Renaultsport Megane 275 Trophy-R vs Honda Civic Type R | evo DEADLY RIVALS

Road test editor Dan Prosser pits the two ultimate hardcore hot hatches head to head in this Deadly Rivals video. Which is quickest?
Read our full review of the Honda Civic Type-R here: www.evo.co.uk/honda/civic-type-r
And the Megane Trophy here:
www.evo.co.uk/renault/megane-2...
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[@bobster2149]

Michelin pilot sport cup 2 vs Continental sport contact 6 would have been a better name for this video...

[@poidadawi]

These are the tyres that the cars came with from the showroom so it's fair in that regard. That said, I'd like to see them on the same rubber.

[@martijnkosters9024]

+Dawi But don't call it a car review when you talk tyres all the time. The fact that they draw conclusions on the cars on the basis of the tyres is ridiculous.

[@derbigpr500]

+sam spezza Put the Civic's tires on the Megane, and it's going to be just ever so slightly slower, not a massive difference, and just as usable. On top of that, Megane is clearly the better car to drive, that was an obvious conclusion in every comparison so far. Also I don't see the Civic being compared to Porsches and Ferraris when it come to picking best drivers cars of the year, which many car magazines, including EVO, does every year. Anyway, this is my last reply to you. As a mechanical engineer and someone with thousands of km's of track driving, I feel like talking to someone without a drivers license whose driving experience is limited to a playstation game is kind of a waste of time.

[@sikcivic80]

+Bobster Agreed!!

[@chumaxa]

+sam spezza they are factory spec, honda can propose a more extreme version with semi slick tyres, not the case so far, Megane still win a the end, you can still love the Civic, does not change the result

[@petertimowreef9085]

Just to nitpick here, they probably could've gotten the performance without a Turbo, it's the emmisions that ruin the NA party. Also, I believe the 1.3 seconds difference is entirely down to tires. 3 Miles an hour through the Chicane is huge. The gap would've been bigger if the Honda didn't claw back some time under power. It'd be interesting to see what the Civic could do with identical tires.

[@C6SuperchargedZR1]

+sax0joe absolutely right!! Megane ist unbeatable, because besides being faster it´s also much more thrilling to drive than Type R and Leon Cupra.

[@petertimowreef9085]

***** Yea definitely. Then all we need is a Focus for a FWD World Championship.

[@petertimowreef9085]

***** yeay modern cars are too fat heavy and expensive.

[@sheasamuels9320]

I definitely think the Type R would've edged ahead if it had identical tires.

[@DumpValvesAndDnB]

+Shea Samuels well, if we're playing that game and spending a grand on cup 2 tyres for the civic, why not buy a 3 inch exhaust and a remap for the RS

[@derbigpr500]

Civic's 7:50 on the Nurburgring was an unofficial time, done with a preproduction car that was not entirely stock. It also accelerated faster than in any other Civic Type R acceleration video. You can see that clearly, and I've been saying that the Type R has 350hp+ in that Nurburgring run since the video was first released, even in uphill sections on the Nurburgring, it's faster than on flat acceleration runs that can be found all over youtube. Just saying, it's time on Nurburgring is not relevant, even Honda themselves have said that. Now the real production car might even be faster, but might be slower too. In any case, officially, Megane still holds the record because it was a car exactly like the one you get in a showroom if you buy it today, Honda wasn't. Neither was the Seat before that, in fact, you still can't buy a Seat in that configuration. Besides, let's not forget one simple fact. Civic Type R is a brand new car. Leon Cupra is a brand new car. Megane RS is at this point based on a 7 year old hatchback. Those guys had 7 years of time to match the Megane, yet, failed to do so. Renault is one generation ahead of anyone else, and has been for a long time, every Megane that came out since the Megane II RS was the fastest and held the record, consistently for 10+ years. So... we all know how the real king of hot hatches is. It's just bad timing here that we compare brand new cars that came to the market in 2015 to a car that is in it's last year of production. In fact, the new Megane is already out now, and next year a brand new Megane RS comes out, with 300hp+ and 4 wheel steering...that will go around Nurburgring in about 7:40 probably.

[@eugenehvorostyanov2409]

Exactly. So much bullshit around those NS times. Yeah you hear me GTR type-r fanboys.

[@FreestylerAlbert]

+derbigpr500 when you read about it more the reason it's not production car because they added a roll cage (with rubber fitment to do not add to the total strenght) and removed the stereo because of the additional weight of the roll cage. That was all modification.

