Honda Civic Type-R - A Not So Fun Car | Car Review | Top Gear

Jeremy takes the new Honda Civic Type-R out onto the test track. The old car had been an instant hit, thanks to its razor-sharp handling, super-eager engine and big dollops of practicality. But what's the verdict on the new incarnation?
Subscribe for more awesome Top Gear videos: kzbin.info_c...
Top Gear KZbin channel: / topgear
TopGear.com website: www.topgear.com
Top Gear Facebook: / topgear
Top Gear Twitter: / bbc_topgear
This is a commercial channel from BBC Studios. Service & Feedback www.bbcstudios.com/contact/co...

[@Groaznic]

"If you're a teenager and are used to sleeping on the floor and being stabbed..." :D

[@nullptr8461]

yea lol

[@HelloThereUniverse]

Jesus.... 😐

[@manlan8354]

@@HelloThereUniverse yes, why being stabbed? or is typical in uk?

[@dankyankmemes4314]

@@manlan8354 Yes, knife crime is rising. Pretty sure like 3 kids were killed last week cuz of knife crime.

[@nicolaslorenzo6268]

😅😂🤣

[@nathanaelpetit4360]

Does anyone else watch these old top gear videos all the time?😂

[@jeroenadriaansen711]

Mesmerizing the good old days Jeremy Clarkson was on television each Friday. It was the start of my weekend!

[@Connor-kd3mv]

Yes that’s why we’re here

[@rinofagerlund2371]

I will always miss the good old top gear

[@RichieRouge206]

I certainly do 👍🏼

[@boringstuff3463]

Yes, because that cars are cheaper now

[@stefandsc1028]

10 years later, this Civic has proven it has one hell of a reliable engine, it still around to be seen, and is quite sought after on the used car market.

[@primmslimm7185]

If you mean the FN2 then no it's not really sought after. EP3 prices however are soaring

[@johnallan1134]

@@primmslimm7185 along with rusty crossmembers and popping out of gear.. They all have faults, but no way is ep3 better looking than fn2..

[@primmslimm7185]

@@johnallan1134 ep3 has a defined shape and lovely body lines. Handling is miles ahead of the FN2 which you'll know if you've driven both. Plus FN2 looks like an egg. Each to their own though, I love my ep3.

[@johnallan1134]

@@primmslimm7185 ep3 looks like a mini hearse

[@freddieparrydrums]

@@johnallan1134 EP3 looks better

[@SamaelVR]

"What if you're completely wrong" I love that so much. I need a clip of that.

[@dvamateur]

+HydraWolf1 I actually think that the guy who purchased the car is right. The old car might be a better car inside, but the new car looks far better outside, and sounds better indeed.

[@dvamateur]

ruairidt It's all subjective, to me '80s cars are best looking, but many would disagree with me.

[@reddyt1d658]

E30 M3?

[@dvamateur]

+The M.O. Project M 635CSi

[@godzillaisnuclea123]

+Andrew Piatek Whats the point? The old car is better in every other way

[@CountFisco]

1:59 when the top gear sound editor was put to good use

[@JapaneseSoomi]

hahaha

[@kokodjamba6657]

And remained forever more

[@gardenclaw6995]

I bought one of these, a 2008 fn2 type r about 4 years ago for 3k second hand. It's done 100k miles now. I abuse it everytime I drive it. It's done track days and Sprint events. I can drive it there, thrash it all day and drive it home again. Never missed a beat. Other than service stuff like oil, filters and tyres it's needed nothing. Also the seats fold totally flat making it into a hilarious van. I had an Ep3 in the past. Maybe older fatter me prefers the creature comforts of the fn2, but if you're looking for a reliable fun to use daily for not much money you cannot go wrong with one of these in my opinion.

[@MikeKollin]

What year did you buy? He never mentions the year in this vide... I am trying to figure out what year the first one is... Thanks for any help!

[@gardenclaw6995]

@@MikeKollin I bought a 2008 I bought it in 2015. Think they came out 2005?

[@MikeKollin]

@@gardenclaw6995 Cool... is that the same year as the first car in this video?

[@gardenclaw6995]

The first one he drives or on the studio? The red one in the studio is the same as mine. The first one he drives on track is the EP3 which is the model before.

[@MikeKollin]

@@gardenclaw6995 I need to buy a car as mine is going dead the engine just blew out... So the first one he LOVES!! He says it's amazing! Then the next one he says sucks... I want the one where he says it's amazing... He clearly says the newer one sucks and is horrible, awful. I dont' want that one... Do you know what year it is? The one at 0:56

[@kevr4698]

Thanks Jeremy, you helped make the mk8 Type R more affordable for the majority of us, I’ve just bought one and I love it! 😄

[@Springwater786]

I also got one a few weeks ago and i love it aswell, pretty quick and the ride isn't too bad.

[@thatpersiandude7386]

Exactly fn2 is underrated as fuck it’s cheaper than ep3 for most parts

[@Springwater786]

@@thatpersiandude7386 it's cheaper to buy aswell, I've seen good example ep3s for £8k!!!!

[@Matty_Champwhite]

Exactly!! Got mine 2 months ago and love it!

