Updated Honda Civic Type R Arrives in the U.S. at $48,695 With Sharper Handling and More Comfort

The updated hot hatch has received a series of changes aimed at making it sharper through corners while also improving comfort during everyday driving.

The update arrives ahead of the model's 30th anniversary, which will be celebrated next year. The car is now available in the U.S. with a starting price of $48,695, with deliveries to customers scheduled to begin in late October.

The exterior changes are relatively subtle. Up front, the hatchback gets a redesigned bumper with a larger air intake. The splitter below it has also been extended, which is designed to increase downforce. A new hood has been added as well, drawing inspiration from earlier versions of the performance lineup.

The mechanical package remains unchanged. Under the hood is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing up to 315 horsepower. Power is sent to the front wheels through a six-speed manual transmission paired with a limited-slip differential. That combination keeps the car as the most powerful vehicle from the Japanese automaker ever offered in the U.S. market.

The suspension has received a series of refinements, with engineers focusing specifically on damping when the most aggressive performance mode is activated. The revised setup is designed to deal with bumps more effectively while reducing body movement over uneven pavement. The changes also help keep the car more stable when cornering.

Engineers also added a return spring to the pedal assembly to eliminate mechanical play and provide a more direct, consistent feel under braking. Shifting is smoother as well, thanks to updated transmission software.

Comfort was another focus of the update, making the performance hatchback easier to live with on a daily basis. Heated front seats are now standard. The dashboard and portions of the door panels feature a new material, while the seat upholstery provides better support for both the driver and passengers. Several additional black interior elements have also been added, creating more contrast with the red seats.

The base version now includes an auto-dimming rearview mirror. The infotainment system supports Google's Gemini AI assistant, while the suite of driver-assistance features has been expanded with a function designed to help prevent secondary collisions after an initial crash.