I own an FL5 and I don’t really consider it a ‘hatchback’. Yes the boot opens with a hatch, but otherwise it feels like a ‘saloon’ to me. The rear seating is roomier than the BMW 3 series I had. For those that doubt it’s worth £50k, you might change your mind if you ever drive one. It feels like a special car, the gear box is an absolute masterpiece. Then factor in the rarity and what it represents at this point in the history of cars. You could get more power or luxury for the money, but not much that will be revered as much as this car in years to come. I plan to keep mine long term, as my final car from the manual / petrol era.
yOU SIR HAVE ROSE TINTED SPECS ON , driven this FL5 and owned the model before , nothing like a £50k car and the fact you have over paid for one does not make it worth that money . 2024 THESE will be low £40's
@@gavinarber8802 well I paid £47k new so ‘low 40s’ is really not that bad depreciation. However looking at prices online right now, I am really not that worried about resale value. So tell me, you have £50k to buy a new car. Petrol, manual, fun to drive, fits 4 passengers. What you buying?
I’ve been a long term subscriber Joe, but never commented….your delivery to camera these days is second to none and the quality of the edits superb. Your passion for these type of cars shines through in every video. Keep up the good work!
This car punches way above it’s weight. I see some many people taking it’s over priced alot of cars are better! BS as a drivers car there’s no other car that performs like this for the money none! It performs better then many that are over 100k. FWD that’s irrelevant to use now when it’s killing RWD and AWD on track worth more money. Drive one before you say it’s not worth it. This thing drives literally like Porsche GT cars cayman GT4 911 GT3 with tad less power 350hp in this car is dangerous for other car makers FL5 is a serious machine and I personally feel it has the best manual gear box put in car! Even better then a Porsche!.
The black rear seats are a feature from the original type r. It’s to make the car appear as if the rear seats are stripped out. It was more affective when rear headrests weren’t included.
Great review Joe. Thought I'd watched most online content on these before I purchased mine - but I never heard anyone mention the width. The size, yes, but not the width. Having picked mine up two months ago I can say I'd sort of noticed the width but now you've mentioned it's wider than a 5-series it's all falling into place! Yes it is wide, but as you say it's also so much fun and I can't wait until I finally run mine in and can really let it off the leash! Hoping to take it on tour with me in 2024 when no doubt it'll be keeping G82 M2's company - that will be a bunch of fun I reckon. Safe travels in 🇧🇷 buddy 👍.
@@baoquoc3710 it's like saying: "take an uglier girl and just spend 15K of surgery mods later". I have driven both. Both are good and great value for money, CTR is just on a bit higher level at every single moment: driving feel, gearbox feel (this alone worth any money), chassis feel, body rigidity feel, etc...
@@preludeh22a57 "that alone worth any money" you're that type of person who probably fell for starfield hype and spend $100 for early copy, and here you willing to spend $20K more on a slightly better handling and performance, you're brainwashed zombie NPC 🤣
Great video. Been waiting for this for a long time . I am a life long honda fan . Had them all prelude, S2000, type r , am not surprised by the review. Love the honda racing Heritage. Only one thing wrong it for me only 2 rear seats!! Anyway enjoying driving my new M3 comp. G80 xdrive.
Great review Joe. I love my FL5. In Aus they are $70k which seems like great value to me. I’m going to keep it long term for sure. Handles like a dream. Fun on the weekends and can do the school run and shopping etc. Dog crate even fits in the boot.
They are actually $74k in Australia now brand new. Saw one for the first time at a Honda dealership last weekend. Nice car but there are so many other cars I'd buy for $74k before this. And the used prices will drop just like the FK8 has. You can pick one up for just under $40k now.
@@hassyg4083 I totally agree. For $13k less I would buy the Rallye (circuit pack) GR Yaris new. Or we could look at the used market where the choice is immense.
So I was all set to buy one of these... and then they announced the price. Now I get it, Honda can sell all they're going to make at £50k so why wouldn't they? Problem with getting one second hand is there's some *serious* competition at that price point, especially if you're going to daily drive one. I'm sure everyone will have their favourites but for that money you can easily get a six month old ex-demo M240i which is comfortably in the next tier of fast or, to my astonishment if I'm honest, an eighteen month old 840i with less than 20k miles and all the 'must have' options ticked (seriously, the depreciation on those things is ridiculous and might just be the best bang for the buck out there right now). Eh, I know I'm being a grumpy old man here, sorry, but to me it does feel like this Type R is far more an occasional use sports car where mileage matters to preserve the value rather than the daily driven delight the previous couple of generations have been. Somewhat ironic that shift happened in probably the most refined version of the Type R there's ever been but I guess that's the world we live in these days. Now if you'll excuse me there's a cloud outside I need to go shout at....