[@groundhabit1379]

they also had a pro driver ... hence why the acceleration difference . .. he had time to test the car and knows how to launch the car ... don't forget Honda themselves said they are willing to accept the challenge of a car setting a faster time ... because they are ready to beat the time they set

[@Miklw106]

actually the car was completely stock as per what autocar stated apart from the rolecage......the mods etc were all rumours. the type r is the best hot hatch available.

[@Miklw106]

+Mike Williams auto express *** all these people hating the Honda saying this and that.....jealous!!

[@jameskingston]

I used to have the Megane. Such a fun car

[@Rottensteam]

I drove on once, such a flimsy car! Drove great but the interior is of real low quality.

[@derbigpr500]

+Rottensteam That's bullshit and proof you've never even been in your. Low quality interior? That's why reviewers compared it to Audi's when it came out ?

[@Rottensteam]

+derbigpr500 It's not bullshit wtf dude? All the buttons felt lose and you can move the whole center console by pushing it a little. It's not quality.

[@derbigpr500]

+Rottensteam Haha...even more obvious proof of your lies. All the buttons in it have a nice "click" to them, not loose at all, and you definitely can't move the whole center console. Stop spreading bullshit around and making yourself look like an idiot.

[@Rottensteam]

+derbigpr500 hahahaha omg I can tell you've never felt a good interior lol. Just because they "click" doesnt mean they feel good. And yes you can move the center cobsole around. Lmao keep living in your dream where Renault's have good interiors. You get what you pay for.

[@w-james9277]

The Type R looks so much better in black

[@bign3ck]

+Will James yeah it looks hideous in white, Black seems to make the body kit more subtle.

[@nikb6528]

black makes it look like a real hooligan! Other colors don't really suite it well imo

[@santclause1]

+Will James RED is the only colour for the TYPE R.

[@w-james9277]

santclause1 Id rather be seen in pink Toyota Prius than a red type r

[@bign3ck]

Will James LOL, I think the worst would be someone approaching you while sitting in a type R and them saying "That car really suits you."

[@australianmade2659]

So the Honda is quicker but can't take bends at speed because it's on road tyres. Thanks I'll buy a Honda and change the tyres

[@harcosmackotv8829]

+Rationalist Society not about tyres it's about suspension :)

[@person2186]

exactly honda is the better car that renault has twice less the extras and comfort stuff that the honda has I'm ordering type r next week and cant wait for the build

[@edgarfajardo3123]

+HarcosMackoTV and tires too 😁 👌

[@seanvanginkel]

Change tyres and driver. . haha. . Just kidding

[@edgarfajardo3123]

+seanvanginkel true haha but shhhh 😁

[@InitialDAmine]

wow many Type R fanboys being bitter at it lost and complaining about the tires yet not only the Megane comes with them stock (so it is a fair comparaison from this perspective) they forget that the Type R has about 35hp more and MORE than 50Nm of torque.

[@derbigpr500]

+InitialDAmine Don't forget Honda is a brand new car and Megane has been on the market in pretty much identical form (10hp power increase and new dampers and tires aside) for almost 8 years, and it's actually out of production as we speak because the new generation Megane comes out to the market now.

[@sheasamuels9320]

If you're doing an expire meant or testing two separate things then it makes sense to keep things constant and the variables the same for both. In this case everything was the same besides the tires, which if you're testing which car is faster than another, then having that variable the same for both cars would be better. However if you're only considering factory options then yes, the Megane is better. In the end it just so happens that the Megane has the better factory options.

[@PressurenFlames]

+InitialDAmine And 80 kg more weight in the Civic. Did you even watch the video? It wasn't that informative but the driver told about this fact. The Renault hast no rear seats but a massive strut brace.

[@InitialDAmine]

+SlickRickOne facts lets talk about them since you seem to assunate that 80kgs is a real big deal compared to the power and torque figures, the power to weight ratio is in favor of the Civic and by a marging, and the torque to weight ratio is even further in favor of the Civic, so no matter how you look at it both cars were tested STOCK and the Renault won, simple as that.

[@InitialDAmine]

+Shea Samuels you test two things in their stock condition which is the case here full stop. if we use your own logic, both car should have same suspensions, same power, same torque, same weight ............ The Michelin Sport cup 2s are STOCK with the Trophy R.

