Civic Type R vs. WRX STi vs. Focus RS (Video)
Who will win the ‘Battle of the Hot Hatch All-Stars’?
While we at Honda-tech know that the mighty Civic Type R is one of the best performance cars available right now, it’s always good to see what others think about it. Do legendary Nurburgring lap times translate to the real world? The guys over at The Straight Pipes YouTube channel aim to find out.
In this video, the hosts compare a 2017 Honda Civic Type R, a 2018 Subaru WRX STi, and a 2017 Ford Focus RS to see how they stack up against one another. While at first it might seem that the Civic Type R is at a disadvantage due to its FWD drivetrain, it soon shows that it is capable of hanging with the AWD cars.
To begin with, the hosts all agree that the Civic Type R is the best-looking car of the bunch. It’s the newest design and easily the most aggressive-looking, albeit a bit cartoonish. We also agree with the hosts’ assertion that Championship White looks terrific on this car and sets off the red accents quite nicely.
While the Civic’s triple exhaust was easily the coolest-looking of the bunch, its sound pales in comparison to the Focus RS and the STi. An aftermarket cat-back could really improve the exhaust note without being too obnoxious.
The Type R also scored well in terms of comfort and seating position. According to the hosts, it’s the sportiest-feeling and also the most comfortable. That’s impressive praise, as balancing those two aspects of interior design is a daunting challenge.
Hondas are known for their fantastic manual transmissions, and the hosts loved everything about the Type R’s six-speed, from the shift knob to the actual shift feel.
All three hosts think that the Type R is the best of the bunch for a daily driver. It’s the fastest, the most comfortable, and has tons more features than the STi and the Focus RS, although they think that the Focus RS is more fun. We know which one we’d pick.
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