At today’s opening of the 2022 Vietnam Auto Show, hosted the regional debut of the FL5 generation 2023 . Vietnam is the first country in the Asia-Ocenia region outside of Japan to launch the latest iteration of Honda’s hallowed Type R model.
The Civic Type R had only gone on sale in right-hand drive Japan on 21-July 2022. Less than 3 months later, the left-hand drive Vietnamese market model is launched in Vietnam.
Honda Vietnam says the imported (CBU from Japan) Civic Type R is only available in ‘limited quantity’ but curiously, it is offering 5 colour options to customers – Championship White, Rallye Red, Racing Blue Pearl, Sonic Grey Pearl, and Crystal Black Pearl.
Offering this many colour option is unusual for a low volume car because the previous generation FK8 Civic Type R was sold in Malaysia with just one colour – Championship White.
Prices have yet to be announced but it is estimated to be around USD 100,000, which translates to an eye-watering RM 470,000, but that figure has been greatly inflated by our weak Ringgit, which is now at is lowest point in nearly 20 years.
If you were to use the exchange rate from our Ringgit’s better time, it would translate to around RM 410,000. Like Malaysia, Vietnam also imposes very high taxes on imported cars – at 70 percent, much higher than Malaysia’s 30 percent. However, Vietnam doesn’t have excise tax while Malaysia does (between 60 to 105 percent), so the nett effect on inflated pricing is more or less similar to Malaysia.
The Vietnamese market Civic Type R makes 320 PS and 420 Nm (10 PS less than Japan, possibly related to fuel quality) from its 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder engine.
It comes with the full suite of Honda Sensing advanced driving aids, as well as 8 airbags, including knee airbags for both front passengers.
If you are wondering why Honda chose a market that sells only around half as many cars as Malaysia to host an Asia-Ocenia region debut, read the article linked below:
Keyword: Priced from an eye-watering RM 470k! Vietnam is first in Asia Pacific to launch FL5 2023 Honda Civic Type R