[@markusdd5]

Interesting comparison, yet without much relevance. Type R is fully equipped, even with some real luxury and safety features. It has perfectly streetable tires, yet they do very decent on the track. The RS Trophy in comparison is put together much more without compromise, sacrificing a lot of daily driving comfort and using tires which are at the edge of what I would consider a streetable tire. Even the fact that you have to warm them up shows that this is not an appropriate comparison. This video would have much more value if it would have been a normal megane RS which is way more similar when it comes to equipment and tires. Still impressive performance from the RS Trophy, but when you want to have a fast daily that does not make compromises everywhere, get the Type R or the normal RS. The Trophy is for real enthusiasts, who are on the track frequently. So overall for me that comparison (although I think it's bad right from the get-go) has 2 winners: The RS Trophy for the relentless track machine, and the Type R, which is a wonderful daily driver and still stupid fast if you want to put it on the track. And by the way, I would like to see that video again with the Civic on the Michelin Tires, that'll change the picture most certainly.

[@gweflj]

I bet the Megane has more compliant suspension on the road. The Renault Sport guys are a very clever bunch.

[@markusdd5]

The suspension of the RS is definitely very good, but don't underestimate the Type R here. I've driven it recently and these electronic adjustable dampers are pretty pretty awesome. Not a bumpy ride, but very planted. Honda put a whole lot of effort in this suspension.

[@SharpenedMango]

+Markus Krause - Indeed - Just looking at the interior shots, give me the Type R anyday. The Megane's interior looked pretty basic.

[@ttr685]

+Markus Krause You sir are totally on point! Same tire and keep everything on factory stock - then we have the rough idea about what is what! A car with 80's like interior and sticky tire does 1.5 faster than a sport groceries getter. Impressive? You Renault guys can keep that megan - record holder - any day. I'll chose the 1.5s slower one and see how you feel everytime you got the new tire just to get a 1.5s faster after warming up!

[@vulcanproject]

+Markus Krause If you want a fast daily, the Golf R, Focus RS and BMW M135i are the cars you want, not the Type R for this price. The Type R makes very little sense. It's far too expensive! The basic one costs £4k more than a fully loaded Megane 275 Nav! That's A LOT of money. It's not £4k better, or £6k with the Honda's option pack. It costs about as much as the aforementioned AWD or RWD rivals, isn't as fast especially in all weather/real world road conditions that you point to as being important. They are all superb driver's cars particularly the Ford, which has the most bang for buck, much more power than this, much more sophisticated drivetrain, incredible reviews etc. The Type R isn't as fun as the Megane either really, you may as well just buy a standard last of the line Megane 275 Nav. It's MUCH cheaper, it'll still easily be as fast, and it's probably a better everyday car than the Type R if anything, despite being pretty old now. For example ride compliance is amazing. Honda failed big time here. They positioned the Type R at a price where it sits against much more exciting and better value AWD or 4WD cars. Compared to FWD rivals like the Megane or say Leon 280 which are hugely capable cars that are still pretty much on par with it, for much less money, and have been around for years. The Honda hasn't moved the bar at all despite being newer and more expensive. If a new Honda can't beat essentially a dated Renault due for replacement then I don't see much hope for it when Renault finally replace the Megane in the next year or so.

[@reschard]

would love to have seen them both with the same league of tyres.. yeah I get that's "from factory", but it kind of spoils the comparison.

[@Monkiimagic]

Yup... everyone knows what rubber you use has a dramatic effect on performance, especially standard road tyres compared to dry track day tyres.

[@shirakawanaoya]

Very interesting video. So tires made all the difference in the end. For track purposes I guess you should have track tires, but given que explanation given by Dan, those tires in the Megane are bad for daily driving. Trade-offs, but solvable.

[@petertimowreef9085]

+Eric Xavier I think the only situation where these tires might be a problem is when it's raining really hard. For the rest, on public roads, you don't really come close to the limits of grip anyway. They are a lot more expensive though, and you probably have to replace them more often too.

[@bobhope4288]

+Peter Timowreef This test did clearly show, tires are important. Most of the tires in that category use a soft compound that is great for grip, but in cold temperatures they get very hard. So if the temperature is is near freezing it will feel like you're driving on ice even when the road is dry. You can get tires in this class that do fairly well in the wet, they just hate the cold. These tires do tend to cost a little more, but nothing crazy when comparing to other high end all seasons, where they really hit your pocket book is in milage. Grippy tires don't last as long as harder tires. You can get 2 sets of wheels and run winter tires/wheels and summer tire/wheels, for the best of all performance. Or move to a desert that is hot and dry then go as grippy as you can.

