Celebrating 25 Years of the Honda Civic Type R

Milestone

The legend of the Honda Civic Type R has grown immensely over a quarter of a century of the model's existence. For the past 25 years, the Japanese manufacturer has established the CTR as the benchmark of affordable performance. And to celebrate this important milestone, they're taking a look back at the predecessors that have made the track-ready Civic a household name. 

EK9 (1997-2000)

It all started in 1997 when Honda decided to bring its renowned Type R marque to the EK9 Honda Civic hatchback. With the purpose of creating a daily commuter that drivers can easily enjoy in spirited driving scenarios, including on the race track. Until the introduction of the hot hatch, the Type R's crimson badge had only been applied to the NSX. The EK9 brought Type R performance to the masses. There was one issue, though, and that was the very limited production numbers. As such, the EK9 Civic Type R was only offered in Japan.

EP3 (2001-2005)

Riding the enthusiasm of the first generation CTR, the company decided to expand its production to Europe for the following generation. Sold from 2001 to 2005, the EP3 iteration of the Type R offered more power, more advanced suspension and steering, and a massive improvement in torsional rigidity. 

FN2/FD2 (2007-2011)

The third generation of the Civic Type R is unique in contrast to all others in that the nameplate was carried by two very different vehicles. The FN2 hatchback pictured above was offered in Europe, while the sedan FD2 Civic Type R was what the Japanese market got. The FN2 was engineered with more focus placed on packaging, whereas the FD2 was geared more towards pure performance and driving dynamics. It also got the formiddable K20A engine under the hood.

FK2 (2015-2017)

Returning for the fourth generation, the FK2 Honda Civic Type R had a relatively shorter production run that its predecessors. Sold between 2015 and 2017, the FK2 proved to be a great step in the evolution of the CTR, as Honda engineers perfected the formula. 

FK8 (2017-2022)

The extreme popularity of the FK2 hot hatchback sparked a ton of buzz within enthusiast communities Stateside. Having been deprived of the mythical Civic Type R since its inception, folks in the US of A finally got their prayers answered with the FK8 model. And the performance-oriented Civic's popularity and sales proved that it was a great move by the Japanese make to introduce the Type R in the US. Perhaps it even hinted that not introducing it this side of the pond sooner was a massive missed opportunity. 

FL5 (2022-)

The newest iteration of the Honda Civic Type is expected to arrive later this year. The FL5 model is set to raise the bar even higher, as has become the norm with previous iterations. In fact, it has already captured a new track record at the famous Suzuka circuit. 

Another milestone Honda will be celebrating this year is 50 years of the Civic nameplate. The brand's most successful model in history continues to carry the legacy of affordability and reliability established in the last half a century.

>>Join the conversation about the history of the Civic Type R right here in the Honda-Tech Forum!

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