally standard), which revs to 8800rpm.

Better than the hatch Type-R in every way and one of the best handling FWD cars ever produced. Here's mine - I sold my 415bhp STI for this and have never regretted it for a minute as it's the most fun car I've ever driven

acstua

iTrader: (1)

get an EP3 not an FN2 ! great cars

acstua

iTrader: (1)

(also same as scoobs, if you can get a JDM get one )

austinwrx

I think a whole new range of civics are due out soon. so the current one is about to look "old"

I looked at buying the current one: but went for the impreza instead.

better car, faster car, 100% reliable and 4 WD.

glad I made the choice: as ironically there was then a test on top gear between the two and yes the older one was actually better.

P1Fanatic

Unlike many commenting on here Ive actually ran a FN2 for the past 27 months (albeit as a lease car) rather than just regurgitating Clarksons comments. The EP3 was good at the time but it looks sooo old now and the breadvan tag is very apt. No doubt if your nailing it around a track or drag strip its probably a few tenths faster if thats your thing. Pick up an FN2 with the LSD and it would be faster round a track.

Its no rocket ship but fast enough when your on your own. Add a passenger and boot of luggage and it feels slooooow.

Had a couple of minor niggles with mine - rear suspension creaking from cold and metallic clicking sound from front of car. Both fixed under warranty.

Pros
-Sound of the vtec is addictive. My mate who has a Focus ST2 commented on that first time he got in and I like the volvo 5pots growl.
-Interior. You dont realise how nice it is compared to other cars in the same price class until you step into something else
-Mpg. Ive averaged 28mpg over last 10k miles and I have a very short 7 mile stop start commute and drive it pretty hard. Motorway driving you could get 35mpg
-GT spec has cruise control, dual climate, hids, illuminated footwell, led rear brake (pre this look horrible when you follow one as always seem to be partially lit).
-Seats are very comfortable and supportive even on long motorway trips
-Boot space. Fold flat seats are awesome and fits my MTB in with bags of room to spare (front wheel off).

Cons
-Traction. FWD and the power is at high rpm which in the damp means you go nowhere and easily get mugged by a Golf Diesel
-Suspension is overly harsh for the handling it returns. Gets easily unsettled on bumps. Ive got used to it but new passengers always comment how hard it is
-Understeer. Yes its fwd but still worse than Id expect. If I owned my car Id have gone for a fast road setup. Last standard models they made had a LSD so try find one of those as transforms the car.
-Paintwork. 17k miles and my bonnet and doors are peppered with stone chips down to the white primer. Notoriously thin paint. Compare that to my neighbors 320D of identical age and higher mileage which his just 1 or 2.
-Someone mentioned the seats dont return to position when tilted. I get around this by making everyone use the passenger door
-Rear visibility. Yep its almost non existant as the rear spoiler uses up the little viewing space there is. I just dont reverse park if I can help it.

Overall its a lot of car for your money. When I started my lease people on the CTRO forums were picking up new ones for £16-17k! The Stig (Ben Collins) rated it as his favourite hot hatch. Would I buy one, probably not but mainly because Ive driven one now so ticked that off my list and fancy something different next. Also Im a bit OCD about stone chips etc and would really annoy me.

CREWJ

That's enough to stop me from getting one. There's no point having a car if you can't park it.

austinwrx

thats a lot of cons !!!

P1Fanatic

Just being honest so the OP has the facts. Tbh some of them are pretty minor. I mean re: the seat, most people who buy a 3 door arent looking for regular use of the rear seats but as Clarkson mentioned it and it was already mentioned here I thought I would comment. Never caused me any great pain.

P1Fanatic

In reality its probably only slightly worse than a classic scoob with a spoiler like in your profile pic.