[@K20TypeR]

@@thatpersiandude7386 it’s also nowhere near as dynamic as an EP3

[@soundseeker63]

The weird thing is that at the time, most magazine testers praised the new Type R, though a few did admit it had lost some on-the-limit balance for improvements in other areas. Jeremy seemed to get a bee in his bonnet with this car, rather like he did with the Vauxhall Vectra. One thing we can say 15 years on is that the styling has aged extremely well and the FN/FK Civics have proven themselves to be very well made and reliable cars.

[@Nicole19989]

Well made and reliable - 2 factors Clarkson gives this much of a crap about 🖕 He's a complete tool. If it were up to morons like him, we'd all be driving crappy English and Italian cars.

[@guccipucci69420]

FN civics look like a small bloated whale lmfao

[@barenyeager3936]

imo he is right. This piece was a disgrace for the type r - family

[@FarmYardGaming]

This is the one Civic generation I can't stand the styling of

[@dinisssousa]

the styling aged well? you gotta be playing theres no way

[@Lewis2710]

Ironically I watched this video as a kid and it made me want one because I thought it looked really cool, 15 years later I have one and love it

[@michaelcampbell6079]

Just bought one today 🤣

[@technowelliebobs4779]

There's nothing ironic about that. It would be ironic, say, if you hated the EP3 back then, and now you own one and hate the FN2. It's merely appropriate

[@miljororforsprakpartiet290]

I'd simply pick the old car because it doesn't look like, or want to be, a bus.

[@Millermacs]

Agreed lmao

[@bandombeviews6035]

And it's cheaper

[@willeason2319]

RÅLAND what's your dream car me 1997 Mazda rx7

[@miljororforsprakpartiet290]

@116040132450284969205 Don't think I have any specific dream car really. M3 E36 as summer car, Evo as winter car and to fix the gasket on my ol' Mk3 Supra as a classic cruiser. RX7 is cool too, but getting expensive :p

[@bandombeviews6035]

RÅLAND I hope you are european.

[@jackshikikunt3042]

Lol "you have become Richard Hammond"

[@rhysf.505]

I know Top Gear is mostly humorous but can I just say that montage starting at 2:10 with both the music and shots was absolutely freaking epic? Even when it comes to doing more cliche professional stuff they are still the gold standard.

[@csm153]

The music is often stellar

[@TheAndrewlolz]

Jeremy - "It's engine spins soooooooo fast, it generates it's own little gravity field. I'm suprised it doesn't come with it's own moooooon !!!" - I think he's definitely referring to 'VTEC just kicked in yo!!!' xD

[@dacringe]

LOL

[@GHOSTJERKER]

IMO The best Civic ever was and still is the 93-95 coupe, it as one of the cleanest coupes ever and was a perfect canvas for personalizing...

[@owenbatchelder6230]

Cleanest coupe ever???? 🤣🤣 it's a shitbox!

[@freddieparrydrums]

@@owenbatchelder6230 how

[@owenbatchelder6230]

@@freddieparrydrums Honda, anemic shitty engines, thin flimsy body, plastic fantastic shit interior. Has nothing on Ford Capri, Opel Manta, Volvo 242, BMW 3 Series, Mercedes CLK, Mercedes SLK. Hondas are terrible rusty lumps of shite

[@sv_cheats1970]

@@owenbatchelder6230 you are full of crap yourself mate. I'm an Euro car fan myself but those Civics are decent motors when done properly. The old 205 GTI is also rather thin and the dashboard plastic is shite but they still have a decent following.

[@sv_cheats1970]

@@owenbatchelder6230 and you can't be serious about the CLK? Sure they look lovely but the first generation loved to rust. A bit better situation then the C class of the time but still...

[@SpaceMissile]

i like how they legitimately got the guy to talk at the end and he got to put a real opinion out.

[@patbirdmusic]

Yh and then immediately shit on his opinions after 🤣.Just another one of the great things about og top gear

[@risk0systemsuk171]

Nothing I heard on this review can make me dislike the fn2. What a car!!! Still looks better than most new cars and 6.6 seconds is very respectable for a 2.0 made 15plus years ago

[@WetLettuce-kc2qm]

I agree. It's the best looking Civic hands down.

[@MatthewLee8383]

The rear spoiler position is actually a brilliant idea. It's positioned right where the headlights of following cars are. He'd have known this if he'd test driven it at night.

[@hannahmay5461]

Sorry to hear you bought a pile of shit

[@shilohsigala485]

@@hannahmay5461 Ok Hannah

[@xXxUrbanNinjaxXx]

@@hannahmay5461 what is wrong with you lol 😂

[@_zigzak]

Damn hannah woke up and chose violence 😂

[@hyper_5pace902]

@@hannahmay5461 Damn didn't know it has been that rough for you ever since your cousin stepped down from her position as PM.

[@ichigozanghetsu]

In the end the EK9 Type R is still the best of all.

[@dvtc8u]

+ichigozanghetsu but the jdm fd2 is probably the most hardcore.

[@MElekiaZ]

u right.

