2027 Honda Civic Type R review

If there's any car that needs no introduction, it's the Honda Civic Type R .

In the nearly 30 years that Honda has produced its iconic hot hatch, the Civic Type R has amassed quite the fanbase of petrol-heads globally. The current FL5-series is the latest iteration, and it happens to be the most extreme example ever.

It's the most powerful, produces the most downforce, and has the largest body, but it's also the most expensive production Civic Type R to date. That hasn't affected its popularity, though, which brings us to the elephant in the room.

If you're in Australia, you can't actually buy one new from your local Honda showroom, at least not right now. FL5 supply has been sporadic at best since its introduction in early 2023, as Honda Australia has only been able to secure small batches of a few hundred units every so often.

Orders opened for the most recent allocation in July 2026, and all 98 examples were snapped up in no time. It's unknown when more will be available for purchase in Australia again, but Honda has said it's confident there will be at least one more batch coming here.

However, there is good news. Plenty of used examples are currently for sale privately and at dealers, and since there have been no real updates to the current Type R since it was launched, you won't be missing out on much performance if you buy one that's a few years old. Prices for such vehicles aren't too obscene, either.

That said, an update was just revealed for the US , but we don't know whether it'll come to Australia as part of the next batch of Type Rs, if it arrives. Some of the equipment introduced in that US-market update was already included in previous Australian-delivered vehicles, aside from recalibrated suspension, improved auto rev-matching, improved brake feel, added front downforce, and heated seats.

Still, the Civic Type R you see on test here is largely indicative of what you'll get in a used FL5. In fact, our press car is actually a 2024 model with more than 8000km under its belt, courtesy of various Australian media outlets.

Prices have stayed steady since the most recent batch of Type Rs arrived Down Under in February 2026, dropping only $500 for the July allocation. It now costs $85,000 drive-away, a cool $12,400 more than when it was launched in 2023.

That comfortably places it among the most expensive hot hatches on sale locally. Fellow Asian alternatives include the all-wheel drive Toyota GR Corolla GTS at $67,990 before on-road costs and the front-drive Hyundai i30 N at $52,500 plus on-roads, both equipped with manuals.