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Honda Civic Type S road test report

Type S

With the latest incarnation of Honda’s biggest selling model hitting middle age, the Japanese manufacturer has taken the opportunity to tweak its Civic range. The new 1.8 i-VTEC Type S has seen its front end altered to look more like the Type R, while the handling and ride have been tweaked to give the driver a bit more of a sportier feel. The result is a sporty looking Honda...

Road Test Reports Says 4 star rating
A front-facing image of the Honda Civic Type S

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RICHARD SAYS

Performance Performance - 3 stars

The car driven was the i-Shift 1.8 litre Type S, with a revised i-Shift automated manual transmission, essentially a manual engine that behaves as an automatic to the driver, which gives a smooth and faster gear change than the previous i-Shift. Top speed is 127mph, with a 0-62mph time of 10.9 seconds which is pretty decent. While the car looks sportier than before, people expecting acceleration and speed comparable to the Type R will be disappointed, having said that though it does feel nippy and the engine is responsive. The Type-S also comes with a handy “S” button which gives a more sporty performance, allowing higher revs before shifting upwards.

Ride & Handling Ride & Handling - 4 stars

Honda have looked at the ride and handling of the Type S and made them more inline with the Type-R, so as you would expect the handling is crisp and firm; while the 17” alloy wheels provide masses of grip. Suspension has also been revised to again give a sportier ride. Driving around the Northamptonshire lanes the car stayed planted to the twisting lanes and handling was very responsive.

Build Quality & Reliability Build Quality & Reliability - 5 stars

One of Honda’s primary strengths is its build quality, and again they have made an impressive car. The car has the refinement you would expect, with sills displaying the Type S branding and a sporty steering wheel to complement the new look to the front of the car. Internally the dashboard has seen an improvement on plastics used, with the odd smattering of brushed metal to complement the overall sportier feel.

Safety & Security Safety & Security - 4 stars

The Type S achieves strong NCAP scores; awarded a good 4 star mark for occupant safety. Four stars are again awarded for child protection, with pedestrian safety marked at three stars. With Honda’s quality evident in the build of the car, driver and passenger feel safe and secure; plus should the worst happen and the car is involved in an accident there are the usual assortment of airbags to protect.

Space & Practicality Space & Practicality - 4 stars

Difficult to get excited about space and practicality with the Honda – it achieves both with the minimum of fuss. Them the i-shift is engaged in the purely automatic setting then you can potter around the city with the little fuss, the car does all the gear work for you; special mention for the side mirrors, they provide refreshingly excellent visibility. Boot space is an impressive 485 litres.

Ownership & Value Ownership & Value - 4 stars

For this mid-life change to the Civic Type S, Honda have introduced an entry level 1.4 petrol engine, allowing yet more people the chance to get their hands on a quality car such as this. The 1.8 litre engine in the car I drove, fits into band D for VED purposes; perhaps an area where Honda haven’t yet fully exploited? The engine is pretty frugal at 42.8 mpg, so not too many expensive visits to the forecourt every month. For those looking for a slice of Type R action but with lower insurance and running costs then the new Type S could well be perfect for you.

Submitted: 01/12/2008 10:59:54

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