[@MElekiaZ]

no. because light chasis do not mean best chassis. is better a fn2 stripped because EK chassis are so soft, new chassis are too strong and suspension works better.

[@basicgunbros4332]

ichigozanghetsu and your very right

[@daDIGITALfr33k]

8th gen was neutered by emissions and slow cmc in the states

[@andysmith8031]

Watching this now after owning my Fn2 since January. I’d say the review is harsh, but some parts definitely correct. The ride is horrendous for daily driving, and the seat pisses me off that it doesn’t go back to the position I left it. The key alarm is also pointless. But, if you want to thrash it down some B roads it’s great. Sounds absolutely awesome too. I can’t knock it for fun at all.

[@rogerjsy]

me neither im 53 now had cosworths, Impreza’s bmw’s (fast ones) i now have an FN2 type R GT and its a hoot to drive ! ,the seats are a fooking nightmare if you need to get people etc in the back im always having to adjust the damn thing ,but for overall fun and going flat out (when the cops arnt around) its bloody good fun to drive.. and the noise when its on full chat! hehe makes me smile every time!

[@Loftikaz]

is the ride really bad? did you get used to it after few months?

[@2wfit]

@@Loftikaz it's absolutely dreadful, take it from me 😂

[@maggaveli6764]

@@Loftikaz I had one, the ride is pretty shitty. But overall it's a cracking car

[@Lewis2710]

@@Loftikaz it’s really firm but I wouldn’t say it’s unbearable, the benefit though is it feels really stable through the corners more so than the EP3 but that’s just my personal opinion lol

[@PROofHAPPYWHEELS]

"Even if you're a teenager, even if used to sleeping on the floor at parties and being stabbed" LOOOOOOL 6:46

[@Scampi95]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@lethaldosage6040]

Absolutely love this show. Clarkson is hilarious. They've been replaying some episodes of TopGear on the telle recently...man, nowadays, the quality of the editing and some of the angles, effects they use for the reviews are miles ahead of what they were in 2003 or 2004. Not shocking, just cool to see the progression of the show.

[@Pore2q]

"It assumes you've become Richard Hammond"

[@marcusroberts6332]

2:00 The one time that the sound engineer actually had to play the music too loud

[@SpaceMissile]

don't forget about when they super-glued james' stereo

[@jtqthetieman]

I hope this guy gets to do this for as long as he pleases. He's the best reviewer of anything of all time and he's always hilarious.

[@jtqthetieman]

Mike Annonymous That's what you think about him. I like him. He puts himself out there exactly the way he is and he's hilarious.

[@kinqazure6336]

Jeremy clarkson was the second top gear producer.

[@oliverkelsall2284]

I agree! The metaphors and similes he comes out with are hilarious as well.

[@disasterdavut]

Oreimoooo! :D. Love your yt pic.

[@jtqthetieman]

Radical power So do I. Thanks for the compliment. :3

[@alipayne5139]

I love my fn2! Amazing car to drive.

[@theresajacko8243]

Sadly the insurance company have just wrote my 2002 Type R off after being in an accident. I'm not a boy racer but a 71year old woman who absolutely loved my car.

[@olli_ster3562]

Rest in peace

[@primmslimm7185]

That's a real shame Theresa, I hope you got a car you enjoy even more now

[@theresajacko8243]

Thank you very much. I now have a Honda Civic Hatch but not the Type R. I'm getting to like my car but have great memories of my Type R. When I bought my present car the chap went onto a site to check out the fate of my Type R as they are very sought after. My car had not been written off somebody had bought it & I hope they love my car as much as I did & have as much enjoyment. I had travelled all round the UK in it with work & leisure.

[@primmslimm7185]

@@theresajacko8243 I'm glad you're enjoying the new civic! Yeah that era of type R have now become very sought after, I just bought an 05 cosmic grey type R with 112k miles as my fun car and absolutely loving it ! They really do live up to the hype

[@VtecLad]

Seen no mention of this… says ep3 is quicker etc but fails to mention the k20z4 produces more power across the whole Rev range.. ep3 lap time 1:38.06 FN2 1:35.5 reason being for this is that 5th gear got to review the type r before top gear and given the hype for this car at the time he decided to purposely give it a bad review so in the future they would get the cars before anyone else

[@avro206]

I'll take the old one

[@elaxel1469]

I got the old one, and the suspension is harder which is an issue in bumpy roads. The fn2 is a bit more comfortable

[@anto5335]

Same

[@adxo]

I'd take the one before the old one

[@richboy900]

Agreed. Ep3 or ek9 anyday

[@Connor-kd3mv]

This guy must’ve watched the video we’re commenting on.

[@darrenhills5284]

I've had my fn2 for 4yrs and not once do I not look back at it when I park it up😍 and when driving, much better place to be than the ep3.

[@lordyboyo]

yet the stig, who's a professional racing driver voted it the best hot hatch? strange.

[@ExtremeDeathman]

Not that Type R, the new one...

[@GazMonty]

ExtremeDeathman The 2007 Civic Type-R FN2 was voted Top Gear Hot Hatch of the Year that year, yet Jeremy says it’s terrible 😂

[@stevevater8598]

See my comments above, overall its hard to beat. There are faster cars in class but fn2 nearly as fast but a million times more reliable and durable. So it's a no brainer.

