The 2027 Honda Civic Type R still makes 315 hp, it is still sold only with a manual gearbox, and for the first time it has heated seats. That says a lot about this update: Honda left the engine alone and worked on the details you feel on a track day and on a cold morning.
The timing is special too. 2027 marks 30 years since the first Civic Type R appeared in Japan, and 10 years since the Type R came to North America. Updated cars start arriving at U.S. Honda dealers in October 2026.
Quick Facts
- Engine: turbocharged 2.0-litre K20C, still built at Honda’s Anna Engine Plant in Ohio
- Power: 315 hp, the same figure as the FL5 had at launch for 2023
- Gearbox: 6-speed manual only, with Rev Match
- Price (USA): $48,695 MSRP plus $1,295 destination = $49,990
- Fuel economy (EPA): 22 city / 28 highway / 24 combined mpg
- New colour: Meteorite Gray Metallic (premium paints cost $455 extra)
- On sale: U.S. dealers from October 2026
A Bigger Mouth for Hard Laps
The front bumper is new and more aggressive. The grille opening is larger and the airflow is improved, so more cool air reaches the engine. That matters most after several hot laps, when heat starts to bite.
Below it sits a deeper front splitter for more front downforce. Open the bonnet and there is a small gift for old-school fans: a redesigned engine cover that Honda says is closer to the engines of early Type R models sold in Japan.
Same 315 hp, Sharper Responses
Honda did not chase a bigger number this time. Instead, three changes target how the car talks to the driver:
- +R mode damping is retuned. The car follows the road better, bounces less and takes hits more softly.
- Rev Match now gives faster engine response for smoother downshifts.
- A new yoke spring on the brake pedal gives a more direct pedal feel.
Heated Seats at Last
The famous red bucket seats now have three-level heating, a first for the Civic Type R. The suede-like cover is made to stop your body sliding in high-G corners, and a new perforation pattern with black stripes helps the seat breathe.
Ultrasuede now covers the top of the dashboard and the upper door panels to cut reflections in the windscreen. The tech list grows a lot: Google built-in (Google Maps, Gemini and Google Play), Alexa built-in, two more USB-C ports and an auto-dimming mirror.
Safety gets an upgrade as well. Post-Collision Braking is now standard, and the Honda Sensing collision system can now detect motorcycles and bicycles.
30 Years: From EK9 to FL5
The Type R badge started on the NSX-R in 1992 and moved to the Integra in 1995. The first Civic Type R, the Japan-only EK9, followed in 1997: a light front-wheel-drive hatch with a high-revving, naturally aspirated 1.6-litre engine.
Then came the EP3 in 2001, the FD2 sedan for Japan in 2007 and the FN2 hatch for Europe. The FK2 of 2015 was the first Type R with a turbo. The FK8 of 2017 finally brought the Civic Type R to North America, and the current FL5 arrived in 2022.
The FL5 has already proved itself. In 2023 it set an official front-wheel-drive record of 7:44.881 on the full Nürburgring Nordschleife, and Honda says it also set a front-wheel-drive production car record at Suzuka in Japan.
FL5 vs GR Corolla, Golf R and Elantra N
Its rivals all take a different road. The Toyota GR Corolla has 300 hp from a 1.6-litre three-cylinder turbo, all-wheel drive, and now offers an 8-speed automatic next to the manual. The VW Golf R has a little more power than the Civic and all-wheel drive, but in the U.S. it has been sold only with a DSG automatic since the 2025 model year.
The Hyundai Elantra N is the closest match: front-wheel drive, 276 hp, and a choice of 6-speed manual or 8-speed dual-clutch. That leaves the Civic as the only car in its class sold only with a manual, as Honda likes to remind us.
Our Take
This is our opinion: it is the right kind of update. The FL5 was already one of the best front-wheel-drive cars you can buy, so better cooling, calmer +R damping, quicker downshifts and a firmer brake pedal are exactly what track-day owners want. Heated seats and Google built-in make it a better all-year daily too.
The bad news is the price. At $49,990 with destination, the Type R now costs $6,000 more than the 2023 car did at launch ($43,990 with destination). There is no extra power and the styling change is small, so current FL5 owners have little reason to trade in. For tuners, the K20C stays the same, so today’s parts and know-how should carry over.
Your Turn
Would you pay almost $50,000 for a manual-only Civic Type R, or would you take a GR Corolla, Golf R or Elantra N instead? Tell us in the comments.
Sources: Honda News (2027 Civic Type R), Honda News (2023 Civic Type R press kit), Honda News (2023 launch price), Honda Global (30 years of Type R), Honda Global (Nürburgring record), Toyota Newsroom (GR Corolla), Motor1 (Golf R), Hyundai Canada (Elantra N).
Photos: Ethan Llamas (CC BY-SA 4.0), Tokumeigakarinoaoshima (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons. Photos show the current FL5 Civic Type R, not the 2027 update.
