Honda Civic Type R 2024 Vs 2023: What's Changed?

The Honda Civic Type R holds a special place in the hearts of car enthusiasts due to its unique blend of performance, practicality, and Honda's renowned engineering. When the Civic inherited the Honda NSX's Type R badge in the late 90s, it rocketed to cult status thanks to its high-revving B16B engine and track-focused handling. While the first Civic Type R (EK9) was a three-door hatchback with a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder VTEC engine that managed 182 hp, the Civic Type R today has inherited its first predecessor's grit, relevance, and front-wheel drive drivetrain with a little less of its contemporarily weak engine and hatchback design.

The 2023 Honda Civic Type R was a well-received vehicle. SlashGear's reviews give it strong points in engine, suspension, transmission, and practicality. It's everything you need in a sports car and more, even though it's one caveat might be in the fuel economy sector. We all held our breaths, expecting Honda to introduce the next Civic, the 2024 CTR, as a hybrid or fully electric car, but no. Instead, Honda has refreshed the 2023 Honda CTR in 2024, albeit with a small change: the price.

Let's start with what matters: the numbers. Honda gave the 2023 CTR a turbocharged 2.0-liter VTEC engine with 315 hp at 6,500 rpm and 310 lb-ft of torque between 2,600 to 4,000 rpm. Its inline-4 cylinder layout is supported by a 16-valve dual overhead camshaft (DOHC), and the engine redlines at about 7,000 rpm. This FWD sports car can do  zero to 60 in 4.7 seconds. As for transmission, all Honda Civic Type Rs have a six-speed manual transmission, and the 2023 CTR isn't any different.

It's all housed in a relatively modest body design (for a Honda Civic Type R), with fewer edges and a more mature look than in previous years. Honda seems to have focused more on aerodynamics than the Honda Civic's stereotypical racy exterior. You'll find a large rear spoiler behind this car and 19-inch wheels for wide tires. Looking at the interior, you'll find minimalist but red accents on the seats and carbon-like trims on the dash. Its interior space is also about the same as a regular Civic hatchback.

With climate concerns and many brands opting for hybrid or fully electric cars, you might have thought 2024 would be the year Honda chose to introduce an electric motor to the iconic Civic Type R lineup. However, the 2024 CTR is exactly the same in every important way. It features the same engine, outputting the same horsepower, and has the same look. It even has the same color options: Rallye Red and Crystal Black Pearl are standard colors, and Championship White, Sonic Gray Pearl, and Boost Blue Pearl are premium colors. Of course, the interior also comes in the previous year's red and black.

The core difference comes in the MSRP. The 2023 Honda Civic Type R has an MSRP starting at $44,390. Meanwhile, according to Edmunds, the 2024 CTR has a $45,890 MSRP (with destination cost). However, these cars are sought after, and that means dealers could have them at thousands of dollars above MSRP. Why there is such a huge price jump without any obvious difference is hard to see from a buyer's perspective. But a Honda spokesperson told Motor1 that the main reason behind this increase is "higher costs associated with production and logistics and is taking effect with the 2024 model year."