[@99Lezard99]

@@GazMonty maybe there was no better hot hatch in THIS year

[@GazMonty]

99Lezard99 Well the Focus ST MK2, Golf GTI MK5, Megane RenaultSport and Astra VXR were still being made and on sale during 2007 so it’s not like the FN2 Civic was the only one on the market.

[@supernick2072]

20 years on and the ep3 is still just as epic

[@looniethemoonie5353]

That and it's cousin car the DC5 Integra/RSX.

[@jamesrobert4106]

I have a 2004 sat on my drive as I am typing this in 2022. Brilliant little car.

[@ghostrider-be9ek]

Just sold mine this summer after 11 years - great little car

[@Cup_70]

6:23 holy shit I lost it.

[@adammidderigh4150]

Entertaining review as always, though I bought a tidy example a few days ago and while I agree with some of the criticisms , others not so much. The ride comfort for one is brilliant for what it is, a great compromise between decent handling and comfortable cruising. Before the FN2 I had a Cooper S R53, Panda 100hp and a Clio 172 Cup; the Honda is by far the most comfortable , yet despite also being heavier than all the others, you can still throw it into a corner at 'lively' speeds and get a solid line with very little body roll. As for the performance, obviously Mr Clarkson is used to much faster cars, but again having had/driven several other lighter hot hatches with similar paper 0-60 times, in my opinion the Honda feels properly quick. It pulls fairly well (if a little 'sedately') at lower rpms considering its lack of torque , while then going nuts when the next cam set kicks in at around 5,600rpm. Therefore if your gear management is good enough, it'll put most average poser BMW, Audi and Merc commuters to shame. Not only that , but these days you can get a low mileage example with very good service and MOT history for under £6,000 , making it a great reliable yet practical and entertaining budget hot hatch. Couple that with how hard it is to get a low mileage EP3 , and the FN2 then becomes a much better choice than it may seem after watching this video. Also read the reviews from Evo, Auto Express etc. who all gave it 4 or 5/5 and seemed to like it much more.

[@Scotty_AV]

Every single day I drive my FN2 and I love it. And there's nothing top gear can do about it. Much more fun than those milk floats everyone is driving these days.

[@jammy_rex3038]

I've had my FN2 for 7 years now. The only thing he is correct about is the ride - it is awful. I'm finally hoping to improve this with fitting some progressive Eibach springs soon (said to make daily driving this car much nicer, as the ride really is the thing that lets it down, whoever could have signed it off as acceptable for road use is beyond me). The handling of the car is brilliant, i never have experienced understeer on the public roads, it is clear he was provoking the car to do this in the video. And my experience was with crappy unbranded tyres I bought the car with. As for the torsion link rear suspension, many journo's favourite hot hatches such as Clios and Meganes all had simple torsion beams so when people complain about that it doesn't really stack up. Engine and gearbox are both sublime. Sounds like a race car and never fails to put a smile on your face. The seat mechanism is so easy to adjust and you soon find the correct position (it becomes instinct). Jeremy just had a bee in his bonnet about this car, like he did from time to time.

[@arca9e295]

I personally think the ratchet adjuster is way better than the wheel cause you can always find that sweet spot based on how many clicks and it doesn’t take forever to adjust

[@ringoferrer2343]

1:58 when the Sound Editor has finally became useful for once

[@sangxu5391]

Just one thing I have to defend: when you fold the front sit and put it back, you can decide how far you want to get it back. Yes it does not go back to exactly where it was but it definitely gave you a choice of moving it further or nearer.

[@patbirdmusic]

That's still shit

[@mel2401]

I love my FN2. I have experienced understeer but rarely drive like they did on the public roads as there are too many things to hit, like Kerbs, walls, lampposts, parked cars & people! The ride is firm agreed, but cornering is flat and reassuring. I have the Hondata remap too which now means it is dyno certified at 221bhp and road proven by myself to be faster than at least one EP3!

[@Y-J65]

Agreed, Some fn2's look amazing on youtube. I wasnt sold on the fn2 but when you see it in person and sit inside its so much nicer then the ep3. What Honda have realised is that the other hot hatches offer so much more all round package and this is what most people want. The day's for just owning a engine in a box have now gone.

[@lisamcevoy6221]

It’s so annoying when he obviously doesn’t like the car so finally describes it as “absolutely hopeless “ he’s done it with many a good car.

[@Nicole19989]

That's what utterly clueless morons do.

[@Foxx488]

That last little bit at the end with the audience member... perfect display of how we can all have different perspectives, and that's okay. Nothing he listed was a statistic or fact, just his personal preference on how it feels and sounds. It's okay to prefer the slower one.

[@Nicole19989]

He's an idiot with the IQ of a chimp, only other chimps listen to him.

[@mpa1931]

He made valid points too because the FN2 was designed to be more smoother which he pointed out in the engine.

