Sold out: Honda's hyper hatch disappears in just two days

Friday, 23 December 2022

The latest and greatest Honda Civic Type R has arrived, and we were among the first to sample it.

Honda New Zealand has confirmed that its 2023 allocation of the highly anticipated next-generation Civic Type R took just two days to sell out.

The ‘FL5’ Civic Type R was launched locally in late October, with the brand revealing pricing for the hot hatch on November 1.

Between those dates, the brand held a drive day at Pukekohe Raceway for Honda enthusiasts, with the country’s first next-gen Type R on display for potential buyers to see up close.

Stuff were fortunate to test the new Civic Type R recently at Pukekohe Raceway.

Speaking to Stuff, a Honda New Zealand spokesperson confirmed that the brand has pre-sold 176 Civic Type Rs in total, equating to 12 months worth of stock.

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It still has a big wing, but the FL5 remains much more ‘reserved’ in the styling department than its predecessor.

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The FL5 is on target to comfortably outsell the (already popular) FK8 Type R.

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For reference, the brand has previously said that it sold a total of 300 previous generation ‘FK8’ Type Rs locally between 2017 and 2021, when the model was on offer in New Zealand.

This means the FL5 generation is on target to comfortably outperform the FK8 in terms of sales over its lifespan, assuming it is offered to customers for a similar length of time. Those who missed out on a 2023 build slot will now have to wait until 2024.

The new Civic Type R is offered locally in a single spec, priced from $69,000, not including on-road costs or Clean Car fee.

It is powered by Honda’s revised K20C1 turbocharged four cylinder, producing 235kW/420Nm; a 7kW/20Nm gain over the K20C1 from the FK8. Power is sent to the Civic’s front wheels through a 6-speed manual transmission and a helical limited-slip differential.

The Civic’s platform has been modified between generations, gaining a 35mm in wheelbase, a 25.4mm wider front track, and a 19mm wider rear track. Each corner sits 88.9mm wider than a standard Civic; the 19-inch wheels equipped with 265/30 R19 Michelin Pilot Sport 4s.

Inside, the Type R gets a 9-inch touchscreen with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and model-specific performance menus. These include Honda’s improved LogR Performance Datalogger system for those wanting to study their telemetry at track days.

Watch out for Stuff’s full road test of the new Honda Civic Type R in the new year.