Civic EG vs EP3 vs FK2 in 1,400-HP Honda Battle

It was about 12 years ago that I got to ride in a Honda Civic Type R EP3. That thing is a blast, even with just 200 horsepower under the hood. Later on, I got my hands on an EG6, which only had 160 horsepower but was just as fun. I've never experienced the FK2 so far but judging by the reviews, this should be a fairly capable machine as well. Of course, the FK2 is turbocharged, while the other two are naturally aspirated - or they used to be when they rolled off the assembly line.

But today, we're looking at a head-to-head race between three Civics - and they've all got turbos to play with. These Hondas have 4 challenges ahead: a 0 to 60 mph (96 kph) test, an individual quarter-mile run, a head-to-head drag race, and a roll race. The little EG is packing a serious punch, as it's rated for just under 500 horsepower. As you'd expect from such a build, this car is running a K20A2 engine that has a Pulsar GTX3583R turbo attached to it. It's a good thing its owner opted for an Integra DC5 LSD as well!

The cool thing about these old Hondas is that they tend to weigh next to nothing. When's the last time you drove a 1,984 lbs (900 kg) car? The EG will have to go up against a 440-horsepower EP3, which is running a Pulsar GTX3582 turbo. But the EP3 has less power and an extra 551 lbs (250 kg) to worry about. Last but not least, the FK2 is good for about 444-horsepower. This isn't unheard of for an FK2, but it's probably not going to be enough to help it in today's race. Weighing in at 3,042 lbs (1,380 kg), the FK2 is the heaviest car here.

The little EG is off to a solid start, with just a bit of wheelspin, and it gets up to 60 mph in 5.32 seconds. The EP3 looks slightly more aggressive but is ultimately 0.16 seconds slower. The FK2 manages to win this first challenge with a time of 4.50 seconds, proving that it has the superior chassis here. Moving on to the individual quarter-mile runs, the Civic EG crosses the finish line in 12.88 seconds. The EP3 needs 13.34 seconds to finish this test, while the FK2 claims another victory, just ahead of the EG.

Moving on to the main event, the FK2 has the best start out of the bunch, while the EP3 is left behind in third. The gap is quite big, but it may be due to a driver error as well. For the second run, the oldest Civic out of the three is surprisingly fast, as it wins by a very small margin. But hey, winning's winning, right? The third race is the closest one yet, and even the 7th gen Civic is fighting for the win now. But the FK2 comes out triumphant once again, after a brilliant photo finish. At this point, the rolling race is a bonus, but we will tell you this: the lightest car wins every time!