Refreshed 2020 Honda Civic Type R in Boost Blue Pearl

I've honestly been following the refresh of the 2020 Civic Type R closely and details have taken awhile to get out. As with just about any Honda fan this is the first car that has made me excited in years! The updates appear to be addressing some known issues when the car is heavily tracked. I'm a little mixed in the Alcantara steering wheel myself but the rest of the improvements seem like solid upgrades.

Honda Sensing being added to the Type R has polarized the community but few can argue that it is a nice feature to have as long as the MSRP doesn't increase too dramatically. Rumors say that the price will likely get close to $40K but Honda has surprised us in the past with the 2017 coming in at very affordable price. We'll just have to wait and see what happens when everything is shared at the end of this winter (as in March 2020)!

Fresh from its world debut at the Tokyo Auto Salon last month, the 2020 Honda Civic Type R made its U.S. debut at the Chicago Auto Show today, appearing for the first time in public in its new Boost Blue exterior color scheme. The 2020 Civic Type R brings a number of changes and improvements to Type R’s winning formula, with revised styling, improved handling and braking, better engine cooling and the addition of standard Honda Sensing® safety and driver-assistive technologies.

Headlining the changes to the 2020 Civic Type R are numerous improvements to its world-beating driving dynamics. New two-piece brake rotors and brake pads are designed to reduce fade and improve high-speed braking efficiency, while suspension revisions for 2020 include updated dampers for improved ride comfort, stiffer rear bushings for better grip, and revisions to the front suspension and steering for even better steering feel. Additionally, the grille has been redesigned to allow better engine cooling under high demand.

Inside, the 2020 Civic Type R will feature additional refinement that includes a new Alcantara™-wrapped steering wheel, and a new shifter with a restyled knob and shorter shift throws. Every 2020 Civic Type R will be equipped with the Honda Sensing® suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies, making the Honda Sensing® suite standard equipment on all Civic models and trims when the 2020 Type R it goes on sale.

Under the hood, the 2020 Civic Type R draws power from a race-bred 2.0-liter direct-injected and turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with VTEC™ valvetrain putting out a peak 306 horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. of torque (both SAE net), with power to the front wheels delivered through a close-ratio 6-speed manual transmission and limited-slip differential. As before, drivers can choose between three driving modes – Comfort, Sport and +R – that vary suspension firmness, steering and throttle response. New for 2020 is Active Sound Control, which modifies interior sound in concert with the chosen drive mode. The Type R’s selectable drive modes and sophisticated design make it both a thrilling companion on a mountain road or a racetrack and a remarkably civilized daily driver with a degree of flexibility unmatched in its competitive set, especially at the price.

Additional information about the 2020 Civic Type R, including pricing and all specifications, will be available when it goes on sale later this winter.

Source: Honda