The most performance-oriented version of the Honda Civic, the Type R has a purpose-built, track-ready engine with some remarkable specs. We review why it’s a good option as a daily driver too.
The first Civic Type R was released in 1997 in other parts of the world, but American Honda enthusiasts wouldn’t get to drive one until 2017, when the Civic Type R hit the U.S.
Unlike most compact cars, the Type R was equipped with double-wishbone suspension and a 1.6-liter engine outputting 182 horsepower. The world sat mouth agape at the amazing little hot hatchback that was taking out cars multiple times its cost on the track.
Initially, all we could do was watch, as it was only sold in Japan. Europe received the next iteration of the Honda Civic Type R with the 2001 Honda Civic Type R. Again, the U.S. was left out of the fun.
Type R Becomes an Immediate Hit in America in 2017
Finally, though, with the release of the 2017 and newer Civic Type R (also known as the FK8 Civic Type R), America got its chance to finally experience exactly what makes this car so special.
The FK8 Civic Type R keeps the spirit of the original Civic Type R alive with a high-revving engine, manual transmission, and wicked suspension. It is set up for fearsomely competitive handling coupled with a mighty 306 horsepower four-cylinder engine.
This winning combination put it around the iconic Nurburgring faster than a 2008 Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera.
Let’s take a closer look at this engine and see what makes this track monster so wild.
Honda K Series Engine Becomes Wildly Popular Swapping Platform
The FK8 Honda Civic Type R uses a Honda K20C1 engine. If you’re at all familiar with the tuning and performance side of cars, you’ve likely heard many folks sing the praises of the Honda K series engine. Over the years, it has been featured in a handful of Honda and Acura vehicles, including everything from SUVs like the Honda Element and Honda CR-V to performance-oriented cars like the Honda Civic Si and the Acura RSX Type S.
What’s more, these engines are so notoriously stout and capable of additional power that they are rapidly gaining popularity as a swapping platform for performance cars and race cars alike.
In fact, the website Driving Line outlined some of the wildest K series engine swaps that include both a Honda S2000 and an Acura NSX.
Even lower-trim Civics and Honda Accords come standard with a K series engine under the hood. For example, the Honda Accord Sport has the same engine as the Civic Type R, though it is detuned and makes a fair bit less horsepower.
As you might assume, though, the K20 engine found under the hood of the FK8 Honda Civic Type R is a bit more special than all the rest.
Honda Civic Type R’s K20C1 Offers Turbocharged Performance
The K20C1 found in the FK8 Civic Type R shares a lot of the same basic architecture as its less powerful counterparts, according to Motor Reviewer. It uses both an aluminum engine block and an aluminum cylinder head.
Furthermore, it is set up with a pretty standard dual-overhead-camshaft (DOHC) layout wherein the cylinder head houses two camshafts that control the valve timing.
However, what truly makes the Type R K series engine stand out from the crowd is that it is turbocharged.
The Honda Civic Type R uses an MHI TD04 turbocharger with an electronically controlled wastegate. It makes an astonishing 22.8 pounds per square inch of positive boost under full throttle.
Turbocharger’s Specific Exhaust Flow Eliminates Lag
Plus, the turbocharger flange is cast as part of the cylinder head, so the exhaust flow is going directly into the turbo rather than first going through a manifold, effectively eliminating turbocharger lag.
It has an air-to-air intercooler to keep intake temperatures down and idealize the air/fuel ratio going into the cylinders.
On the opposite end of that spectrum, to match the air optimization, Honda engineers equipped the F20C1 with direct fuel injection to, again, get as close to perfect as they can with fuel delivery.
Finally, the Civic Type R engine is also equipped with Honda’s variable valve timing control (VTC) on the exhaust camshaft and, of course, the legendary intelligent variable valve timing and lift electronic control (i-VTEC).
K20C1 Engine Specifications
As mentioned, the FK8 Honda Civic Type R engine is a standard dual-overhead-camshaft motor. However, the camshafts are hollow to save weight. It also uses a low friction timing chain to sync the crankshaft and camshaft timing.
The engine has a lightweight forged steel crankshaft with heat-forged high-strength steel connecting rods. Its pistons are lightweight with cavity-shaped crowns, and a low-friction molybdenum coating is applied in a dot pattern to add to their heat resistance and durability.
The pistons also have cooling oil channels to reduce the temperature in the piston ring area. They are also sprayed with oil at the underside by oil jets in the engine block.
Sporting a bore of 86-millimeters and a stroke of 85.9-millimeters, the engine has a compression ratio of 9.8 to 1 and a maximum speed of 7,000 rpm.
The K20C1 truly is an engineering marvel with no corners cut to ensure it is as durable and powerful without sacrificing reliability or drivability. After all, the FK8 Civic Type R is still a road car that the general public can buy.
Civic Type R Engine Has Remarkable Fuel Economy
Though the Type R is not built with the goal of fuel efficiency in mind, it is actually still remarkably efficient according to the EPA fuel economy ratings.
The 2017 Honda Civic Type R received up to 22 mpg city and 28 mpg highway ratings for a combined total of 25 mpg.
When considering the fact that this car’s intended purpose is to be a high-performance vehicle one can take to the track, cracking nearly 30 miles-per-gallon on the highway is relatively impressive.
Civic Type R Engine’s Known Issues
Though Honda is notorious for building stout and reliable cars, creating a high-performance engine or vehicle often comes at the cost of sacrificing reliability to some extent. Unfortunately, the Honda Civic Type R and its engine carry some of that truth.
Some Honda Civic Type R owners are reporting that their rev-matching system is failing, which leads to gear grinds and error codes, which is something that Car and Driver mentioned in its review of a 2019 Honda Civic Type R.
According to a Honda, the turbocharger bypass control valve tends to rattle with the engine until the wires come loose or even break. The official Honda fix for this issue is to fix the wiring, then wrap the wires with heat-resistant tape and two wire ties to prevent the issue from occurring again.
Furthermore, many FK8 Civic Type R owners report that their cars are overheating both on track and, less frequently, under standard road driving conditions.
These issues are fairly exclusive to the first model year, 2017, and don’t reflect the majority of Type Rs that were produced. It is worth investigating these issues before purchasing a Civic Type R used, of course.
Conclusion: Civic Type R Engine Offers Practicality and Speed in a Daily Driver
Overall, Honda and its engineers have created a remarkable engine and an equally remarkable car to complement it. Though it does have its issues, just like any other car might, Honda truly managed to capture the essence of the original Civic Type R and apply its basic ideals to modern vehicle technology.
So, if you are looking for a fun car that is well capable of being driven daily while still leaving the door open to dominate racetracks or autocross on the weekend, the Honda Civic Type R is exactly what you’re looking for.
Photos: Honda
