Can Honda usher in its next-generation sizzling hatch and win the Motor Authority Finest Automobile To Purchase award for the second time? The newest Honda Civic Kind R simply may need what it takes.

Identical to the millennials who grew up dreaming concerning the Kind R coming to America, Honda’s sizzling hatch has grown up, too. It’s additionally grown extra highly effective and costlier, but it surely’s nonetheless a riot.

The sixth-generation Kind R is predicated on the Eleventh-generation Civic. The second Kind R to ever come to America sticks to the identical method followers know and love.

Below the hood sits a well-recognized 2.0-liter turbo-4 that’s now rated at 315 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. That makes the brand new Kind R essentially the most highly effective Honda automobile ever bought within the U.S. The facility improve over the outgoing mannequin’s 306 hp and 295 lb-ft comes due to a redesigned turbocharger, an elevated air consumption move price, and a extra environment friendly exhaust system. The turbocharger is optimized for form, measurement, and variety of turbine blades to generate stress in a wider vary. This all interprets to barely much less turbo lag, a wider energy band, and the power to maintain the engine on boil for longer.

Sure, the exhaust system nonetheless has three ideas, and the middle pipe options an energetic valve that opens at larger rpm.

The Kind R continues to be a front-wheel-drive-only affair with a limited-slip differential that retains torque steer largely at bay. Drivers should #GiveAShift as a slick-shifting 6-speed handbook with a newly optimized shift sample and a lighter flywheel is the one transmission possibility.

The automobile’s trip high quality has improved due to a retuned entrance strut and rear multi-link suspension paired with adjustable dampers. Flipping the Kind R into +R mode is basically just for the observe, because the suspension turns into unsettled and jittery over even the slightest pavement undulations. Consolation mode is the candy spot, and even then the suspension is pretty agency.

The steering additionally will get heavier in +R mode. One editor most well-liked it, saying it presents extra stability in turns, whereas one other felt it is too heavy with synthetic heft for the sake of heft. The entire dynamic settings will be modified and saved with the Particular person mode, whose settings are fortunately retained upon startup.

The 2-piece Brembo entrance brake rotors present a stable, progressive, and predictable really feel, they usually by no means appear to fade no matter how exhausting or lengthy they’re pushed. There’s most likely a restrict, however we have now but to seek out it.

The final Kind R received our Finest Automobile To Purchase 2018 award even though it seemed like transformer making an attempt to flee from a Civic. That look is gone, and a extra refined, extra grown-up look has emerged. The brand new automobile is longer by 1.4 inches and wider by 1.0 inch over the earlier mannequin. Each physique panel aside from the entrance doorways, pillars, roof, and rear hatch is new and particular to the Kind R. A giant rear wing continues to be a part of the equation, however now it sits upon metallic metallic pedestal mounts and appears costlier and extra race-ready than earlier than.

Inside, each Kind R options closely bolstered pink material seats, pink carpeting, and pink door trim accents. Excessive-back entrance bucket seats are comfy sufficient for a highway journey and wider builds. The rear bench seat now solely seats two as the middle place options two fastened cupholders. Honda continues its sports activities automobile custom of a turned aluminum shift knob that may be sizzling or chilly to the contact relying on ambient temperature. A 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system comes commonplace, as do wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The Civic Kind R isn’t excellent. Priced at $43,990, the Kind R is expensive, particularly subsequent to the Toyota GR Corolla (one other Motor Authority Finest Automobile To Purchase 2023 finalist) and the much less highly effective Hyundai Elantra N. At its worth, the entrance seats ought to be heated, however that’s a minor quibble. The wi-fi Apple CarPlay could be a bit flaky, a problem we’ve skilled in each the Kind R and the Civic Si with Honda’s present infotainment software program. The large rear wing attracts undue consideration, and sadly there’s no Touring mannequin with a wing delete possibility. Nonetheless, 2024 Acura Integra Kind S might fill that position.

Will the Honda’s slick handbook transmission, feisty turbocharged energy, terrific dealing with, and grown-up design be sufficient for it to take the win over two different sizzling hatches, an outrageous SUV, a luxurious EV, and a sport sedan? Test again on Jan. 4 after we reveal the winner, together with the champs from our sister websites, The Automobile Connection and Inexperienced Automobile Reviews.