[@shirakawanaoya]

Thank god i live in Puerto Rico.

[@ranelkobi9537]

+Eric Xavier Tires, and... no rear seats, no climate control, no multimedia... It's a track focus car like Porsche GT3 for example.

[@oxxXXXMICHAELXXXxxoo]

+Ran Elkobi gt3 hast climate control and multimedia :D

[@rvind92g]

Looks like the tires were the determining factor here.

[@bobanppvc]

Megane is king of hot hot hatches.Renault always knew how to make chassis

[@georgiosioakeimidis8465]

Nuer BMW IS A KING

[@juanamorenopina156]

EVO magazine UK. December 2015. Honda Civic Type R 1'24.9 (Cont. SP6), Renault Megane Trophy-R 275 1'23.6 (Mich. SC2), Seat Leon SC Cupra PP 280 Manual 1'23.1 (Mich. SC2). No video???

[@sz027566]

Dan keeps getting better and better !

[@LaudaMaestro]

Love your videos lately. Probably the best out there currently. Things you can easily improve on: engine noise and perhaps exterior shots from a rolling camera car with some voice over and on and off music clips though not too much that it doesn't mask out engine noise and speach. Top gear has spoiled me on the production side. Great driving, awesome technical talk, delicious comparisons andall together presentation so far. Thanks guys.

[@FurkanCemTurfanda]

The difference here is entirely down to those tires.

[@alfamonk]

+Furkan Turfanda and your point?

[@FurkanCemTurfanda]

+alfamonk We don't know which is the better car, because the Renault is not using street tires.

[@alfamonk]

Furkan Turfanda incorrect. they are specified with the car, ok for street use.

[@FurkanCemTurfanda]

They are street LEGAL, but not street tires.

[@alfamonk]

Furkan Turfanda i don't give a flying fuck - Honda chose what tyres the R is specced with. Renault chose better tyres. Renault = faster. Move on.

[@DreamWorkDrive]

Excellent video as usual! I like the host and how focused your videos normally are. Perhaps I'd also record 0-60 times for the audience to show what these cars are capable in real life compared to the numbers stated by the manufacturers. Thanks!

[@kleefton]

If the Type R had the same tires it would demolish the Megane there too. That Type R is a beast, it even takes down M3s and RS3s... Incredible machine by Honda.

[@dbauernf]

Great video as always, I just wish you (and all other reviewers) would use same tires on cars you're comparing.

[@TMR_2]

Great car comparison!

[@benamarayoucef9402]

The Megane 4 RS trophy R is ready !! Please bring it for the test 🙏

[@Termz1988]

That 275 trophy R is something els I'd like to see two good drives race around the ring to see what's quicker !

[@InStyleDK]

should be same tires

[@alfamonk]

+Allan Petersen bullshine. each company has the choice. Honda chose cost over performance. they lose.

[@TheMadJokerRises]

I think I saw this in Evo few months ago or maybe in an other magazine but the Megane Trophy-R set its record while the Nordschleife was wet at some point ! But power difference is also a really important fact at Nurburgring !

[@seanvanginkel]

Thanks nice comparison

[@MHBGT]

Is the Type R suspension really that hard/shaky as seen in the splitscreen video (compared to the Trophy)?

[@preferredstock9338]

I grew up in a generation of Godzillas, Silvias, Evos, naturally aspirated Type-Rs and ram-raiding WRXs. Always wanted one of these cars and came close many a time to buying one in my early 20s but 2 things always held me back - police attention and theft. Thank God I was prudent which probably saved me lots of speeding tickets, loss of license, killing myself/others, theft and high insurance premiums. I now look at the Type-R equipped with turbo, my boyhood youth salivating as he always wanted a turbo on a Honda, but the man in me says Megane 275R all the way. Ever since i switched to European hot hatches over the past 12 years, I'll never look back at Japanese cars again. Sure enough i miss the electrical and engine reliability of Jap cars, including the lower maintenance costs, but in terms of pure driver engagement with machine, nothing beats a Renault. I've had a Peugeot GTI-180, Renault Cup 182, BMW Z3, VW Golf Gti. I can tell you the Cup 182 was the ugliest car I ever owned but it was the best to drive. The handling was precise, nimble and came with a terrific seating position. I'm now looking at buying a 2015 model RS275. Better to wait til the new shape comes out for a price drop. What a great value car. Boyhood voices muted for good.

