UK Honda Civic Type R for Japan

It’s a bit of a ‘Coals to Newcastle’ scenario, with Honda announcing that the Honda Civic Type R 3-door, which is only built in Swindon, is to go to Japan to be sold as the Civic Type R Euro.

Currently, the only Civic Type R sold in Japan is the saloon version, so the addition of the 3-door will add to the range. But the problem is that the current Civic Type R is a bit of a let-down. It’s gone from being the ‘Thinking Man’s’ hot hatch to something of an also-ran. It no longer offers the crisp handling and sweet responses of the last generation Type R. Instead, it’s become bloated and overweight and has been eclipsed by cars like the VW Scirroco R and the Ford Focus RS.

But in Japan there is salvation in the form of the Mugen Honda Civic Type RR, which puts the Type R back to where it was. And so successful has that been that we are likely to get a 3-door Mugen Honda Civic Type RR in the UK before too long – although Mugen are still calling it a concept.

Honda are saying that the Honda Civic Type R Euro will only be sold in limited numbers in Japan. Is that because they want to keep its as a ‘Special’ or because they realise that the Type R just isn’t as good as it should be.

Still, good to have UK manufactured cars going to Japan.