CTR Pros and Cons... Worth the price?

BABY NSX

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Had my CTR for a year now. I still love every moment I get to drive it!

Pros:
-easiest car to spot in the Target parking lot because of the wing

-I have a 5hp go kart. Yes the CTR handles like one.

-Honda reliability. I have had a number of Hondas and I’m expecting only to be doing oil changes and brake jobs in the future.

-Love it or hate it looks: I love it! Very unique looking, you won’t see many on the road. I love the low racy look of this car. People don’t like the big wing but in all honesty if you take it off or use a smaller wing it just doesn’t look right in my opinion. People look at this car, it’s very noticeable. I have people come up to me and say they don’t know what it is but it looks fast.

-Love the seats! Once I’m in I just don’t want to get out!

-Power is pretty good!!! Love the shifter! Feel very connected to the car! Adaptive suspension is cool and appreciated. I live in the Boston area so the roads aren’t perfect

-Performance of a more expensive car.

-Great as a daily driver! You are ready know what a civic hatchback is like. Just combining the practicality of a Honda Civic and then dropping more speed and great handling into a light car just makes it so much better!

-2019: volume knob!

-2019: no Honda Sensing!

Cons:
-20” rims make me have a minor heart attack after I hit a pothole (As identified by the sound, not just the fact of hitting a pothole.) BUT so far nothing bent! (Small sacrifice for the handling)

-It’s still an economy car so it’s a basic car, which might be a Pro. I think this is more of a mind blower though when you are comparing the performance of this car to more expensive cars. But at its roots it’s a Civic so you might not have the same amenities as another car in this price range. My brother has a Kia Stinger. Looks like a disco club in there!

-Can be a chore getting in and out of the car especially holding stuff as it’s low. I’m 53 with a bad back but still love driving this car.

-Also with low ride height you can’t use standard ramps for servicing the car yourself

-Traction. You have to be very judicious with the gas pedal when roads are wet. If you don’t drive too crazy all is good but yeah, more traction would be better.

-Power is good but sometimes when I read reviews of this car and people talk about how fast it is, I kind of scratch my head. I don’t come from driving really really fast cars but perhaps I do come from driving V8 cars which have a lot of torque. It could use more power. A wee bit.

-On that note, minivans will gap you from a dig!!! But once you’re in 2nd gear all is good.

-small gas tank.

-Infotainment system can be laggy. In my 2012 Odyssey the search feature was way better and sound could be better. (It’s still just a Civic!!!)

-No sunroof. All my cars in the past 30 years have had a sunroof but I understand why this doesn’t.

-I guess this is all civics: Electric parking brake. I like a mechanical lever I can yank when I fly by a policeman! Also you need something to hook into the computer system to retract the rear brake calipers for rear brake changes.


These are just little cons. Overall for the price it’s an excellent car and it’s all about driving experience. They will always be faster cars, there will always be cars that handle better than this car. But for the price it’s hard to beat as a total package.
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Blood_TypeR

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Not one person mentioned those scrrrreeeecch brakes when those small pebble rocks get stuck in the calipers what a pain...What about those water stain makes under the hood scoop if left out in the rain..Had to garage the ctr to prevent corrosion from it (threads on this) the paint on this car is thinner Than white out...
 

ToofHurts

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I love my CTR. I'm starting to modify it a little and would def. rather have my CTR then a 50k BMW. I'm planning on keeping my car forever.
 

todda

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I ask you to read the comparo that Motor Trend did a few months ago where they tested the CTR, Veloster N, Mustang Eco Boost, Mini JCW, and an AMG Mercedes. They chose the CTR as #1 and stated that if Porsche had developed a FWD car, it would be the CTR. Enough said.
 