@@gurpreetsarang8929either car on this planet is a better buy than a 50k type-r. FFS, due to dv.mb ppl like you Honda is asking such money amounts for is overpriced shi.tbox.
@@ThrottleBodyCouple of things: 1) In what universe is a M240i not a rival for one of the top tier hot hatches given that this very channel has pitched it against an RS3 and 2) as I made *very* clear this is my own personal preference and both are / were serious contenders for my next car purchase so.... yeah, they're comparable. Now that might not be the case to you and that's valid too but please do others the courtesy of allowing their own subjective views the same weight as yours.
@@smiddlehurst1 typically, people are buying hot hatches of this size due to the practicality credentials that come with it..otherwise, you may as well buy a sports car. An m240i won’t suit that crowd. The 840i is even further down that route and doesn’t have the driving dynamics that a hot hatch offers. You are an exception to the rule, which is fine. Even the RS3 is dubious because they’re 10-15k more, 100bhp morethan the civic etc. Overall, people looking for a hot hatch aren’t looking for a heavy, luxury coupe. I have no issues with the cars themselves. When I’m looking at civics, I’m looking at golf Rs/GTIs, Mercedes a35s, Audi s3s, bmw m135i etc. Those are the direct rivals.
Be interested to drive one of these, I’ve got the fk2 mapped to 370hp so I’d be interested to know the real world differences. Mine was 20k with low mileage. It seems risky to spend 50k on a civic, it’s niche. I agree with the looks of the fl5 though it’s stunning.
Owned quite a few type r's through the years all the way back to the ek9 and followed the development of the FL5 from the start deciding that it was going to be my next car. Then the price was announced and the fact the UK wasn't getting a decent allocation, Meaning the price likely wont come down to a sensible figure anytime soon if ever. I love a type r but its not worth £50k.
The civic type r use to be for the European and japanese market and not sold in North America. But with the last gen they sold it in the USA and now it seems like thay is their target market with so few sold in the Uk. Prehaps it has more to do with EU emissions restrictions.
Great review 👍🏻Although half of the comments here are hilarious, people crying about the price, even though they've not driven one, let alone sat in one...... I'll be honest, i was expecting a £39k price tag and it was a hard pill to swallow to see my order through at £48k..... i almost cancelled...so glad i didn't! I'm lucky enough to have had a lot of great cars, i actually 'downgraded' from a new porsche to the fl5 and the honda is honestly a better more rewarding, and more useable car, better build quality too, and that is high praise indeed!
Cracking car, big fan. If you can’t get one (because it’s very very expensive), I’d at least go and test drive a face lift i30N. They’re ridiculously capable, make an awesome noise and with a small tune would be nearly as quick. Bonus - it’s the same weight and a bit narrower! I’ve just got rid of mine after a fun year of ownership to go back to BMW though (I missed RWD) 🫣
The gearbox location in the EP3 gen Type R (2005) is more fun! Superfast quick short shifts, second gear to 60mph.... lol....exact same matt metal gear knob too! 😂
Its crazy that I own an FL5 and still continue to watch reviews. I agree with everything you said, obviously this is a race/track/sports car but the road noise is so damn loud. Another is the fake engine noise, at first through reviews and my first few drives, I loved the sound. Now, after awhile it gets annoying and a bit too much where I just want the real engine sound instead of the fake audio. Besides that I absolutely love the car.
Road noise is entirely the specced tires. Simply get the Acura Specced PS4s tires or just the standard aftermarket PS4s and you'll lose a lot of the road noise. I don't know what about the Honda spec compound that makes it so loud.
U gotta remember its a track car so u gonna hear and feel bumps way more but like the comment above go change ur damn tires first then see the difference if u haven’t already
I'm the same. Own an FL5 but watch reviews like this. Just love the car. And reviewers love it too. Really don't get why people bring up the price increase. Even standard commuter cars have increased in price significantly. Especially all new models. So why wouldn't the best hot hatch on the planet? Confused
@@everymangamer1608 Look at the price when the Fk8 was released. Then the price jump when the 2020 refresh was released. Then another price jump on the FL5. Then the average markup on the FL5. This is as an FL5 owner who contacted about 100 dealers about a year before the FL5 was released to find one who put the least (wasn't able to get MSRP) amount on markup on it. It wasn't part of the initial 100 dealers that I ended up going with since none of those pre-release dealers honored their agreement. But now it's almost irrelevant. As if you really sniff around you can find the Integra Type-S for MSRP if you live in the America's and are willing to wait a little bit.
@Vermonstered yeah that's fair enough and I get it. Where I live there's no markups and the msrp increased but not as much as UK or US. This just shows how much of an absolute bargain the fk8 was. My country has fixed prices so there was no downside to buying early on. Otherwise I would've ignored hype and bought years later, they don't get worse the more time goes on.