[@AccordGTR]

Actually no comparison. The Honda has the more modern direct injection engine that not only gives you more power and torque but also gets better gas mileage. You could also put stickier track tires in the Type R and improve your lap times even further. Lastly, the Honda looks sexier.

[@DoPeRiDe123]

So many fan boys. It's like I'm reading the comments to an iphone vs android video.

[@DoctorGoFast]

In the end the video compared tires and not cars. I don't really care about ring times, but I would like to have seen a proper comparison with the same tires fitted to both cars. Love the Megane, had a 265 Trophy and loved every moment in it but I have to recognize that the Honda would most likely be faster.

[@jamesbagguley868]

The Megane is still an impressive contender in the market after all this time, even as a Honda fanboy myself, Renaults hot hatch credentials are undeniable. Also, can't blame Honda for moving with the times when it comes to using turbo power. Oddly enough though, there seems to be a benchmark figure of 300 whp and 200+ lbs ft of torque from those building normally aspirated variants of the Honda 2.4l K series motors. That probably equates to around 320-330 at the flywheel, but i guess it is much easier to chalk up numbers and low end grunt with a turbo setup while keeping the hippies happy. Saying that, aftermarket K series turbo builds produce stupidly high numbers. Can't help but feel car companies obstinately ignore the refinements made in aftermarket tuning in favour of using new technology simply for the sake of doing so.

[@jamiehalliwell1260]

Considering the Seat Leon cupra sub 8 won the battle against these 2 in the magazine article, why isn't it included in this video??

[@DPPremier]

would it be very complicated to just put these cup 2 tyres on the civic also to have a clue of what advantage lies in the tires only...?

[@benpark1712]

So which will be faster with the same Cup 2 tyres ?

[@Xboxracer1]

We know they all lie when it comes to Nurburgring times, and everything else...Let's just agree they're as good as FWD hot hatches get in 2015.

[@detaart]

Well, as much as i agree to the fact that ring times aren't very relevant and/or are achieved (mostly) by cheating ... You should really put those cup tires on the type R and try again.

[@bign3ck]

+detaart Why don't we chip the Megane by 40bhp too , you know, make it even? You have to review from stock , otherwise where does the modding end? My Old Modded Corrado VR6 will piss on both these cars, but it's modded to hell so should never be compared to any stock car. The Megane gets those tyres stock and they reviewed exactly what you buy, regardless the Focus RS is going to destroy the Civic on the road, in every situation.

[@detaart]

bign3ck I'm not talking about hp, i'm talking about tires ... The rest of your comment makes no sense, sorry

[@detaart]

***** I'm not expecting anything of it. I'm just observing the fact that it got quite close on a much less aggressive tire ... It would be interesting to run both of these cars on the same tires.

[@bign3ck]

detaart You don't get racing tyres on the type R. So fitting them is considered a mod.

[@Jiggywinkle1]

+detaart you think a 1.3 second gap over 80 seconds is close?

[@HandsomeAlex25]

Makes a lot of sense. The stickier Cup 2 s and 80 kg less counts for a lot. The only major difference that I could think of for the 'Ring is that the Ring is pretty bumpy while the Bedford Autodrome (I believe that's where this test was) is pretty flat and smooth. That said, I would think if the Megane was equipped with those fancy Ohlins you reviewed recently druing it's 'Ring lap, it would cope quite well with the bumps. We need independent timing for the Ring laps. Or we can just not care and buy MX-5s and GT86s because they are not "wrong wheel drive" in the infamous words of Monkey Harris.

[@hoodwinker7932]

The main difference is that the Civic type r will still be roaring around in ten years time, whilst the Renault will most likely have blown up/fallen apart/ died because of an electrical gremlin. My C T R is 13 years old clocked 170k + miles and still drives beautifully and zips along nicely (although it obviously can't compete with modern equivalents) and handles brilliantly. I like the Renault and I'll admit that my gf's megan coupe does change direction very well, but the build quality is crap in comparison with German and Japanese cars.

[@teamsuperspeed]

Great video and great review as always. Guys you're great!

[@StephenWhite55]

In British-English, is there a difference between "traction" and "grip"? I've always thought of those terms as being synonymous (when talking about vehicles, anyway).

[@sinngsg9]

Good video and both great cars, I have gone for Honda myself as the GT he is driving comes with ever toy under the sun where as the Megane Trophy R is a hard core stripped out race car which doesn't even have A/C or Stereo plus only has 2 seats and so great on track in the dry but ever day maybe not the best still very cool though

[@horayman]

I am very curious to see how fast the Honda will be with the same tyre. I suspect it might gain well over 1.3 seconds in lap time.

