Exciting and fun, the 2024 Honda Civic Type R is a hot hatch that’s a blast to drive. Whether you’re cruising around town or letting it go at the track, the Type R can easily make the transition from daily driver to race car.
Base Price: $44,795
As Tested: $45,890
Horsepower: 315
Mileage: 24 mpg city/22 mpg highway/28 mpg combined
The Honda Civic Type R got a makeover for 2023 and receives no major changes for 2024.
It comes in one trim which starts at $44,795 and there are few options. There’s room for four passengers in two rows of seating.
Under the hood is a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four that cranks out 315 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. The transmission is a six-speed manual – the Type R is not available with an automatic transmission.
Yes, the Type R is a hoot to drive with its nimble handling! Acceleration is brisk from a stop with only a touch of turbo lag and the R Type is eager to speed up for merging and passing at freeway speeds. The steering has a nice, weighted feel, the Brembo brakes are responsive, and the Type R feels balanced and stable when cornering. You can choose from Comfort, Sport and +R drive modes to adjust performance to your liking. The clutch is super easy, even in busy stop-and-go traffic. The ride is fairly firm, as you’d expect in a sport-tuned car, but not jarring. It’s hard not to have a big grin on your face behind the wheel of the Type R, whether you’re on the track or having some fun on twisty back roads.
Fuel economy is less than a traditional Civic but ok for a performance car. EPA ratings are 22 mpg city and 28 mpg highway with a combined rating of 24. I got 25.5 mpg during my week with a mix of city and highway driving.
The cabin is upscale and spacious. Materials look and feel nice, and most are soft-touch. Every Type R has an eye-popping interior with its bright red upholstery and contrast stitching, red carpet, and a Type R badge on the dash. Front seats are supportive with good leg- and headroom. The second row accommodates two average-size adults but taller folks may wish for more headroom. The cabin isn’t particularly quiet as road and wind noise can be noticeable. And heated seats are not available.
Standard features include keyless entry, push-button start, rearview camera, dual-zone automatic climate control, bolstered and power-adjustable front seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel, sport pedals, Aluminum shift knob, 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster, infotainment system with nine-inch touchscreen, navigation, 12-speaker Bose premium audio system, HD Radio, satellite radio, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, two USB ports, wireless device charging, 12-volt power outlet, and automatic high-beam headlights.
Available features include all-season floor mats, cargo tray, cargo tray dividers, rear passenger window shades, roof rack, and a wing spoiler.
Standard driver assistance technologies include forward collision warning, forward automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, traffic-sign recognition, road-departure mitigation, rear cross-traffic alert and driver-attention monitoring.
There are no available driver assistance technologies.
The infotainment system is user-friendly and easy to see and reach. Graphics are crisp, menus are logically arranged, and the system responds quickly to touch and voice commands. While there is a volume knob, there’s no tuning knob which is a minor annoyance as you have to go through the touchscreen.
Cargo space is good for a compact sports car. There are 24.5 cubic feet in the hatch which is similar to many subcompact SUVs. The rear door is nice and wide which makes it easy to load large and/or heavy things. The rear seats split-fold 60/40 providing flexibility when hauling passengers and gear.
The good:
Fun to drive
Athletic handling
Quick acceleration
Eye-catching red interior
Plenty of cargo space
Lots of standard features
User-friendly infotainment system
Standard wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
The not-so-good:
Cabin can get noisy with road and wind noise
No tuning knob on infotainment system
Pricing info:
My tester starts at $44,795. Destination fee is $1,095 bringing the grand total to $45,890.
Bottom line:
The 2024 Honda civic Type R is a ton of fun with its athletic handling, quick acceleration, and easy-to-use clutch, and it’s ready for a day at the track or commuting to the office. Plus it has a roomy and eye-catching cabin and plenty of room for cargo. Check it out if you want a sporty small car.
