[Auto] The 2023 Honda Civic Type R Shares Our Faith

[BirSaNN]

Gather 'round for the 10 Type R commandments.

Are you a true believer? Do you understand what summer tires can do for you, why a sunroof hurts performance, and that speed limits are just a starting point for negotiations? Do you feel persecuted by law enforcement for your beliefs? Well, Honda just built a car for you in the new 2023 Civic Type R. Go forth, spread the gospel of compact performance, and live by the Type R’s code of conduct.

I. Thou Shalt Not Understeer
This commandment is impossible for a front-wheel-drive car to follow, or so we thought. And yet, this 11th-generation Civic follows the directive from on high despite its 315-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four hanging ahead of the front axle and 61.4 percent of its weight on its nose. On the street, front-end grip seems inexhaustible as the Type R ducks left and right, forcing you into the seat bolsters.

Go ahead and dive into an apex, because the steering is a mere 2.1 turns lock to lock and the Type R slips in without any drama. Corner exits, which usually require the patience of Job in a front-wheel-drive car, are masterfully orchestrated by the Type R’s limited-slip differential. That unit, coupled with a very crafty anti-torque-steer front strut, puts the engine's power to the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires and allows you to empty the 2.0-liter's magazine without widening the cornering line. Next corner. Try again. No understeer, just more exit speed. As if some invisible string is holding the car, keeping it from leaving the road. It makes no sense that a front-driver can do this, so let's just add it to the list of things that don't make sense in 2022.

II. Thou Shalt Not Hook Up
Not in the carnal sense; go crazy there. Here, it's hooking up as in launching hard from a stop. Boost arrives after a beat or two, but the torque surge at about 3000 rpm—310 pound-feet, available from 2600 to 4000 rpm—will have you on the phone to Tire Rack. Turn the wheel slightly while hitting the gas in first and the front end eagerly hunts for the ditch or the oncoming lane as the differential tries to make the most of available grip. The solution is to keep the wheels pointed straight in first.

link: https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a41952459/2023-honda-civic-type-r-by-the-numbers/