[@quillmaurer6563]

6:16-6:36 most two-door vehicles I've seen are like that, and it drives me crazy. My classic VW Bug has a separate knob on the seat for flipping it forward without changing settings, yet another little touch on that old primitive car that was so well thought out. Thinking of trying to put new seats in it out of something modern (junkyard) but not having this problem is a fundamental requirement that will make finding suitable (acceptable) seats much more difficult.

[@adamstilldrives]

that fn2 is very well built. It's still going strong to this day depsite jezza hitting 7krpm and the car only done 740 miles at the time. The history on that car is immaculate tbf

[@cribb6376]

I've had both. As well as a s2000. Ep3 great. Fn2 fantastic. S2000 outrageous. All different but all really good

[@patbirdmusic]

I'm really tempted to get a s2k eventually but not the best at maintenance other than basic stuff. Was it quite reliable for you?

[@SuperVa1]

that ignition key beep is DEfinitely for me haha I used 2 leave my key like at least once a week, been in huge troubles haha!

[@amg863]

Doesn't help that you have to put your key in the barrel and push a button to start it. Wouldn't forget about the key if it wasn't for the button

[@cambo593]

owned an fn2 for over 2 years, going to be difficult to replace, so much fun

[@chijimuimui404]

Thanks for Jeremy so I bought a fn2 with a very affordable price and have a lot of fun driving it :)

[@BeatPoet67]

I'm looking at a tidy 2007 one with FSH and 100,000 miles at £4.5k with the good suspension mods. Just for fun. Because ffs I've spent that much on my bike and just stepped out of an Audi A4 3.0 V6 which was mega in a straight line but horrible in every other circumstance. I'm sure I could run it for a year and get my money back. How's yours?

[@chijimuimui404]

​@@BeatPoet67 u won't regret , it's just full of fun when VTEC kicks in, with this price tag for a car like this , I believe it's an underrated car 100%

[@bliglum]

Agreed. I loved the Civic EG! Especially the hatch. One of the best looking hatchbacks ever made imho. 20 years old now, and a clean one still looks fresh and modern.

[@JoemamaTheHybrid]

10 years old comment, EG now 30 years old. I've had mine 3 years. Favorite car I've ever owned.

[@bliglum]

@@JoemamaTheHybrid Still one of the best hatchback designs ever put into production. Astounding how timeless the design still is..

[@habibnetanukefuel795]

Best car I've ever owned, The FN2 has aged better than a lot of other cars of this vintage and has picked up a few fans along the way, And I am a Benz Man through and through. The space ship as it's called in some circles becomes part of you once behind the wheel, love the dash ,control layout that's still a practical every day driver that will put a smile on your dial on every drive. Had to disagree with JC on this one.

[@JamesMcKinven]

'Even if you're used to sleeping on the floor and being stabbed'

[@RobertEdits]

The way they edited this is so different I love it

[@77714anthony]

So glad the US is finally getting a type r

[@ZXNIGHTMAER]

hell yes im saving up for that right now!

[@petersothern4120]

77714anthony how come we get it in the UK and not the US?

[@aaronkarmacharya4709]

Because Honda is looked down by a lot of the car community here, so Honda decided it was best not to ship over something that wouldn't fit their demographic(soccer moms, elderly people, young teens in their first car). We did get the Integra Type R(DC2), but it wore the Acura badge. Acura has the "Type S", which are sports versions of the RSX(Integra), TSX(Accord), TL(Saber/Inspire), etc. However, they are more luxury oriented than performance.

[@aaronkarmacharya4709]

^I can attest I had to turn down a few people who asked for a ride in my DC5, because they legitimately were too big for a bucket seat.

[@Fifthcell]

It's ass

[@geoffgoldtop]

Just bought a 2010 type R with low mileage(36.000).Love it...don't let one bad review put anyone off.Puts a smile on my face every time I get in it.If it was all about horsepower I would have bought an EVO.There's not many cars out there with such radical styling and this car hasn't stuck to any of the rules...love it...get one!!!!!

[@aleksandryevteushenko5225]

1999 Peugeot 106 gti FTW!

[@d4rkhound388]

+geoff lamb jeremy is not hating on the new civic he just says it does not have the grunt the older ones did.

[@GazMonty]

Absolutely agree, this review has really ruined the reputation of the FN2 and everyone seems to agree with Jeremy’s opinions but you’d have to give yourself a chance to drive one for yourself and you’d be blown away by this car. I don’t have any plans to part with my FN2 R anytime soon, it’s a brilliant car.

[@quattro4468]

geoff lamb Just bought a porsche boxter for laguna seca track days so no thanks.

[@notmanynamesleft]

geoff lamb but have you owned an ep3 before?

[@brawrrrXO]

I own the FN2 AND I LOVE IT. To me looks ahead of its time the interior exterior and all the technology

[@CAL1MBO]

I like them both, great cars.

[@rideroll9609]

Yeah me too (FN2), love them both

[@alistairwalker2850]

Honestly the FN2 is very gangly. Why Honda didn’t just sell the FD2 in Europe is beyond me.

