Category: Hot Hatchbacks 
Price Range: £14,750 to £21,780
Incredible traction, glorious induction noise, one of the best gear changes around.
Still lacks low-down urge, fussy split rear tailgate, uncompromising ride.
Limited slip diff almost transforms the Type R into one of the very best hot hatches.
Here the Honda struggles against some of its surprisingly grown-up competition. Sporting the same suspension rates and dampers as the regular Civic Type R, its ride is too stiff beside the more cosseting Focus ST and Golf GTi.
Short gearing also blunts high-speed refinement: at 80mph the engine's spinning at 4,000rpm: even the tiny 1.4-litre engine on the standard Civic has a less frenetic top gear.
The Championship White is no better equipped than the standard Type R, but that's no bad thing. An Alcantara interior, cruise control, 18" alloys (colour-coded white for the Champ model) and the titanium gearknob are all standard-fit items.
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