After handing back the previous generation Honda Civic Type R, I deemed it the best-handling front-wheel drive hot hatch, period. It had at that point trounced a long-standing king of the genre, the Renault Megane RS Trophy.

The latest generation arrived in SA earlier this year and it is an even more purposeful looking animal, replete with all the requisite performance addenda including a carbon fibre front splitter, a bonnet scoop for the intercooler, extended side sills, a roof-high boot spoiler and a trio of exhaust tips at the rear. It might look over the top, but everything fulfils a purpose and I am a big fan of the unapologetic, nonconformist design language articulated here. Being based on a new platform, the Civic Type R also has bigger dimensions overall (165mm longer), while it squats 36mm lower than its predecessor. This has provided one of the most spacious cabins in the segment and it also has some of the most comfortable seats with excellent support. Ergonomics ...

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