[@rideroll9609]

@@alistairwalker2850 FD2 is not a car for family with dog... for me it´s useless

[@xLeidenFrost]

@@rideroll9609 fd2r is still the faster tho. And it's highly regarded as the last true type r

[@PipsClips]

Ive got the 4 Door Civic in this shape and its banging, handles great, feels fast, looks great, loads of space - I think Top Gear reviews generally are how the guy feels on the day, im sure Ive heard them trash cars and then trashothers saying they arent as good as the blah blah they trashed 2 years before!

[@jlue1993]

That Civic revs so slowly, that legend says that guy is still waiting for V-Tech to kick in.!

[@tommawer3498]

vtec *

[@jlue1993]

+Tom Mawer my bad haha..!

[@Monkiimagic]

+Joshua L From your statement it's clear you have never driven one.

[@jlue1993]

+Monkiimagic it was a joke..! I have driven one actually and the Civic Type R before that. I like them.

[@youngstayoung6633]

The old sheep hear something just have to repeat it. The newer model is a better car. The stig said it was and voted it hot hatch of the year. I know whose opinion I'd go with

[@GregosTH]

That man in the audience at the end may be right as he's owned both ? Only 1 more horsepower yes, but a wider VTEC range. The peak power is a point, but the whole usability is another point. And the interior of the FN2 is more enjoyable daily. As for the handling, nobody will drive that hard on a road unless they're willing to crash, and yeah, turning off the VSA would have been a good idea !

[@jayczyzyk9707]

most enthususiasts will go tofull limit in this honda

[@alangordon2511]

I just sold a slightly rusty ep3 I bought a fn2 because I didn't want to spend money sorting the ep3 bodywork The fn2 has a nicer Interior that's about it's only good point 😂 I would quite regularly get my ep3 sideways on roundabout etc the fn2 has plenty of grip but that's about it it's not fun in corners My ep3 felt a good bit faster Even at lower rpms I used to regularly hit 120ish I haven't been much over 100 In the fn2

[@briansteffmagnussen9078]

I know a mechanic The type with the spikes on his head who love this civic. It is the most easy car to repair and modd. Once in a while i see a streak in the horizon passing toward me (You never see the car really) and the curvature of the earth distort so you can observe northern light down i Bavaria. This car is brilliant.

[@destinationeuphoriaselfdev2089]

I watched this and just bought one. Glad I ignored the advice lol. Fn2 is still a fun car and a lovely daily

[@cjflash2004]

music plays at 2:10 - Justin Scott Dixon Chill Pill

[@ahouse8600]

Thank you

[@bigboost2641]

Fast forward a few years and buy the FK2, fantastic car 🚘

[@mohican161]

I brought one couple days ago, Jeremy does have a point about that spoiler and seating positions. However I'm sure he could of picked out more positive points. I'm happy with my purchase atm. ✌️

[@Facts-over-Feelings.]

Thankyou Jeremy for keeping the fn2 at a low price. I've just bought one and i can't believe the amount of car you get for the money. Superb value, and still look fantastic 18 years after release.

[@McBeamer94]

The FN2 still looks amazing 15 years after its introduction. I'd say that it doesn't show its age the way the EP3 does simply because it's not shaped like a box (or a tupper, as it's a classic nickname for the "Type-R" nameplate) and its interior doesn't follow the traditional square design patterns. It's a shame Honda followed two different tactics in the FN2 and the FD2 bodies, equipping the first one with a rear torsion beam and the second one with a fully independent rear suspension. Both models of that generation could have the IRS and the FN2 could be as good as the FD2 and its predecessor, the EP3! That move was so, so stupid of Honda!

[@user_imyarek]

Russians call it "Топор" [Topor] which means "Axe" in Russian. Later versions don't really stand to that name tho

[@primmslimm7185]

Looks like an egg turned on its side 🤣

[@SeanWithaFada]

still looks hideous to me, always did. the ep3 is much better looking.

[@sukhdevr3489]

@@Igjrkej Just no.

[@sukhdevr3489]

Both of these cars don't look great but the EP3 looks less bad.

[@Mo0shii]

as a 20 year old- this was my first car, still missed it.

[@MikeKollin]

Hello... I am trying to figure out which car is what year? I want to find the one he says he Loves... The first car he drives. 0:56 He makes it sound like the one after it wasn't as good. but he never says what year either one is... Do you know? I am looking right now as my Del Sol's engine just died... Thanks for any help!

[@Mo0shii]

@@MikeKollin you mean the ep3 ? With a k20a4 engine from 98 till 00's i believe, Ep3 was slightly diffrent, vtec started a bit earlier but cuts outs earlier also. Like they say i never had that experience really myself it wasnt that much worse at all. the car on 0:56 is the EP3, the FN2 which i had with a k20z4 engine, from 07 after the 07 the championwhite edition came. stll remember my firstday track vs eg's and ek's ,the Fn2 Will lift his leg like the ep3 in sharp corners. we never been passed by them, good times :D loved the fn2, anyone trash talk about never drove it good .period.

[@MikeKollin]

@@Mo0shii So it's any model from 98 til 00's. SO the one he didn't like was the next Generation I assume... Okay, thanks!! HE talks about how the older car had Fully Independent Rear Suspension... Thanks for the chat....

