When it comes to the Honda Civic, nothing is ever ordinary. Last year, the unveiling of the 11th generation model was one of the industry's biggest automotive news stories.

This year, we get the debut of the latest version of the lineup, the high-performance Type R. For this second run at home, Honda is offering a revised and improved product, so we'll be treated to a great vintage.

Here's what makes it so.

A design that hides great things

The new Type R has a new design, still based on the 5-door Civic model. The new lines are very harmonious and make us discover a wider model that sits closer to the ground. The body is lighter, but also stiffer, and benefits from more efficient aerodynamics and a reduced drag coefficient. Its rear spoiler and diffuser are also new. All of this translates into greater stability at high speeds and better performance on the track.

In fact, not surprisingly, the new 2023 Type R set a record for a front-wheel drive production car at the Suzuka circuit in Japan. It was also put to the test at the Nürburgring in Germany.

The powertrain

Under the hood, we'll still have the superb 2-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. Power will be announced later, which confirms that we'll see some gains in this area. The current model offers 306 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. As for the six-speed manual transmission, it too will benefit from improvements to make it more efficient, as will the suspension and steering. And yes, it will still be possible to take advantage of the engine speed synchronization on downshift, a very fun gadget when pushing the car.

Inside

Finally, the cockpit design of this new Type R takes up the secret introduced with the new Civic, i.e., an environment oriented and designed with the driver in mind. Add to that the Type R's wraparound seats, still covered in red and draped in suede for better body grip. An interesting detail is that the numbered plate of the model in your possession is still there, but it moves from the console to the dashboard.

Otherwise, elements such as a new +R mode that will provide us with more information on driving, as well as a data recorder and a stopwatch will also be part of the offer.

All in all, we can't wait to see the new Honda Civic Type R hit dealerships. This will happen this fall and prices will be announced at that time.