315-HP Honda Civic Type R Flies the Combustion Flag High315-HP Honda Civic Type R Flies the Combustion Flag High

The all-new 2023 Civic Type R reminds fans how much fun combustion engines can provide.

Dan Carney, Senior Editor

September 1, 2022

2 Min Read
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2023 Honda Civic Type R.Image courtesy of Honda

We’ve passed the point where it is understood that electric power is the future of automotive transportation, and even sporty cars are made faster using battery power. But Honda is officially named Honda Motor Co. and has always prided itself on its prowess in developing clever combustion engines.

That’s why the company that innovated Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion (CVCC) as an emissions-control measure in the 1970s is introducing a new hot rod Civic Type R that may prove to be one of the last four-cylinder, manual-transmission sport coupes before such vehicles are displaced by electric power.

The engine in this case is an updated version of the turbocharged K20C1, a 2.0-liter four-cylinder that we knew from the outgoing Civic Type R. In its latest incarnation, the K20C1 boasts an additional 9 horsepower and 15 lb.-ft. torque, thanks to a redesigned turbocharger, increased air intake flow rate, and a new more efficient exhaust system that features a straight-through design and an active exhaust valve. Totals are now 315 hp and 310 lb.-ft.

More power means more waste heat due to the inherent inefficiency of combustion engines, so the 2023 Type R has a larger grille and radiator with a bigger cooling fan to reject that heat.

"Type R is very important for Honda as the pinnacle of our factory performance and an irreplaceable brand that enables enthusiasts to experience Honda's racing spirit, and seek the ultimate in speed and driving pleasure," said Hideki Kakinuma, global Civic Type R development leader. "The all-new Civic Type R will continue that legacy, leveraging Honda's racetrack-proven engineering to deliver extreme performance and passion, both on the road and on the racetrack."

Related:50 Years of the Enduring, Endearing Honda Civic

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The 2023 Honda Civic Type R's 315-hp K20C1 engine.

The Type R’s slick-shifting six-speed manual transmission is upgraded, first with a lighter-weight flywheel on the engine and with a more rigid shift lever. Revised rev-matching software helps drivers who want the help to ensure their downshifts are as smooth as possible.

The 2023 Type R is built on the latest 11th-generation Civic platform, which puts it on a 1.0-inch wider front track and 0.75-inch wider rear track, with a 1.4-inch longer wheelbase for a firmly planted stance on the road. Two-piece front brake rotors minimize unsprung weight.

We won’t know how well all these pieces work together until we drive the new car, but the outgoing Type R’s impeccable handling and drivetrain bode well for the new one. Only time will tell whether this proves to be the last of its kind before the Type R, like the Dodge Charger, is replaced by an all-electric model that is even faster.

Related:General Motors and Honda Expand EV Tech Partnership

About the Author

Dan Carney

Senior Editor, Design News

Dan’s coverage of the auto industry over three decades has taken him to the racetracks, automotive engineering centers, vehicle simulators, wind tunnels, and crash-test labs of the world.

A member of the North American Car, Truck, and Utility of the Year jury, Dan also contributes car reviews to Popular Science magazine, serves on the International Engine of the Year jury, and has judged the collegiate Formula SAE competition.

Dan is a winner of the International Motor Press Association's Ken Purdy Award for automotive writing, as well as the National Motorsports Press Association's award for magazine writing and the Washington Automotive Press Association's Golden Quill award.

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He has held a Sports Car Club of America racing license since 1991, is an SCCA National race winner, two-time SCCA Runoffs competitor in Formula F, and an Old Dominion Region Driver of the Year award winner. Co-drove a Ford Focus 1.0-liter EcoBoost to 16 Federation Internationale de l’Automobile-accredited world speed records over distances from just under 1km to over 4,104km at the CERAM test circuit in Mortefontaine, France.

He was also a longtime contributor to the Society of Automotive Engineers' Automotive Engineering International magazine.

He specializes in analyzing technical developments, particularly in the areas of motorsports, efficiency, and safety.

He has been published in The New York Times, NBC News, Motor Trend, Popular Mechanics, The Washington Post, Hagerty, AutoTrader.com, Maxim, RaceCar Engineering, AutoWeek, Virginia Living, and others.

Dan has authored books on the Honda S2000 and Dodge Viper sports cars and contributed automotive content to the consumer finance book, Fight For Your Money.

He is a member and past president of the Washington Automotive Press Association and is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers

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