Honda has been rolling out its all-new Civic lineup. The brand has already released the Civic sedan and the hatchback, which retains its manual transmission option. The hotter Civic Si model may arrive very soon. The hottest Civic Type R hot hatch should follow afterward.
Honda just offered our best look yet at the new Civic Type R, releasing some camouflage photos today over social media. The Civic Type R is currently testing at the Nürburgring in Germany, where it set the front-wheel-drive lap record back in 2017.
Judging from the photo, the new Civic Type R carries over the simpler aesthetic from the base model with cleaner lines and more space between the A-pillar and front wheel arch for a lower and longer look. The grille is a honeycomb pattern that differs from the base model.
The Type R's new wing in the photo is thinner and flatter than the current model. It also rides up higher on the rear windshield. Honda kept the triple exhaust in the center, though the middle tip is now the largest instead of the smallest.
It looks like the next Honda Civic Type R will be markedly more sedate and sophisticated-looking than its predecessor. That would make the Civic Type R less distinctive and dramatic-looking. But it also would make it a car that bonafide adults would feel far less hesitant about driving — at least without some face-obscuring window tint.
There have been wild rumors about the next Civic Type R getting a 400 horsepower hybrid powertrain and Acura's Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system. But most reporting — at least for now — expects an evolution of the current Civic Type R with an upgraded version of the current 2.0-liter inline-four putting out more than the current 306 hp and 295 lb-ft.
Expect Honda to drop the Civic Type R early-mid next year as either a 2022 or 2023 model year vehicle.