[@Mo0shii]

@@MikeKollin yes he like'd the ep3, older model better then the the follow-up, which is the FN2. chapionwhite edition (later, a better limited model of the FN2 had independent rear sus. you also had the FN2 track, without radio and A/C. if your looking for a ep3, they are 20 year old and cars which are driven hard. so take a good look before buyin one.

[@MikeKollin]

@@Mo0shii OH... Okay...

[@Ryoga2K]

Totally agreed, I remember the generation switch, even the Sedan became nicer on the outside and inside.. But once you drove it , it felt like it had reversed to 3 or 4 generations earlier.

[@schindlerk]

The FN2 was slow but I found once you had wound it up to 140mph it would sit at that even into sharp bends come heavy rain, fresh snow or shine...it was a capable handling car you knew would come out of a 140mph jump or flat out bend and the brakes wouldnt suffer heat fade.

[@mrjthamster9452]

Just to note - After April 2010 at the end of the run -the FN2 had the LSD fitted as standard. I owned both the EP3 and 2 FN2's - the FN2 is FAR superior with it's LSD. I like Clarkson - but his review on this is rank.

[@Zero_Ninety]

This review is from 2007.

[@GoldNFS]

The seats in the new(in this video) type-r have the same mechanism as in the Civic from 1997, the back of the seat is controlled by the same handle, the seat doesn't go back to its last position when the seat is pulled so that someone can sit in the back. I don't know why Honda didn't fix this for such a long time. You have to push it first to the position where you want the seat to be, then push the back of the seat and it locks in..

[@reddyt1d658]

You mean the EK9 Civic?

[@rayfalcone7163]

Im not much of a car guy, but I had the Honda civic sport hatchback from 2006. Yes it was heavy and had a stiff suspension, but it was also such a uniquely designed car with quirky electronics and a ivtec engine that saved fuel while sounding sporty. Loved the car

[@S29ORY]

I never liked the ep3 at first then I liked it when I seen it in person. Same with the fn2 then I stood infront of the car looked inside it and that was it I had to have one. And if you changed the tyres and got the eibach camber adjustment bolts and the correct settings it was a proper car especially the later ones with lsd in champ white.

[@whoawoahh]

Clarkson is always randomly roasting members of the crowd lol

[@mitchr5219]

I own a 2007 fn2 GT and I've got to say I think it's a cracking daily. Yes it might not be a EP3 for driving ability but for practicality it's much nicer. I would love to know what tyres that car he tested had. I've fitted eagle F1 super sports and get lift of over steer and awesome grip 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@RobManser77]

Sadly it's just his incompetent driving - he's never understood the balance in a car (watch his Elise 111S review for a similarly unjustified complaint). Tyres will affect overall grip levels, but the handling will remain very similar, and to that end I've never had an issue with understeer in the FN2, in fact I think it handles really well for a front drive hatch.

[@ebrahimebs]

Have had 2 of them then Champ edition addressed that understeer issue, I have a rs3 sedan now to, the fn2 is amazing in corners.

[@paularzadon1449]

I was once buy a slower running car, i hate it so much, but when i change the engine oil and proper road breaking in, i never know that 1.6 engine could speed up like a 2.0engine. I cant pass on them but they cant leave me even a meter long. Now i owned FN2 Type R GT, lets see if i could make it up to EP model, Thanx Jeremy for this video, i got a cheaper FN2 with K20engine.

[@ubacow7109]

I cant wait for Jeremy to try the new type R, I wish top gear would try out more JDM cars like this.

[@madmax6662]

How is this JDM when it dosnt drift, its front wheel drive and under-steers

[@wolfsburvviann]

@@madmax6662 So a Japanese market Celica isnt jdm? *facepalm*

[@318ci]

@@madmax6662 idiot, fucking idiot!!

[@cameronbrown3380]

@@318ci It's not actually JDM because the FN2 was never sold in the japanese market.

[@shaggy44zebra]

@@cameronbrown3380 yeah and neither was the EP3. Built in the UK.

[@SEADiablo]

Hm. Almost all of the same generation hot hatches had rear torsion beam suspension. I'd also like to see who was driving the other car in that race. I'm also sceptical how such a seasoned motor journalist can't keep a Honda Civic Type-R on the track after driving numerous 500bhp+ supercars/hypercars.

[@slideways8022]

Definitely the driving was for visual effect.

[@V4YGR3]

I would still love to have one... Loved my 2006 1.8s And still want it back... Aah well... I could always drive my dads 2013 civic. 2.2 idtec, such an amazing car... Chipped and you feel so much better in it. Funny thing is, ppl dont know much about it, so they think its slow... And bad.. But in the end, push the pedal and you are overtaking with ease on your way home from work.

[@gapistan2335]

Oh boy imagine if he’d reviewed the FD2 civic type r and the mugen rr variant how he’d love those cars just like the ep3

[@swaiin.]

2:10 can anyone name the song/beat at this time stamp

[@beksi9751]

It looked like he had something personal with the car. No idea what it could be but the model is not as bad as he described it and after all you have to show some respect to the concept and philosophy of HONDA(they know exactly what they do).

