2023 Honda Civic Type R Old vs New: Spot the differences

The Type R is Honda’s official designation for performance-oriented versions of its four-wheeled models, currently marking 30 years from when it was first used on a variant of the NSX sports car in 1992. For the Japanese automaker’s Civic compact sedan, the Type R nameplate came only five years later. Fast forward to 2023, and it is now included in Honda Philippine's model lineup..   

What are the things that set these two performance variants apart?

That the 2023 Honda Civic Type R builds on the success of the outgoing iteration is expected, so we now take a look at how the new Civic Type R compares to its predecessor. 

2023 Honda Civic Type R Old vs New: Exterior  

Design is the first thing that separates the two. Whereas the old Civic Type R’s appearance is anchored on the standard 10th-generation Civic hatchback, the new Civic Type R adopts the more conservative appearance of the 11th-generation model, specifically the Civic e:HEV hybrid. 

A radical aesthetic defined the outgoing Civic Type R

When it comes to size, the older Civic Type R model is 4,557 mm long, 1,877 mm wide, and 1,434 mm in height. Its wheelbase then spans 2,700 mm. The all-new 2023 Civic Type R meanwhile, is 4,593 mm long, 1,890 mm wide, and 1,407 mm in height. It also has a wheelbase length of 2,735 mm. 

This places the newer model to be larger overall, but shorter in height than the older model. According to Honda, the lower and wider stance provides benifits to aerodynamics and handling.  

Details common between the two models though, is the iconic red H badge. On the new models however, the said badge now sits on a fascia with a less busy-looking layout while flanked by LED headlamps.   

The trademark hood scoop on the old Civic Type R is now wider and located closer to the grille on the new model. Honda has also resized the front fender grilles to make them more subtle. A stronger character line can now be found on the new Civic Type R’s profile, while frontal blind spots have been reduced with the side mirrors relocated from the windows to the doors.      

The new Civic Type R dials down the flashiness of the previous version

A slimmer wing mounted on die-cast aluminum stays hovers over the restyled rear, complemented by revamped rear LED tail lamp clusters that now have a more horizontal orientation. The rear bumper is also more understated now compared to the old model, with a revised diffuser and triple exhaust tip layout that has the largest tailpipe positioned at the center. 

The new Civic Type R comes into contact with the road through a set of 265/30 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires wrapped around 19-inch alloys, a departure from the 245/30 radials mounted on 20-inch wheels used by the outgoing version.    

2023 Honda Civic Type R Old vs New: Interior

The interior of the 11th-generation Civic is carried over to the sixth-generation Civic Type R, notably defined by the full-width honeycomb trim that conceals the air-conditioning vents. This results in a cleaner and more streamlined look compared to the previous Civic Type R. 

Inside the old Civic Type R

Red continues to be dominant hue on the upholstery, with the new Civic Type R sporting more of the color on the backrests of the redesigned racing bucket seats. The Type R logo has been moved up to the headrests on the new model, while the red contrast stitching remains. Honda says the seat material reduces slippage and helps keep occupants in place during high-speed maneuvers.  

The all-new Civic Type R's cockpit

2023 Honda Civic Type R Old vs New: Tech & Safety  

Just beyond the revised steering wheel is a new instrument cluster that features an +R driving mode meter design, enhancing legibility for drivers.

Instrument panels on the old Civic Type R (left) and the new model (right)

The new Civic Type R moves up the previous model’s touchscreen from being flush with the rest of the dashboard to a floating-type display, bringing with it Honda’s LogR data logger feature. Performance data collected by the car’s sensors can now be accessed through a smartphone app, while a scoring function helps drivers improve lap times. 

Providing entertainment to the old Civic Type R's occupants was a seven-inch headunit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The new model still gets the same connectivity options, but its screen now spans 9-inches, and its Apple CarPlay gets a wireless function. Moreover, the old one had a simpler eight-piece speaker set, whereas the new model gets a 12-piece Bose speaker system. Charging is also easier on the new Civic Type R, as it now comes with a wireless smartphone charging pad. 

When safety is concerned, both the old and new models do come with Honda Sensing driver assistive suites, and the same number of standard safety features. The new one does get a better multiview rear camera. 

2023 Honda Civic Type R Old vs New: Engine & Drivetrain   

The new Civic Type R retains the outgoing model’s 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine, with a few tweaks. Honda has revised the turbine’s shape and fan blade count, as well as locating it in a compact housing to improve efficiency. 

Honda has made improvements on the previous model's 2.0-liter K20C1 turbo engine

Even the exhaust system has been improved, optimizing the car’s power-to-weight ratio, torque, and top speed. The result is more power on tap, enough to allow the new Civic Type R to break the lap time set by the fifth-generation model at the Suzuka International Racing Course in Japan by almost one second. 

The difference in performance is also reflected when the old and new models' output figures are compared. The old Civic Type R's 2.0-liter turbo inline-4 for starters, was capable of making up to 306 horsepower and 400 Nm of torque. The new 2023 Civic Type R meanwhile, can now generate up to 316 horsepower and 420 Nm of torque. That's a difference of 16 horsepower, and 20 Nm of torque in favor of the new model. 

Honda has also upgraded the six-speed manual gearbox. It still incorporates a rev-match system with auto blip for more precise downshifting, but a more robust shift lever is now in use. 

The 2023 Civic Type R's 2.0-liter turbocharged engine

The 2023 Honda Civic Type R is now available in the local market in limited numbers. It then comes with a standard retail price of Php Php 3,880,000.

Compare old and new versions of your favorite models at Philkotse.com.