2023 Honda Civic Type R: A Brush with Greatness

Honda's history is deeply rooted in internal-combustion engines, and as we make the shift toward electrification, the company's most exciting gasoline-only vehicle has just undergone what is likely to be its final redesign. The Honda Civic Type R has rejoined the lineup for 2023, following the 2022 model-year revamp of the supporting Civic sedan and hatchback. Based on the handful of laps we took around Harris Hill Raceway outside Austin, Texas—including as a passenger to two-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen—it seems Honda absolutely nailed it.

For starters, we fist-bumped Max as we pulled the bright-red seatbelt across our chest. "Full send, right?" we asked. A shrug from Max and a "You sure?" served as acknowledgment as he revved the 315-hp turbo four, slipped the clutch, and spun the front Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s, launching us out of the pits. The deep baritone from the engine and exhaust sounded great from under a helmet, and he ran out the engine until it coughed at the redline.

In Verstappen's hands, the Type R rarely tracked in a straight line as he kept the engine on full boil, stringing the turns together in a sinuous uninterrupted dance of slip angles and oversteer. He braked as lightly and as seldom as possible, allowing the tires' lateral loads to scrub off speed—along with a healthy amount of tread, we're sure. Max was well past the Type R's performance envelope as he one-handed the steering wheel with the kind of nonchalance we'd adopt rolling up to the drive-through window.

We're running the course in the counter-clockwise direction. Thanks to a significant bump in Turn 6, Max launches a few tires off the pavement—the Cup 2s will be optional, with Sport 4S rubber standard—but the Type R stays on target with only a slight steering adjustment from our somewhat-bored driver. He said it's better to go full throttle, rather than lift off it, over that bump and the ensuing ruts leading toward Turn 5. When an F1 champion gives you driving advice, you're wise to take it. After only two laps, the fun was over as Max coasted into the pits. It was a brief encounter, yet the afterglow remains days later.

Then it was our turn behind the wheel. Sadly, we weren't allowed on the track unsupervised. Instead, we were required to follow behind a pro driver, one who drove with significantly less aggression than Mad Max. We managed to strategically create an interval between the lead car and ours, allowing us to briefly approach the Type R's performance limit. That gave us a taste of its potential but left us jonesing for more.