Test drive Honda Civic sedan 2003 - 2005 sedan

Do not light up

Nothing special, no bells and whistles: neither you turbocharged, nor all -wheel drive, nor ESP. In return the harmony of form and content.
 

A year has passed, and I am again driving Type-R. This car again challenges me, in response, I continue to attempt to reach the limit of its capabilities without losing my head, but at the same time control over the situation. A new fight is no longer on the evening avenues of the capital, but on the famous track Nevskoy Ring, still hot after the next arrival of the Super Light class. Of course, I am not a professional pilot, but in my hands exactly such or almost exactly such a car that half an hour ago one after another flashed past the stands.

 

I did not look for this meeting: it was inevitable. Do not consider it the reason for my selfish desire to take over again in a cool machine. Although, I must admit, such an idea is always seductive. It becomes especially obsessive at times when you find yourself on a real racing highway. From the first turn, the ring begins to extract from the settings of any car flaws elusive in the city. And vice versa, gray mice unexpectedly showing character here. The experience of the wheels is confirmed.
 
My paths and Type-R crossed again for a different reason. Two years after the start of production, the Japanese decided on the restyling of the Civic family, which also affected its brightest representative. The car received new darkened headlights, crystal rear lights, bamers of a changed shape. The turn signals are integrated into the mirrors. It is curious that in Europe a version of Civic Sport is now offered a regular 1.6-liter three-door, but in a body kit from Type-R.
 
The main technical innovation of a lightweight flywheel of the engine, which, according to Honda Motor Co., made it possible to reduce the acceleration time from a place to 100 km/h as much as two tenths. It goes without saying that it is impossible to feel this increase, or rather a decrease, but the owner of an updated car has an occasion for pride. Plus, these moments are designed to become a reasonable explanation of increasing the price of a car by three thousand dollars. However, even the rise in price Civic Type-R costs his money. There is no doubt about this fact after the first circle of the Neva ring.

  

Type-R breaks up from the place with ease, ready to become a revelation for anyone who is familiar with the complex character of highly compared multi-valve engines. Having swallowed the starting line in a few moments, Civic is talked with frantic intensity. Inhibited to tightly cling to the first turn. After a moment, the car already draws with the precision of the pattern to a steep arc and is again directly. Three delightful short, exemplary switching, and a bus stop is on the path to the 200-kilometer speedometer mark. But the two rearrangements included in it are overcome without visible problems due to the jewelry accuracy of the steering mechanism. Another arc, another stop and a hard stiletway. In a situation where the steering wheel has to work more than I would like, feedback comes to the rescue, the reliability of which is not always enough in more calm turns. The error with the transmission at the exit does not trouble: a fantastically elastic motor will pull out both on the third and fourth. And even on the fifth without any vibrations, detonations and other tension.
 
The next, penultimate, turn I burst without braking, only dropping gas and thereby openly provoking Type-R. And the car, it seems, only like it. Neither the demolition of the front axle, nor the side slots: by withstanding very decent lateral overloads, Type-R softly and predictably loses its adhesion with asphalt, gently leaving for the expected skid. Moreover, even here the car remains controlled: the skid can quickly be adjusted, and if desired, it is completed by a spectacular turn of 180 degrees. The applause of the Honda pendants! Private buyer Type-R should be able to light and not burn, and this is a difficult task for designers. So I did not burn, under the triumphant roar of 8,000 rpm of the engine of flights of the finish line, which came to the fabulous engine.

 

This car reminded me of Makkazushi’s rolls, one of the varieties of land. It seems to be just rice, fish, algae of nori. But how elegant, how satisfying and tasty! So Type-R. Nothing special, no bells and whistles: neither you turbocharged, nor all -wheel drive, nor ESP. In return the harmony of form and content. And I don’t want to overeat at all only to quench the hunger, so that soon to taste this miracle of Japanese cuisine again. And I will certainly find a convincing reason once again to look into Yakitoria.
 

Autography
Honda Civic Type-R
Predecessor
Civic Type R (1995)
Platform
Civic VII
Body
3-door hatchback
Modernization
autumn 2003
Premiere
march 2001
Engines
2.0 l (200 hp)
Production
Great Britain
Expected replacement
2005/06
 

The car was provided by the Cart-Motors, the official dealer Honda Motor Co.
 
Text: Leonid Klyuyev
Photo: Roman Ostanin
 
 
 
 

Source: Wheel magazine [No. 84/2004]