Living with the Honda Civic Type R as a Family Car

By now, everyone is familiar with the Honda Civic Type R’s dynamic ability. It’s no secret that there are very few front-wheel-drive cars - in fact, I can only think of one - that are as quick as the Civic Type R.

With that in mind, I did something not many people have done - or have done but never written about. I lived with the Honda Civic Type R for a week as though the 50 litres of petrol in the tank were the last left on Earth.

I treated it not like a Type R, but like a Type… F - F for family. Did I pull it off? I tried, but it behaved better than I did.

Behind the wheel of the Honda Civic Type F

As much as I adore classics - and you know I do - nothing really beats a modern car. Ferdinand Porsche once said, about the Porsche 911, that “the best is always the latest”. That could easily be a universal truth in the car industry.

Why modern hot hatches keep raising the bar

The same applies to hot hatches. Much as we still - and rightly - look back fondly on older generations, the current generation is almost always the better one. And in the specific case of the Honda Civic Type R, it isn’t merely the stronger performance car: it’s better at everything, including areas you wouldn’t expect.

If you’re planning to buy a Honda Civic Type R and there’s a bit of friction at home because of it, show this article to your other half. I’d even bump up the font size for this bit so it’s crystal clear:

Surprisingly, the Honda Civic Type R is a very capable family car.

Comfort, fuel economy and boot space in the Honda Civic Type R

Thanks to electronically adjustable suspension, you can cover long distances in genuine comfort in the Civic Type R. In Comfort mode it feels like a “normal” car - but when you switch to “R+”, you already know what happens…

Keeping things sensible, the fuel figures aren’t frightening either. Two 130 km trips, with my right foot still getting a bit of a workout, delivered an average I wasn’t expecting: 7.6 l/100 km. I wasn’t crawling along; I simply stuck strictly to the speed limits and didn’t launch away from traffic lights and toll booths as though my life depended on it. It really is that simple.

Then there’s the boot: 420 l. If your household includes no more than two children, that’s more than enough for 99% of family journeys. As I said earlier, it doesn’t feel like a Type R - it feels like a Type F.

The flesh is weak. The Honda Civic Type R isn’t

If you’re thinking of buying a Honda Civic Type R as the family car, it will meet every demand you place on it. The weak link will be us.

The flesh is weak. And at the wheel of the Honda Civic Type R, it’s as if only your right leg gets stronger. No matter how much you try to resist, it’s going to happen.

An empty road, a green light, and you know the rest

You find an empty stretch of road, the lights turn green and we… well, we set off like there’s no tomorrow - and 2020 certainly tried to convince us there genuinely wouldn’t be. The rest of the story you already know. Your body only loosens up a few kilometres later. After that corner, after that straight, after that crescendo that only a proper performance car can deliver.

So consider this your warning: the Honda Civic Type R can handle family duties, but if you’re counting on never stepping out of line - even if you promised your other half - it will happen. And that’s a good thing. It’s the reason you bought it.

Fortunately, you no longer have to choose it only for that. The Honda Civic Type R is a car that’s a pleasure to drive, whether you’re going quickly in search of the grip limit or simply taking it easy with the window down.

---