Search for the better R - Honda Civic Type R vs Volkswagen Golf R

Search for the better R - Honda Civic Type R vs Volkswagen Golf R

Performance? The enthusiast seeks it in everything. Be it the latest phone, battery or even vehicle. If you are on a tight budget and can’t buy anything more than a hatchback, there are quite a few options available. These include the Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus, Mazda 3 and the new Honda Civic Type R. These hatchbacks are not only practical but also provide for cheap thrills both on the road as well as the racetrack. These vehicles have the R moniker which suggests their performance intentions. So if you are in the market for a compact hatchback that has the budget buyer in mind but will yet satisfy their performance craving, which one will you select? Narrowing the choices down to just the Honda Civic Type R and the Volkswagen Golf R that is. We help you sort out.

 Honda Civic Type R vs Volkswagen Golf R

Performance on offer

Since these are performance hatchbacks, let’s cut straight to the chase then. The Honda Civic Type R is the newer of the lot. It has a 2.0-litre turbocharged 4 cylinder petrol engine that makes a numbing 310 PS of power and 400 Nm of thrust force. Honda will offer you this engine only with a 6-speed manual. So if rowing gears yourself is a kick thing for you, then this is it. Yay. If you’ve been used to using a slushbox all your driving years, then too bad. Honda doesn’t offer one with the Type R. 0-100 kmph is finished off in a scintillating 5.8 seconds whereas the top speed is just shy of 280 kmph. The claimed efficiency is 13.2 kmpl. It’s a petrol Honda and VTEC is the key here as well. However, it has more of supporting cast role here and not the main one.

honda civic type r engine

The Civic Type R comes with cornering traction that helps keep the car planted while tackling fast corners. Civic also has got technology like automatic throttle blip that as the name suggests, will blip the throttle automatically an aggressive downshift is executed. Basically, it brings the engine back to the meat of the powerband. Honda also gives an option of turning this off but we aren’t sure who will want to do that. No wonder, the Honda Civic Type R currently holds the record for being the fastest production car around Nurburgring. It is fast on the street as well as on the track. The latter part will easily be beat by the Focus RS but we aren’t discussing that car here today.

Volkswagen Golf R  engine

For the Volkswagen Golf, it always has been about lightning fast yet unreliable gearboxes. The R edition of the Volkswagen Golf is no different either. It gets a 4-cylinder 2.0-litre petrol motor that makes a bit less power than the Civic’s unit. This one too is turbocharged and the net power output is 290 PS and 380 Nm. The Golf R gets a 7-speed DSG transmission that also gets paddle shifters behind the steering wheel. Volkswagen says that the DSG takes the car to 100 kmph in a very impressive 4.8 seconds. That is a full one second before the Civic. The fuel efficiency too is higher at 14.28 kmpl. Volkswagen gives the vehicle 4Motion which is their speak for all wheel drive. There is also the adaptive chassis control as well as the driving mode selection on offer. These two ensure that the Golf stays planted while one is attacking corners. However, tests show that the Golf R is not as comfortable on the race track as it is on the streets. It makes for a very good traffic GP cars where all one has to do is beat the rest of the folks till the next light.

Of the two, it is the Civic which earns more smiles from each driver whether on the track or while picking up kids from school.

Looks to go with the show?

VW GOLF R FRONT

Yes, both have it in plenty. However, it will take a keen eye to tell that the Golf R is indeed the most dynamically astute Golf version one can buy today. There are the R logos, slightly lower stance, those fat rubber and the quad exhaust pipes that tell you about the seriousness.

GOLF R CABIN

The cabin though doesn’t get much except for drilled pedals as well as R logos on the seats. The Golf is pretty much tightly made and this shows in the way the materials endure over the years. There is pretty much space in the cabin for five occupants and the dual zone climate control and the touchscreen infotainment system will keep a tab on their comfort as well. Boot space too is decent.

HONDA CIVIC TYPE R SIDE

The Civic Type R is the one to scream for attention. That wide grille, accented exterior, the biggest wing in the business, dual exhaust and those perky LED lights signify business. Did we also mention those 18-inch tyres? Just like the exterior, the interior too is equally decorated. The materials used seem of very high quality and the Civic too seems well stitched together. It can also easily be used as a first car. The ground clearance though is a tad low, a bug bear of even the sedan. While it is useful for the handling, the ride quality from the Golf is seemingly better. The Civic, one has to take it cross bodied over the bigger bumps.