BackslashBrian

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Hope I'm ok to respond to this post but I purchased my 2021 CTR a few days ago and I used to own a 2017 Civic Hatchback EX. Now mind you, I've never owned a manual transmission car before and let me say, I don't think I can ever go back. This car is sooooo much fun and its satisfying after every drive. If you are on the fence I would really just say to go for a test drive if you are able but the car is worth every single penny for the smile that it puts on my face whenever I get behind the wheel. Only downside for me is probably the infotainment most of the time but Apple CarPlay hides that imperfection :)
 


TANSTAAFL

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Now mind you, I've never owned a manual transmission car before and let me say, I don't think I can ever go back.
Welcome to the Church of the Third Pedal, brother! Bask in the redeeming light of upshift lights, and take firm hold of the Holy Gearshift. You are on the path to Heaven, my son, the path to Heaven!
 

AlphaDigital

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Ive owned my R since the end of May, found it at a dealership with a little under 5k miles on it for 33 and some change. Ive owned a lot of different cars including a turbo GSR, all motor EK, 335i, and more and I can confidently say that this is the most fun car I have had yet.

Pros
- Looks - very aggressive looking car and I love it
- Engine - The k20c is a wonderful powerplant. Anyone that was into older Hondas should feel the pain of not having any torque. The K20C is a different beast. Paired with the turbo, the car is so peppy and fun. Its not the quickest thing on the road in a straight line, but plenty of fun for most people imo
- Handling - this car handles like its on rails. Its insane! Yes, theres tire spin and wheel hop but its expected from the 20s and being FWD. Cornering, this car is something else completely, and there is zero torque steer.
- MPG - I pull 33-34MPG driving on the highway which is awesome
- Interior - beautiful interior, awesome seats that hold you in, car is comfortable inside and aesthetic and you cant beat it
- Four doors- if youre like me and a dad, having 4 doors is a must. My kiddos sit in the back comfortably.

Cons
- Transmission - while the trans is smooth and precise, I dont think people can overlook the nagging issues of the 1-2 gear crunch and intermittent lockouts when driving the car hard. The crunch can mostly be alleviated with careful shifting and new trans fluid, but I think the trans probably needs to be addressed at some point for people who drive the car hard
- Wheels- the stock 20s suck. People report bending them on bumps, and theyre expensive to replace. Theyre ok looking, but they were one of my first changes after getting the car.
- Weak AC - this seems to be a common issue with these cars is the AC sucking. Mine doesnt completely suck, but it definitely makes me wish it was better on those 100 degree days
- Brake rotor/shield with pebbles - Pebbles like to get stuck in the brake rotor area creating a horrible screech. Ive gotten lucky and its only happened to me once, but people report it a lot
- Potential to overheat - if you plan on tracking the car hard, plan on getting a better cooling setup
- Price - the market for these cars is ridiculous. If youre buying brand new, the cost is definitely a drawback imo.
- Looks - I know I listed looks as a pro, but its just as much of a con if you ask me. The aggressive looks arent for everyone, and the car sticks out like an eyesore for haters and cops.


thats all I can think of at the moment, but knowing everything i do now, I would do it all over again. The car is wonderful in just about every aspect, and any of the negatives I listed can easily be remedied minus the looks.
 

ken_414

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PROs:
- Engine sounds amazing!!! (It sounds like music to me in +R mode)
- Amazing and aggressive looking of the car
- The clutch is very easy to control with auto rev match, amazing technology! I am a new manual driver and I found it fairly easy to drive as long as you know the basics
- Amazing handling around corners - it grips in a way that you would think is impossible for a front-wheel-drive car
- Seats are very compact and comfortable
- Perfect set-up for suspension - do not feel like the car has 20-inch tyres at all (It is very tolerable even in +R mode)
- Gearbox - one of my favourite parts of this car. Crystal clear feeling with the shifter
- Extremely sensitive and accurate sensor to avoid your car hitting objects while driving and parking.