[@randomrt8135]

rumor has it, the type R will come in an AWD option also :O

[@M3Conv]

The Civic that achieved the ring time was fitted with a full roll cage, that gives a massive advantage psychologically. I bet the test driver would not have pushed the car as hard without it, particularly on a track as dangerous as the ring

[@becauseiwasinverted7971]

For some reason they left out the seat Leon cupra 280 Sub 8 car from this video which was actually tested in the same piece in the magazine issue of evo that this video was taken from. The cupra was faster by some margin as I recall. I think it was around 1 second faster than the megane!

[@zlatintin]

Would be interesting to see how they compare on the same tires.

[@mackcummy4976]

Wonder how the Type-R would do on the same tires as on the Megane?

[@runnerbaba]

please test with the leon cupra sc 290 dsg with performance packsage, also.

[@mrderrickbrownie]

The type-r is beautiful. Can't wait for the US release

[@Juarally]

Evo for me one of the best european magazines really needs some better drivers for these kind of time attacks

[@ChrisDorgan]

Those Nurburg times make me wonder if the guy driving the M2 went for a coffee break at the carousel :P

[@dimi5567]

Just wait for the new mugen civic tpye r vs the Renaultsport megane 275 trophy r for comparison?

[@RYves-dd4ky]

What if they both have the same tires ?

[@Defaultdann123]

The limiting factor here was the tyres, someone has already commented that the vid should have been named Cup2 vs Conti6. It's not really a fair comparison. Not suggesting the Civic would be faster than the Renault, I reckon it would be almost dead even. Both seem to be epic cars.

[@SuperDigitalMe]

Put the same tyres on the type r for a fair comparison, also, the megane is stripped....

[@JoeMaranophotography]

To everyone that says "should have been on same tyres" well.....it wasn't! Nor did the Megane have the same power as the Civic. Heck if we complain about tyres lets make everything the same and then its Civic versus Civic which is a very fair test! lol

[@jonnyhh123]

How about a test with both on road legal tyres to assess the time

[@nicklarson657]

There was no foul play! all statements like Honda admitting it wasn't the exact civic and also the tire comparison. if you want it fair...use the same tires. good review though. I'm a Type R fan for life! :)

[@tohara1991]

it'd be great if in the comparison video you could mention the parts where there is driver error. Its pretty clear that in the s's he was carrying too much speed and therefore understeered in the civic. In this case its not the car that's the issue and that should be mentioned

[@madant7777]

Aaaaaaaaand I would still take Seat Cupra any day over those two. In addition to going fast I like some comfort now and then, the amenities, and for it to look good.

[@guvernator23]

We need a new review from EVO about the Type-R, with someone who knows the difference between track tires and road tires. On such a track, then CUP2 tires are around 2 secs faster at least.

[@whateverwhoever9613]

Surely they have to be on the same rubber to be a relative comparison?

[@Red_Bearded_Dad]

I wish we had Renault in America. They quit selling here 1987. At least the U.S. will FINALLY get the Honda Civic Type R next year. Until now, we've only had the Si as the top performing Civic.

[@backupdancer3720]

The Honda Type-R reg plate ends in hot hatch rival 'VXR'!

[@PressurenFlames]

Simple explanation: Renault's MSP2 only can be used effective on a dry road and suck at rain. CTR's CT6 aren't as good as the MSP2 in dry condition but they don't suck on wet track ==> more usable for daily driving an occasional track days. Best solution would be to buy a set of MSP2 for the CTR to beat the shit out of it on dry track. The positive about the CTR is: you can have at least 3 passengers instead of one in the Renault...

[@HumbledGod]

nice tire review lol

[@JohanSalvattore]

I don't care what these renault fan boys say. If you're planning to track your type r, the basic norm would be to change the tyres to stickier, track proven ones... bam.. there goes the renault. You're comparing a car built in theory for the track in which you will sacrifice driveability when raining or cold tires? The civic can be a track car and a full practical, streetable car regardless of the weather conditions, not to mention all the commodities. Yes is unfair comparing a much newer car to one that's been out for years, well so it's comparing performance with such a basic and fundamental factor (tyres).

[@Malc180s]

+Johnny Salvattore Two factory standard cars, how could it be fairer? The standard 275 has already been round this track faster the the honda.