HONDA CIVIC TYPE R CABIN

The Civic’s brakes too are a notch sharper than the ones on the Golf. This is just dependent on the driver as some prefer the urgency of the Honda’s unit while other may like the progressive feedback laden VW units. Both come with a huge safety dragnet too.

Pricing is the key?

Remember, here we are on a budget. So while the Honda Civic looks very good on paper and on the road, does it have the price advantage as well? The ex-showroom price of 301,000 Ringgits look a tad on the higher side. Let’s see how is the VW Golf R priced at. It is for RM 278,888. While our choice for a fun to drive daily driver that will attack the tracks with equal gusto will be the Honda Civic, it is the VW with its RM 30k advantage that seals the deal.

Zigwheels MY Team

Zigwheels MY Team

The Zigwheels community offers auto enthusiasts a friendly home where they can read exciting featured stories, advisory stories and the latest news from Malaysia as well as other corners of the world. It is a rich automotive platform with advanced research tools that brings to you an experience like never before. The site covers entire automotive space be it cars or motorcycles by providing a platform to read news and reviews, watch videos, know specification and latest promotions, compare cars, locate the nearest dealer, share and get feedback, and explore a world full of these mean machines.

Read Full Bio

Sell your car at the best price

Verified and genuine buyers Verified and genuine buyers
Free listing Free listing
List your car

Honda Civic Type R vs Volkswagen Golf Comparison

Honda Car Models

  • Honda City hev
    Honda City
  • Honda HR-V
    Honda HR-V
  • Honda City Hatchback hev
    Honda City Hatchback
  • Honda CR-V hev
    Honda CR-V
  • Honda Civic
    Honda Civic
  • Honda WR-V
    Honda WR-V
  • Honda Civic Type R
    Honda Civic Type R
Honda Cars Price

You might also be interested in

  • News
  • Featured Stories
  • Upcoming
  • Honda BR-V 2024
    Honda BR-V 2024
    RM 105,000 Expected Price Kuala Lumpur
    Expected Launch Dec, 2025 Alert Me When Launched
  • Honda Prelude
    Honda Prelude
    Price coming soon
    Expected Launch Dec, 2024 Alert Me When Launched

Latest Honda Civic Type R Car Videos on Zigwheels

Zigwheels
  • 2018 Honda Civic Type R (FK8) review - AutoBuzz.my
    2018 Honda Civic Type R (FK8) review - AutoBuzz.my
    12 Nov, 2019 .
  • FIRST LOOK: FK8 Honda Civic Type R previewed in Malaysia
    FIRST LOOK: FK8 Honda Civic Type R previewed in Malaysia
    12 Nov, 2019 .
  • The All-New 2017 Honda Civic Type R
    The All-New 2017 Honda Civic Type R
    26 Dec, 2017 . 728K views
Watch Honda Civic Type R Car Videos

Compare & Recommended

Honda Civic Type R
Volkswagen Golf R
Volkswagen Golf R
RM 334,012
Golf R Price
Renault Megane RS
BMW 1 Series
BMW 1 Series
RM 361,320
1 Series Price
Toyota GR Corolla
Seating Capacity 5
5
5
5
5
Engine 1996
1998
1798
1998
1618
Power 315
316
296
306
296
Transmission Type Manual
Dual Clutch
Dual Clutch
Automatic
Manual
Compare Now

Trending Hatchback

  • Upcoming
  • Perodua EM-O ev
    Perodua EM-O
    Price coming soon
    Expected Launch Dec, 2024 Alert Me When Launched
  • GWM Ora Black Cat ev
    GWM Ora Black Cat
    RM 135,000 Expected Price Kuala Lumpur
    Expected Launch Dec, 2024 Alert Me When Launched
  • LEAPMOTOR T03 ev
    LEAPMOTOR T03
    Price coming soon
    Expected Launch Dec, 2024 Alert Me When Launched
  • Chery EQ1 ev
    Chery EQ1
    RM 90,000 Expected Price Kuala Lumpur
    Expected Launch Dec, 2025 Alert Me When Launched
  • Renault 5 ev
    Renault 5
    RM 129,300 - 175,800 Expected Price Kuala Lumpur
    Expected Launch Dec, 2024 Alert Me When Launched
  • MG 3 Hybrid Plus hev
    MG 3 Hybrid Plus
    Price coming soon
    Expected Launch Dec, 2024 Alert Me When Launched
Upcoming Hatchback Cars

Compare

You can add 3 variants maximum*