[@Tarik360]

I think that spoiler is useful if you live in the northern hemisphere during slush season. Keeps all the dirt away from the the rear window. Now I'm just looking at this civic and thinking "would a modern Mazda Skyactiv x engine fit in there?"

[@K20TypeR]

I’ve made a few comments on this video but just want to clarify both the EP3 and FN2 are amazing cars. The FN2 just went in the wrong direction in terms of weight, suspension design and driver involvement. All Type R’s are and will always be pinnacles of the hot hatch world

[@fixflix9609]

0:19 Hey its Walace!

[@georgeh900]

Funny because when I first watched this ep. my parents had just bought the fn2 and I just couldnt handle the critisism in the level I quit watching the show completely (I was 14 or something ) .Now in my 26's I drive this car for more than 6 years and I laugh every time because Jeremy was so on point on his review like if he was driving the car for months himself. Everything he said its true 100% BUT I still love this car and I tend to keep it because it is ageing beautifully and its the last /NA civic Type-r.

[@arisart22]

Honestly you buy this car simply to go from point A to point B with reliability. I bet you haven't had a lot problems with it.

[@primmslimm7185]

This car will never appreciate in value like the EP3 is right now, a lot of them in Ireland are being broken for engines for ep3s

[@sv_cheats1970]

@@primmslimm7185 Only a matter of time they gain decent value, ep3's are surely getting harder to find day by day. The fn2 will gain value as the last n/a type R. Maybe not soon but its sure to happen.

[@patbirdmusic]

@@sv_cheats1970 well it depends how long a matter of time is. If we're talking 20 years I doubt they'll be many people left on the planet that like them

[@sv_cheats1970]

@@patbirdmusic there will always be someone.

[@TheInbetweener123]

The older Honda civic(2000-2004) say, are in my opinion one of the better hatches especially in the price range, fun to drive easy to control and gives u a bit of enjoyment compared to some of the newer duller hatchbacks

[@MrGeof077]

I OWN THIS CAR NOW. YES THE VERY ONE IN THE TEST DRIVE RNO7 GJG. ITS STILL GOING STRONG. YES IT IS THE MOST UNCOMFORTABLE CAR IN THE WORLD AND JEREMY'S COMMENTS ARE ALL TRUE BUT I LOVE IT ITS A POCKET ROCKET AND STILL LOOKS COOL. JEF FROM FLINTSHIRE.

[@danielratcliffe3672]

If it's true that's very cool, makes your type R one of a kind. Pop it in a garage and wait for Clarkson to pass away. It will sell for £50K 👌

[@WH250398]

Pretty awesome if that's true.

[@MrGeof077]

@@WH250398 Yes it really is my car. trying to download a photo now.

[@King-qq6wu]

Respect to the FN2 owner!

[@neorider9183]

Poor guys, so much money wasted

[@web_mtb]

@@neorider9183 it’s not me dads has one absolutely great little cars obvs just haven’t experienced it yet

[@djs18]

They made up for it when they made the 2018 type R. Cars handling is amazing and for what it is, the speed is really well suited to the vehicle.

[@adamyin3968]

Yes but technically it’s not as hatchback-y as the golf or the focus

[@patbirdmusic]

@@adamyin3968 yeah man it's basically a saloon

[@patbirdmusic]

Still really sick looking and alot nicer than the fn2!

[@PJD4875]

If it had independent rear suspension like the ep3 it would be the best civic type r of them all, it the most underrated hot hat today, a food one for 4k is so cheap for the amount of car you get

[@harrymitchell7510]

the techno music in the EP3, so amusing but true. awesome car still

[@Dieterhaarhoff]

Would love to hear Jeremy Clarkson's review on a Ek9 Civic. I imagine he would say its noise, uncomfy, the plastic fake carbon annoys him, but the seem welded chassis and b16b engine makes up for it all :)

[@TheAlternativeDrivingChannel]

This is one of the few cars, that proved the "Clarkson effect" wrong.

[@YZYE]

I still have the old EP2, more for the looks, upgrading to the EP3 soon for the fact it’s my favourite car.

[@WH250398]

I can relate to that backrest problem. It's super annoying having to constantly readjust it.

[@mharmonikas]

Then buy a 5 door one and you're good to go.

[@WH250398]

@@mharmonikas That's exactly what I did! I bought this generation of Honda Civic, but a 1.8 petrol. The car I was referencing to was my previous Honda Civic, a 2002 1.4i LS. This was a three door with exactly the same system seen in this Type R. It was a total pain, but it was a wonderful first car. Sold it with 166.000 miles without much trouble besides the usual brakediscs or wheelbearings. Every problem I had with that thing was dirtcheap to fix.

[@MrCircus177]

I wish they did a review on the older Integra's. That was my first car, and still to this day the most fun to drive.

[@daniruj]

May on the Civic type-r door handle: They're shaped like rocketships! Clarkson on the Civic type-r door handle: fashioned from a 1950's fridge

[@bulversteher]

Independent rear suspension ... with anti roll bars so thick (hence tripod mode), they could have put a live rear axle in there just as well.

[@drkstr7]

a torsion bar? lol perfect for those slammed hardparkers "adjustable OEM suspention dawg!"