Enjoyed that review joe very interesting , I always wanted an FK8 but ended up buying a Mk 3 focus rs. , the rs is a great car but I still end up thinking of getting a FK8
Great honest review Joe. I get how good it is but £50k and the rear brakes aren’t even matching Brembos. Also not comparing, but the rain is an issue for this car so you can’t enjoy all the power all the time like my GR Yaris.
25 years ago I got my first BMW and I promised myself that I'd never have another FWD car, and I've stuck to that. The latest Civic Type R is an appealing package but I'd like to have heard more about traction through (and out of) corners, when pulling away swiftly from junctions, and whether the car's cornering dynamics can be tuned by driving through the throttle.
Interestingly here in Australia where cars a flipping expensive these, even at 74k AUD, these look like value. If you compare up range to premium sports cars that are 150k and an M2 is 100k then not too bad… reliable, useful and quick enough. My next car in addition to my 20 year old Boxster…
Great car that would make me swap from my Suzuki Swift Sport, but the footprint of the Swift is such a joy, you can play on the road with different lines while staying in your lane! And it's 400kg lighter.
What a great looking type R. In my view far nicer than the last model. I’m surprised at how expensive they are in the UK. £50k is about 100k NZ dollars here in New Zealand, that’s huge money. There’s a few almost new ones I’ve seen advertised for around £35K. I’m quite tempted but I’d need to upgrade the wheels to perhaps slightly smaller size such as 18” and thicker tyres plus a full size spare. The state of roads here is shocking, almost 3rd world, even highways are littered with potholes. Lots of wheels get ruined here.
It could be the best drive around, but I can't get past the styling of the car. Sure, it's less ugly than before, but It is still hideous to look at. I also dislike overly large proportions in a hot hatch. The achilles heel is that the price tag is insane.
Taste differs i guess. People here in germany compliment my FK8 from time to time. And i am not talking about car meets. Randomly at the super market or gas stations. It stands out quite a bit with all the boring average german cars here.
@@VxO4fame Yes, tastes do differ, but I think this car is particularly divisive. Some people might love it, but I personally think it looks horrific and the interior is every bit as garish to me as the outside with all that bright red carpet inside. Some red trim on the seats or mat would have been tasteful. But the whole thing? Yuck!
I’ve always wanted Honda and Porsche as a duo to either development a relationship to manufacture a transmission for the TypeR Utilizing the Germans AWD system from the 911 - but honda may have it’s own reason why AWD may not be for the future but I beg the differ and believe this could possibly push honda further into the future with a co-development with the Germans for a new AWD system for the TypeR without compromising its agility. Ya been thinking about this for years now 😅😅😅
I mean honda already has a prett great awd system they use on acuras. I just think the added weight is no idea for the cost or vision of a civic type R. It is present in the TLX type s.
FK8 owner here as welll. I have never heard about this problem. Even not from other FK8 drivers. That sounds like an enviorment problem if u drive on dirty streets with stones and gravel.
I have to disagree with you on the selling price of this car as it's following through the years justifies the price partly as well as it being an awesome car. With regards it holding onto it's value I have the Civic Sport Plus and it seems to be holding onto its value as well. I think partly it is because they are bullet proof and have a reputation for reliability. I drove the Mk 1 version of the Civic Type R and always dreamed of having one and nearly did but bought my 1st Land Rover as I was shooting and fishing more than racing. Sadly as the price increased the stars never aligned again but I have the lesser model to follow on from my Accord ownership nearly 25 years ago. The floppy back parcel shelf is in my car also and it works a treat. Another great review of a really good car.
I think you’d love my hot hatch Joe!… 1205kg, 4 door hatch, big boot, massage seats, 300bhp, great fuel consumption, 380mm Alcon brakes as standard plus a Torsen manual diff! Oh and did I say it’s a manual car too!? What is the car?…
my mate Alistair raves about these. He sadly has a megane at the moment. 1.2 litre with a door hanging off.But he raves about this alot. I have to agree after watching this,looks fantastic and sounds great. Maybe when I win the euros I will treat him so he can race me in my spyder 😂❤ good video as usual joe.
I'd really like someone to explain the type r to me, u just don't get it as I never got the previous model. If i spent 50k on purchasing this car id just struggle looking back at it in the car park thinking what have I got for my money
Thanks for a great review! Would you take a FL5 over an OG M2 or the latest RS3? I have the RS3 now and have owned both M2 and FK8. What I miss in the FK8 compared to the other two cars was engine sound and acceleration grip. I also felt that FK8 engine was quite laggy. But turn in and steering feel from FK8 was really good!