[@marcooconnor]

+Johnny Salvattore What a cry baby dont throw all your toys out the pram child

[@jamessmith84240]

+Johnny Salvattore Correct.

[@pswmetalmonkey]

+Johnny Salvattore completely agree, semi slicks is a defacto standard change when you start heading to track days its simply normal to get them, as they dont rip to pieces like normal tyres and make a massive difference, i would never waste my money on a shitbox french car, Honda is such a higher quality brand in everyway.

[@captainkuru1]

Megane is 7 years old, 2016 is the last year for the 3rd model. It's normal Renault make a brutal version like R26. Sure this Honda is fantastic. I hope they continu to develop its.

[@rextetron]

Would be nice to see these running on the same tires. Both annihilated the RS3 and Golf R though.

[@hunghuge7717]

Wow. What a review. "The Megane has the type R covered"? Really? So on a mickey mouse track in the dry after a bunch of warm up laps it can beat it. Congratulations Renault - you built a brilliant car there. Of course putting on tyres like that completely screws it up as a road car since they're rubbish when they're cold (more often than not), almost dangerous in the wet and from experience of such tyres I would say after a few heat cycles will be ready for the bin. Put the Honda on equal tyres and it will leave the Megane for dead. Or put the Megane on realistic tyres and it loses it's massive grip advantage. Either way it's a bit of a sidestep to making a good car if you go to the lengths of ruining it as a road car for lap times. I'm honestly starting to think a lot of these reviews aren't worth watching as they're hardly a full or fair test. Before they even start you can pick the winner by which one is faster round an asda car park.

[@bign3ck]

+hung huge I want your tears for my water injection.

[@Malc180s]

+hung huge You're such a child! It's pathetic. The honda's just a load of shite - it's never going to match renault, who've been making the best hot hatches since the early 90s.

[@hunghuge7717]

Malc180s Really? Cheap, thrown together, unreliable frog shite are the best? Jog on kid.

[@Malc180s]

hung huge Reliability, build quality, and place of origin have never had anything to do with how good a hot hatch is. Renault have made the best hot hatches for 25 years. You want an expensive, high quality product you don't buy a hot hatch, because that was never the point of them.

[@hunghuge7717]

Malc180s Yeah because what I really want in my hot hatch is to walk as often as drive, listen to it rattling around when it does decide it wants to work and tell everyone how it can get round a go kart track on sticky tyres slightly more quickly than other hatches. Presuming it's not broken that day. Renault used to make some good cars. Now and for the last 10+ years they're a joke. At speed they're nervous and twitchy, they're built like old skodas (only don't last as long) and most times on the road they don't seem to go as well as all the reviews suggest. If I want a quality product why wouldn't I buy a hot hatch? Audi, VW, Honda, BMW, Mercedes, etc all seem to be able to make cars that go well and aren't unreliable rubbish the rest of the time. What's Renaults excuse again? It's cheap? Put a Dacia badge on it then.

[@FungusLabel]

You need only two seconds of this video to understand (to hear) which car is more fun.

[@Knezicdex]

Its difficult to argue which car is more awesome :)Just get the one that shines more in your eyes.

[@tan9640]

People underestimate the difference the tires make

[@becauseiwasinverted7971]

Why didn't EVO include the Leon 280 ultimate in this? it was in the same group test in the magazine and was a further 0.5s ahead of the megane as well as being significantly cheaper. as I recall, they said it was in a different league to the Honda on the brakes, better high speed corner stability than megane and fastest of all three down every straight but a significant margin at some points. partly down to excellent brakes which meant they were on throttle for longer.

[@TheSuperMotoHooligan]

sweet machines...

[@mr.slenderman3020]

The Megane is probably the coolest looking hatch I've seen. Wish they were here in the States...

[@MrStamford78]

You yanks do get a raw deal when it comes to hot hatches, no type r or megane, and even a crap version of the S2000. The 10th gen type r is coming though!!!

[@darrenwhittington8496]

For the Nurburgring time, the Civic was on Continental Force Contacts, which in our own testing is about 1 second faster on a 60 second lap than the Sport 5's. Personally it should not of set a lap time on Force Contacts.... Naughty Honda...

[@kshw88]

Are they comparing tires in this video???

[@hoseargo9203]

Dont forget about elevations on Nordshly, especially ups - more power more speed.

[@Neuroguitarist]

Basically it's just a battle of tyres! In a daily driver which is driven in wet conditions third of the car-lifetime i wouldn't want to have CUP-tyres!

