I want to know what the Honda press officer who gave Carwow a Civic Type R for half a year is thinking right now. I mean, making a "Things I hate" video seems like the worst publicity ever. But after watching the video, most people who want this car will still buy one... they'll just make a more informed decision.
Mat Watson is so funny and lighthearted that a man just asked to have his baby in the comments. In the six months he and the team spent with the car, they've drag raced it against everything and also done a bit of damage in the parking lot.
Some of the nigglings flaws are obvious, as the Type R was never known for its ride comfort. But did you know that apparently, the car doesn't come as standard with a parcel shelf and that the mechanism which holds the rear seat rests up has been removed for weight saving? And like all hot hatchbacks with this much power, the tires wear out quickly, and the wheels get curbed.
The horn is girly, and the infotainment system is unfathomable, but that's a problem with all Hondas. And when it's damp, the Type R "squirms around like a big slippery eel covered in love lube." We've heard that in the Auto Trader bath review... but not in those exact words.
On the plus side, the Civic has nicer bucket seats than the Ford Focus RS, plus they come standard, unlike in some German rivals. It's also cheap, reliable and super-fast on the track.
Mat Watson loves it so much that he put a condom on the gear shifter. No, really! We don't even want to know what happened after that. On second thought, that could be why the guy asked to have Mat's baby... because he and the Civic now have one. Wives have a tendency to infuriate, and some say gearheads are married to their car.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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