2024 Honda Civic Type R FL5 Malaysian review – is the 319 PS, six-speed manual hot hatch worth RM400k?
Honda Civic Type R. Few names in motordom resonate as deeply with its target market and audience as this one has through the years, and this, the FL5, is the sixth generation of the nameplate.
The latest of its line is now made in the brand’s native Japan in Yorii, Saitama Prefecture, a departure from its FK8 predecessor which was built at the manufacturer’s plant in Swindon, United Kingdom which closed in 2021.
Like the FK8, the FL5-generation car is powered by the K20C1 2.0 litre turbocharged inline-four petrol engine that is mated to a six-speed manual transmission driving the front wheels, though in the FL5 it’s been revised to produce 319 PS (315 hp or 235 kW) at 6,500 rpm and 420 Nm of torque from 2,600 to 4,000 rpm.
Marginal gains in terms of engine output, however the improvements are in the details – engine cooling is improved 48% through an enlarged grille, a lighter flywheel and more precise transmission components along with more rigid suspension parts and a retuned brake booster for better stability and better driver feel.
The result? An even more engaging drive than the FK8, says our man Hafriz Shah, and – unless you’re especially enamoured with its predecessor’s stowed-Gundam-robot looks – the FL5 looks better, too. It is however a much more expensive car now; RM400k for the FL5, compared to RM320k for the FK8 when it arrived in 2017. Watch the video review, here.
GALLERY: FL5 Honda Civic Type R in Malaysia
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