Controversial opinion:
Generation after generation of Si / Type R, I’m surprised at the incredible engineering that Honda devotes to ugly econoboxes.
P.S.--The front suspension in this gen Type R is a work of art.
Looking at the 2020 Honda Civic Type R, you might not notice what has been improved over previous model years, besides the addition of the Boost Blue colorway and the subtle tweaks to the car's exterior.
However, there have been a few upgrades underneath Honda's halo performance model, namely to the suspension, brakes and engine cooling systems.
Noted to have been updated for "more responsive and sharper handling," the software that controls the Civic's adaptive dampers are said to be able to evaluate road condition "10 times faster." As well, bushings on all four corners have been upgraded with stiffer versions that are said to improve turn-in characteristics.
Where previous models used a single-piece rotor for the front brakes, the 2020 Type R now uses two-piece rotors doubled with a more fade-resistant pad material that is meant to give the brake pedal a more immediate feel.
As far as cooling, the 2020 Civic Type R has a redesigned grille with a larger opening that is meant to better feed air to an improved radiator core. This update is reported to decrease coolant temperatures by 18°F in testing under "high-demand situations" like track use.
Honda is also introducing a Type R-exclusive data logging app called "Honda LogR" that offers three functions to the driver: a Performance Monitor, a Log Mode and Auto Score Mode. What do these do, and how dot hey work? We'll let the release explain:
Performance Monitor
When connected to the app-equipped smartphone, the Type R’s 7-inch center screen displays a Performance Monitor, which allows the driver to see vehicle functions in real time, including coolant and oil temperatures, oil and atmospheric pressures, engine intake air temperature, and gear position.Drivers can also choose between a “G-Meter” view that indicates acceleration, braking, and cornering G-forces on a “bowl” graph, or a “3D” view that provides a bird’s-eye visual of the car’s pitch, roll and yaw, similar to what one might see in a high-end racing video game. Additionally, the Display Audio screen shows the current drive mode (Comfort, Sport or +R).
Log Mode
Log Mode is designed to help drivers achieve the best possible lap times on the track. The program uses GPS to monitor and map the vehicle’s location and the car’s internal sensors to gather data on acceleration, braking, cornering Gs, and other parameters. The app encourages smooth, controlled driving through the use of a color-coded trace of each lap, with green, yellow, and red colors indicating progression. The goal is to encourage smooth use of the clutch, shifter, steering, brakes and accelerator, keeping the car in balance, and thus improving overall driving skills, not just the skills required for a particular track. Users can save their lap times to compare their improvement over time.Auto Score
The Auto Score function operates whenever the Honda LogR app is in use, monitoring the driver’s behavior over time by tracking inputs for acceleration, deceleration, and steering (cornering and straight driving), and generating a score for each. It also generates a combination score of those four parameters. The score is generated against the same pro-driver baseline that is built into the app and used in the Log Mode function. Similar to the Log Mode, Auto Score also keeps a historical record that ties in with the GPS function to show driving improvement over time.
Also, Honda has added its Honda Sensing safety suite to the Type R as standard, adding active and passive safety like adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning and lane departure warning.
Are all these upgrades noticeable when you are behind the wheel? Watch our view review below:
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Controversial opinion:
Generation after generation of Si / Type R, I’m surprised at the incredible engineering that Honda devotes to ugly econoboxes.
P.S.--The front suspension in this gen Type R is a work of art.
In reply to nderwater :
I'm amazed that a new performace Civic is as big as/larger than my 15 year old midsize Volvo panzer device. While also having much, much smaller brakes despite similar power.
Also, on that note, Honda has some amazing AWD systems, why are they not putting it in their premiere Civic? If they want a hot hatch they should stick to the Fit/Jazz, the Civic is way waaaaay too big to be considered a hot hatch anymore. As large and expensive as it is, it really belongs in as different category that carries different expectations.
Even with COVID price hikes, for the price of a new Type R, you can buy a slightly used RS3, or save acres of money and buy an '18 Focus RS.
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
I think the size is a problem every car has compared to the earlier version of itself ... except Miata.
Also on the AWD, I am glad it does not have it. I doubt it would make it much better for someone like me that does not live where it snows.
In reply to Slippery (Forum Supporter) :
After 4 years, I still have vivid memories of doing 2 wheel burnouts while trying to accelerate at 60mph in the rain, in a car with half the power as a CTR. I'm happy for those memories because it makes me appreciate having all wheel drive now, every day when I can crush the carpet with the acclerator no matter the weather, and be all "HAHAHA I AM GOD HERE". Which is what privilege I have paid into, and continue to pay into with horrible sub-30MPG economy.
I'll never consider two wheel drive for any daily driver vehicle unless it has like 100hp or so.
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
I doubt you guys get worse rainfall than we get here in south Florida. I never had a problem with the proper tires. Plus unless you are at a racetrack, there is no need to mash the gas pedal while its raining that bad.
Plus my Celica All-Trac with a Greddy T67 kit would spin the tires in the wet all day 
In reply to Slippery (Forum Supporter) :
We have hills and stuff here 
One of my favorite onramps is an uphill righthander that, if it is slippery, you need to be traveling at as good rate of speed to avoid falling to the INside. It's part of my morning commute. On a good day with no traffic, I'll be doing 90 by the merge. With my front drive S40 on new Sport Comp2s, I'd be traction-limited to 65mph.
Part of my daily commute involves a 1/4 mile stretch of road with a 300' elevation increase. With a stopsign partway up, and poor sightlines to the cross traffic that has right of way. My little 3600lb tank sees 15psi boost every day because of that one intersection, at a minimum, rain or shine, snow or clear. My sunroof shade slides halfway back from the acceleration, most mornings
AWD is GOOD. Worth the weight compromise.
The Civic SI should look the way that the Civic Sport hatch looks w/no spoiler.
Also, Honda made a huge mistake killing the Fit in the States but that is another discussion for another day.
I <3 data!
It looks like the debrief uses AEM's interface (and maybe their sensors too?), but how does that compare to the OE Honda Log Mode stuff?
dxman92 said:Also, Honda made a huge mistake killing the Fit in the States but that is another discussion for another day.
It didn't make financial sense to federalize the new one.. plain and simple...
I still want a Type R; but, here we are 4 years after their release and dealers are still charging 5-10k mark-ups on them. I hate that manufacturers do nothing about this. Any kind of cool car get stuck with this Supra, TRX, CTR, Corvette, etc.
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