New details of the next-generation 2022 Honda Civic Type R have surfaced out of Japan, suggesting the new model won’t receive a power bump over its predecessor – and that an automatic transmission may be offered for the first time.
Japanese magazine Best Car claims Honda’s new Civic Type R hot hatch is on track for an overseas launch in mid-2022 – and will be powered by the same 2.0-litre ‘K20C1’ turbocharged four-cylinder as the prior two generations (known to fans as the FK2 and FK8), free of any hybrid assistance.
However, despite being larger than the car it replaces, a Best Car report from earlier this month suggests the new Type R won’t be any more powerful than its predecessor, at least in Japan – meaning outputs of 235kW and 400Nm will carry over for buyers in the hot Civic’s home market.
Australian-delivered versions of the outgoing ‘FK8’ Civic Type R developed 228kW and 400Nm, detuned to ensure support with 95 RON premium fuel (rather than mandate 98 RON, closer in quality to fuel offered overseas). It’s not clear if Australia-bound 2022 Type Rs will adopt the global engine tune.
While the new Civic Type R – known internally as the FL (likely ‘FL2’ or ‘FL3’) – might offer identical outputs from a carry-over engine, Best Car says the new hot hatch’s “torque characteristics have been changed” to improve throttle and engine response.
Drive will still be sent to the front wheels through a standard six-speed manual transmission – but in a Type R first, Best Car says an automatic transmission is “also expected to be available”, a six-speed gearbox with paddle shifters.
It’s not clear whether the mystery transmission will employ a torque converter like the Ford Focus ST, or dual clutches per the Hyundai i30 N, Volkswagen Golf GTI (and R), and Renault Megane RS.
The mystery automatic contrasts to earlier suggestions the new Civic Type R will be manual-only, and all spy photos thus far which have only shown a six-speed manual. However, the introduction of an automatic would help the car appeal to a broader spread of buyers, given its aforementioned key riv all offer two-pedal options.
An automatic transmission was ruled out from the outgoing FK8 Civic Type R due to its potential impact on the car’s weight distribution, with Type R engineer Yuji Matsumochi telling Drive in 2017: ““If we applied an automatic transmission, or dual-clutch transmission, for a 400Nm engine, it would be very heavy weight, and very big. The front weight would be very heavy.”
Under the skin, Best Car reports the new Type R will downsize to 19-inch wheels (rather than its predecessor’s 20-inch wheels) now wrapped in 265/30 tyres (up from 245/30) – which, if accurate, would be some of the widest tyres ever fitted to a front-wheel-drive production car.
The new Type R could be lighter than the car it replaces, according to Best Car, and offer improved body rigidity to further reduce the Nurburgring lap time from the FK8 model’s seven-minute 43.8-second time, which set a new lap record for a front-wheel-drive car upon its launch in 2017.
The 2022 Honda Civic Type R will go on sale in Japan in mid-2022, according to the Japanese publication, alongside a new e:HEV hybrid variant (as reported last week). An Australian launch for the Type R is expected before the end of this year (or early next), though this is yet to be confirmed.
The magazine says the new Type R will be priced from approximately five million Japanese yen ($AU61,200) – an increase of nine per cent over the outgoing model, priced from 4,583,700 yen ($AU56,000).
Applying the nine per cent increase to current Australian pricing would see the new Type R nudge $60,000 before on-road costs, however since the last Civic Type R left showrooms ($54,990 before on-roads), Honda Australia has switched to fixed, non-negotiable drive-away pricing.
The significant price rises applied to the new-generation Civic hatch upon its launch last year – $7600 when comparing flagship models, or $16,200 when comparing the most affordable variant on sale – suggest the new Type R could hit the $65,000 drive-away mark upon reaching Australia.
Keyword: 2022 Honda Civic Type R won’t get a power boost; auto gearbox possible – report