[@JMcKaySV]

Shame the Civic is a 5 door school-run car in the end. Why the fuck Honda were too lazy to design a lighter, better looking 3-door chassis I will never understand.

[@ProductofNZ]

Because it won't sell as much as a 5 door.

[@JMcKaySV]

ProductofNZ Fair point but my point still stands. Just lazy. Completely ruins the whole idea of a hot hatch adding an extra 2 doors I think! Essentially it's just a school run car with an engine conversion and body kit! (Not denying it's an amazing bit of engineering and an extremely fast car btw).

[@ProductofNZ]

+James McKay that's essentially it. I see what you're getting at but the reality is that the people that buy these things will be utilizing them in everyday life and they need to be practical. These aren't 911s or Mclarens. Of course they will develop them for a market because they are a business and at the end of the day they still need to make a profit.

[@lupo0144]

So which one would be the quickest going over some rain soaked deserted mountain roads in Wales... I know which one I would have if I could afford it 👌🏼

[@Shan2nu]

In a way, I think its a good thing the Civic R is getting pipped in certain tests. That should prompt Honda to launch that hardcore Type RR, they were talking about. Nonetheless, good show by the CTR on regular tyres.

[@mattymaxx]

Put some 888's on the FK2. Then find out what the result is ;)

[@michaelgoodwin593]

I forget the Meg has been around for a while now. Taken other manufacturers a long while to catch up to what they produced. Fuck knows what monstrosity they will produce next time after what they did to the RS Clio

[@carltang7660]

Handling / time 1 thing, engine voice is another. I would go for the CTR with the much more interesting engine note!

[@lordyboyo]

they should of been tested with the same tyres, it's pointless even doing a track battle otherwise.

[@sopheakhean3981]

was the +R mode used in this race. from the look of it, it doesn't look like it.

[@drufc]

That conclusion was based on the assumption that the type r wasn't using good tyres on the ring. I'm sure they made a big difference in that test.

[@ColinCren]

I wonder if the Honda used stickier tires for that run at the ring.

[@IAmSkip94]

I'm pretty sure they said the tires used by the civic at the Nurburgring were stickier tires (it was a preproduction car that has the record).

[@chantalslut]

+IAmSkip94 Nobody knows what is done to the Civic or the Megane for that matter when tested on the ring. People speculate or think to know.

[@keeturbo]

The Type-R looks vicious in black.Why weren't the cup tyres used on the civic to make the comparison more even.We all know as gear heads,in competition tyres makes a light years worth of difference whether it's WRC,Touring car,F1 ect. tyres play a major role in winning or losing.

[@TheGtr1991]

A record is still a record. It is NOT CORRECT to mention 'foul play' when the drivers involved are different.

[@horayman]

it's like one car was on qualifiers and one was on the hard tyre. the extra power in the civic does not mean much if the tyres are not able to keep it inline when you get on the power. in a way though i guess it is still fair, one has more power and one has more tyre.

[@12H8BateS]

A race of tyres then! The CTR would dominate the 275 if they were wrapped up in the same tyres!

[@ssj2748]

I feel like that video was endorsed by sport 1 cup tyres, the amount of times it was mentioned and they reduced the driving quality in the civic

[@den_525]

The Megane is an awesome car (used to have one), but this is an unfair comparison, semi slicks vs road sport tyres, plus one with a roll cage and other doesn't. I think the standard RS275 trophy, would've done the same time as the Civic Type R. Anyways, both MONSTER track cars. Both would be AWESOME fun but you know what I wouldn't want to own either as a daily, they're just too rough on city roads. (reason why I sold my megane)

[@IntegraDIY]

put matching tires on BOTH CARS and lets see some numbers. Im sure they used what they came with.. but to get proper numbers it starts with fitting matching tires

[@PKP1]

id like to see the lean 280 cup compete with the honda civic type r.

[@bign3ck]

It's not just the tyres, the Civic carries 80kg, that's huge on a track, and it's engine is quite laggy and unresponsive. The civic was set up for long straights which is why it's ring time was so good, it can do 168mph and the test car had more power :). This test was fair, as this is what you get from factory. The Megane was down on power by over 30bhp, and it's clear it is the better track car, on the road the civic is far better, but for Hardcore track action the civic is just too heavy, and dull witted to keep up with the Megane.

[@alexandrefernandes9233]

Two great cars! I prefer the Seat Leon Cupra R..