2026 Honda Civic Type R Expert Review
Reviewed by Billy Rehbock
The 2026 Honda Civic Type R is one of the greatest performance cars of our time. This driver-focused hatchback represents all of Honda’s high-performance know-how, and is tons of fun whether you're on a track or just driving around town.
Other fun-to-drive compacts include the Volkswagen Golf R, Hyundai Elantra N, and the Toyota GR Corolla.
What’s New
The 2026 Honda Civic Type R isn’t expected to change much for 2026. Last year, it received an $800 price increase, so we anticipate its price tag will tick up once more for the new model year.
When Honda redesigned the Civic Type R for 2023, the automaker increased the hatchback’s power output, worked over its suspension, stiffened the body and chassis, and made the cabin feel more premium.
This page will be updated with more insights and photos as information becomes available.
What We Think
The latest Honda Civic Type R is just about perfect. A six-speed manual transmission, a punchy turbocharged engine, and direct steering make this a driver’s delight. Mind-boggling grip and braking power take the fight to cars built on dedicated sports car platforms.
Perhaps most surprising to those who've never experienced a Civic Type R is the way the hatchback blends racy styling and sportiness with practical packaging.
Shortcomings are few, but we wish Honda would have pushed the current Type R’s performance a little further so that its on-track capabilities progressed beyond those of the prior model. Its price tag is hefty, making it less of a financial no-brainer than the previous-generation Civic Type R.
Finally, while we appreciate Honda’s commitment to the manual transmission, we wish its hot hatch didn’t give up as much acceleration to gear changes. Criticisms aside, the 2026 Honda Civic Type R is a delightful machine well suited for those who love a hands-on driving experience.
MotorTrend Tested
We expect the 2026 Honda Civic Type R will continue to come equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine developing 315 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. All versions of the hot hatchback receive a six-speed manual, a limited-slip differential, and front-wheel drive.
Below is a closer look at how the Civic Type R compares in performance to other rivals.
MotorTrend Tested 0-60 mph times:
- Honda Civic Type R: 5.3 seconds
- Volkswagen Golf R (auto): 4.2 seconds
- Toyota GR Corolla (auto): 5.1 seconds
MPGs and Range
We expect the 2026 model’s fuel economy to stick pretty close to the 2025 Civic Type R’s rating from the EPA: 22/28 mpg city/highway. Driving range comes to 298 miles on the Honda.
Compared to the Toyota GR Corolla, these figures are decent. The Toyota comes in at 21/28 mpg with a manual and 19/27 with an automatic. Driving range on the manual beats the Honda, at 317 miles, while the automatic GR Corolla manages 290 miles between fill-ups.
Amazing Suspension Tech
Trick suspension tech is what makes the Honda Civic Type R one of the best hot hatchbacks of all time. A sophisticated dual-axis front suspension system serves to minimize torque steering, meaning you don’t have to fight the steering wheel during hard launches or during mid-corner acceleration. The rear uses a multilink setup.
Honda outfits every Civic Type R with adaptive dampers that can be adjusted to softer or firmer settings depending on the driver’s preference. The in-cabin touchscreen allows you to individually customize several aspects of the Civic Type R’s performance, to the tune of 486 total combinations, according to Honda. The Civic Type R’s suspension technology played a significant role in its FWD record at the legendary Nürburgring racetrack.
Safety Features
Every 2026 Civic Type R comes with the Honda Sensing suite of driver-assistance features. This standard bundle includes lane keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, cross-traffic and blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control. As the top-level Civic, Honda also equips every Type R with traffic sign recognition, automatic high-beams, and a driver focus monitor.
Honda’s safety tech typically performs well in our testing and includes a neat feature that displays the position of the lead vehicle on the digital instrument cluster display along with any visible lane lines.
Cargo Space and Interior Room
The Civic Type R may be a high-performance hatchback, but its interior space is better than what competitors have to offer. Cargo volume is exceptional.
Technology
All 2026 Honda Civic Type R hatchbacks are expected to come equipped with a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, a 9.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a wireless phone charging pad. Although other compact hatchbacks offer larger touchscreens, the Type R’s display is responsive and easy to navigate.
As the top-level Civic, the Type R also receives a Wi-Fi hotspot and a 12-speaker Bose sound system with speed-sensitive volume control. Honda’s LogR data recorder is equipped as standard, allowing driver’s to track their key performance metrics and lap times.
