Goodbye Honda Civic Type R

My Stories, Memories and Honda’s Dream Drives Map

2025 seems to be turning into the year of goodbyes. We’ve already waved off some truly iconic cars, and now another legend is leaving the stage. The Honda Civic Type R – the hot hatch that became the poster child for every petrolhead who loved high revs, razor-sharp handling and red-badge bragging rights – has been discontinued in Europe after nearly three decades.

But Honda hasn’t just shut the door and turned off the lights. Instead, they’ve given us a parting gift: an interactive Honda Dream Drives Map, packed with over 120 of Europe’s greatest driving roads. It’s their way of saying “thanks for the memories” – and a reminder that great roads, great cars and great drives will always matter.

👉 You can check it out here: Honda Dream Drives Map

And it got me reminiscing. Because the Civic Type R isn’t just a car I’ve tested – it’s one I’ve driven hard, one I’ve thrashed up mountain passes, one that nearly introduced me head-on to a Volkswagen Polo on the Isle of Man, and one I’ll always hold dear.

My Type R Journey

I’ll be honest – I never drove the first EK9 or the very latest FL5, but everything in between? Oh yes.

• EP3 (2001–2005) – My first proper encounter. Honda invited me to the launch on the Isle of Man, where the TT course had been closed just for us. Imagine that: a convoy of black EP3 Type Rs, led by police in Accord Type Rs, blasting along a road with no speed limit. It was surreal. I still remember a Polo suddenly appearing where it absolutely shouldn’t have been – let’s just say its occupants probably needed a fresh pair of underwear. But my goodness, what an event, what a car, and what a memory. (Full story in the video above).
• FN2 (2007–2011) – The so-called “Space Pod” Civic Type R. I first saw the standard version at the Geneva Motor Show, and thought it looked like a UFO. By the time Honda built the Type R version in the UK, it was every bit as dramatic. Critics moaned about the rear suspension, but in the real world it was still a brilliant drive. I flogged one up UAE mountain roads until the VTEC sang like a banshee – pure bliss.
• FK2 (2015–2017) – The turbocharged revolution. I actually drove a prototype in Japan on Honda’s test bowl at Tochigi. Gone was the need to wring it out to 8,000rpm – this one punched you in the back from the off. Some said it lost character, but it was brutally quick.
• FK8 (2017–2021) – The one I fell for properly. Bigger, bolder, madder looking – but also the most rounded Civic Type R ever. It could carry your family, your shopping and still shred back roads for breakfast. I spent serious time with this one and grew to love its outrageous looks and thrilling nature.
• FL5 (2022–2025) – The one that got away. I tried twice to drive it at industry events, but it was always booked solid. Friends told me it was superb – maybe peak Type R – but the toned-down styling and hefty £50k price tag meant it never really found homes in big numbers. A shame, because now it’s gone.

Why It Matters

For me, the Civic Type R isn’t just another hot hatch. It’s been a constant thread in my career as a motoring journalist. I’ve tested them at launches, dreamt of them, and pushed them to the edge in far-flung places from the Isle of Man to the Hajar mountains.

And what makes the Type R so special is that it always felt engineered by enthusiasts, for enthusiasts. No matter how the market shifted, there was always a Civic Type R that could remind you why you love driving in the first place.

So What Now for Honda?

Right now, Honda’s showrooms feel oddly devoid of a halo car. The Prelude is coming back, but as a hybrid coupe, not a Type R. No Integra, no Legend, no red-badged hero. For Honda fans like me, that stings.

But if there’s one thing the Type R taught us, it’s never to underestimate Honda. The badge will return – it has to. It’s too iconic not to.

Until then, we have our memories. And thanks to Honda’s Dream Drives map, we’ve also got inspiration to go out and make some new ones – even if it’s not behind the wheel of a new Civic Type R.

Over to You

Did you ever own a Civic Type R? Did it thrill you, frustrate you, or both? Drop your stories in the comments – I’d love to hear them.

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