2017 Honda Civic vs 2019

What's the difference?

If you know your performance machinery, you know that Honda’s Type R badge is deservedly held in high esteem. Sure, the NSX is the pinnacle of Honda, but the Type R has long shown the company can also bring performance to the people.

After a prolonged gestation period, the Type R badge has resurfaced in Australia, affixed to the rear end of the 10th-generation Civic. Does it hold true to the values of the Type R philosophy of a ‘well engineered but exciting driving experience’, or has it morphed into something different?

Honda's current Civic is a perplexing thing, and I'm not just talking about the profusion of styling features. The range spans from the entry-level VTi to the completely bonkers Type R and the two cars could not be more different.

One step up from the bottom of the line-up is the VTi-S, priced at $25,490. Honda and its competitors are selling boatloads of SUVs but the small hatch/sedan market (it seems to be merging) is still punching away.

The Civic has been with us in its current form for a couple of years now, but it was ahead of the pack in some areas when it first landed. With the arrival of the new Mazda3 and ongoing Korean onslaught, it's worth a quick re-visit to see what's happening with the Civic.