I can relate to your comment. My FK8 is my daily with a few bolt ons and 380 hp. Out of tight corners u struggle with grip compared to an AWD car like my evo 8. But what always put me of from german cars if its BMW , Audi,Seat or even an Hyundai I30 N is the emotionless driving feedback. The only other FWD car with proper Feedback in my opition is the Megane RS Trophy. But i haven't tried an RS3 yet. Only S3 Models. A Modern RS3 is just too expensive for me. They do everything good to perfectr for daily driving but i dont see them to be actually drivers cars. Even if they are faster on paper. And i am german.
7:55, I reviewed the Type-R as well and the screen probably feels like that because you've been used to the centre being tilted towards you. Otherwise it felt normal to me
I find it utterly alarming that a Honda Civic would cost in excess of £50k. I wouldn't care if it had a Rolls Royce jet engined strapped under the bonnet, that is disgusting!!!!! The motorist is being taken for a fool in this day and age but yet people keep buying the cars at these inflated prices which makes it the norm.
@@JoeAchilles1that is probably a fact regarding the handling 😂😂😂 On the plus side I don't need to tell folk I own a Civic 😅 However I do also have a 66 plate M135i in the garage after watching your videos from yesteryear, keep up the good work
For £50.000 you could get a used M140i which already more capable than a type r plus better suspension, plus a stage 1 tune and still have money left over
🤣🤣🤣 As someone who owned an M140i and did lots with it (suspension, brakes and ECU wise), the FL5 is on a totally different level, it's handling, braking, feel, gearbox and practicality are in a different league.
@@JoeAchilles1 😂 And I have to agree with you again. Never owned an M140i but drove a few M140i and M135i. For me the FK8 has more feedback. The M140I is not considered a proper M model with the open diff and stuff.
I hear people here in the US are switching out the control module for the dampers to the integra type S one, its supposed to be so much better. On tracks around me I think most guys do not use the R mode on the dampers. I believe that sliding cover was already on the FK8 gen. I didn't realize the car was so wide I have only seen one in passing once, is the Fk8 narrower?
Imagine if it had a porsche badge, got a feeling this machine would command a price in the region of 80 to 100k, thing is it would still be worth every penny just for the drive sensation alone considering renault charge 70k for their megane trophy r thats not even in the same league when it comes to usability just high end performance smh honda truly smashed it
well it's faster on the Nurburgring and has rear seats (and doors =P) than the M2 comp. I had the M2 comp too for two years, it's not what most poeple believe it to be.
@@TheBreakfastLover i literally wrote "it's not what most people believe it to be" haha read first and then reply, my M2's been gone since two years already now.
The only downside to this vehicle is actually finding one, and you can't even test drive one to decide if you want to buy it. I own a GR Corolla, and both are hit or miss on the dealer's parking lot.
you've never driven a Type R if you compare it to a M240i or a M2, it's not the same. There is a reason why it's sold out everywhere, and the back seats and storage are not the reason why.
@@binskee677 it sold to Honda fan boys. The price of it you can get way better cars is my point which you missed. I cannot tell someone I paid over 50k for a civic. It also doesn’t sound good, and looks like someone who is immature should be driving it. The number one complaint about the car is the price from what I’ve watched including joe himself
@@dnice362 hahaha so if "sounding good" is your concern you really shouldn't buy the Civic, as per the above coment i think the Civic Type R is the wrong car for you mate and you should not buy it and leave it to the real enthusiasts. :) ... i bet the GR Yaris sold out too because it sounded good ^^
Good looking car up the BHP a bit would anyone notice but i love the look of it , to me i see it more now as a middle aged man or woman car after before the youger boy tear about look.
It has no direct rival ... It exist in it s own " space" ... Some say - that Type R is expensive - they have no fuckin idea - what they are talking about ... IT IS CHEAP. Period. / There is NO car - for this kind of money - to be better than Type R. That is a FACT. / Dear Honda : RESPECT. You did it again ... Great car!!!!!!!👍🚙⏱🏆🥇✌💪🙏😜🏎🚀☯🔆♾
Hi @Joe i had the chance to sit inside a FK8 and FL5. With my left foot fully on the clutch pedal, i was able to shift the gear lever to 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th but couldn’t get it into 5th. Is it not full to the right and up? (Or all the way left and up for right hand drive)
Smiling away and why not. I would have to drive both cars the Audi RS 3 as well for around £50.k. But a 2019 BMW M3 for £38.000 with 28.000 miles is also a car to look at.
And here I am finding myself mind bubbling, to buy for my next car, either RS4, or the Type R! 🤔 😂 both cars are massively great for each different reasons
I can't recall seeing a car vid with less information per minute. You spend more time telling us what you haven't actually bothered to find out than you do giving actual facts. I don't expect I'll be watching much more of this channel.
As a former Type-R owner, I love the idea of owning another one, but agree with Joe about the back end (the stupid wing looks atrocious) and the red seats are a bit garish. Also, after several Audi and BMWs I now prefer paddle shifters over manual transmission.