Cons:
- It consumes quite a lot of petrol however I am still experimenting this. At the moment it's consuming 11.9L/100km and I am driving it daily to and from work plus a couple of spins over the weekend
- Easy to have stones stuck in between the calipers and backing plates which can cause loud squeaking noises. One of the reason is because of the 20-inch tyres
- Auto rev-match doesn't kick in if you are downshifting one gear below 2000 RPM in sports mode. I learnt it after the car jerk a couple of times. It does it in +R mode though. I guess Honda wants us to learn how to do heel-toe when we are driving daily in that regards lol
- Great discrepancy between sports mode and +R mode in terms of performance
- It has got a small petrol tank compared to the other daily car but in saying that I don't have to fill it up every week.
- It doesn't come with a spare tyre kit but instead give you a tyre puncture repair kit so it's not really a car for road trip. You can buy one from Honda and install it but it won't be a perfect fit.
- Unless you have tuned the car, it goes really slow in first gear and it's certainly not a drag race car. Having said that, if you take it up on the hill/mountain it would be a different beast.

All in all, it is absolutely a daily sports car which you can also have a lot of fun with it over the weekend. I have never had so much fun with driving. To me it's a bless to sit in this car every day.
 
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Dejavu

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I got about 8k miles on my 2020 and here are what I think about this car.

Pros:
1. Looks - I got a lot of praises and people breaking necks to see what car this is (also a lot of people love the color).
2. Driving experience - Very fun and fast car. Grips the corners like glue and car flies away when turbo kicks in.
3. Daily driving - When I am in traffic or just don't feel like ripping the car, comfort mode is very comfortable and the ACC/LKAS works very well. Seats are really nice for long drives.
4. Practicality - Huge trunk, about 27 mpg, and cheap to maintain.
5. Value - This car holds the value very well.

Cons:
1. Wheels/Tires - The stock setup is not the best for daily driving. Very bouncy, costly to repair/replace, and feels like you are breaking something in your car when hitting potholes. Also the summer tires cannot handle cold weather (once under 50F, it drives sketchy). So 18 inch winter setup is a must if you live in cold climate.
2. Gas tank - Small gas tank about 12 gallons or something.
3. Interior - The "Alcantara" is nice but you will need to maintain it regularly. The steering can become greasy if you don't clean it.
4. Sound & infotainment - The sound system is meh, and the infotainment feels like early 2000s.
5. Looks - Because of how racy it looks, I got a lot of people trying to race me (even mini vans, rav4) and it can get annoying (or dangerous) sometimes.
 


BostonCTR

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Cons: next gen Civics to be revealed November 17th. If I was in the market for a type R, I'd wait and see what the next gen will offer
 

TheGreekFreak

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Awesome thanks man, what can you tell me about insurance cost? I know it varies of course, but just curious if its crazy high or average. Also, what can you tell me about the comfort, sport, and Type R modes?
I was suprised to find that insurance cost for my 2021 CTR was within $100 of my 4 year old GTI with Geico. Full everything coverage, not some stripped out coverage, came in under $600 for the entire year. Granted I have a perfect driving record (somehow?) and my GTI's insurance when brand new was high, like $1100 for the year, due to my age when I bought it. Actually suprised me how cheap the R was to insure, had to triple check with them to make sure it wasn't a mistake with the VIN.....but can't imagine even a regular 2021 civic being much cheaper than this.

The honest question to ask when considering it is do your driving needs justify the cost? It's a serious performance hot hatch.....but most people don't need that. If you just roll around to work with your LX and don't see yourself using the performance the car offers, it may not be worth it to you over upgrading to something more refined or luxurious. There's a reason a $40K civic sounds ridiculous yet the price is justified when looking at the performance it offers.....but you may be underwhelmed if you expect your money to buy you a more refined experience.

But I drive my cars like a juvenile asswhole so it was so worth it to me.....
 

TypeX

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I currently have a 2017 crv with a few mods, paid off. The plan was give that to wife and get myself an R.
Then her company gave us a free equinox to use(not even gas or washes)

then the pandemic came...
So now i have the cash waiting to buy one but dont want 3 cars...

i’m 40 so ive had ep3 with all ctr stuff, comptech supercharged 06 si etc and my 6yr old is phasing out the bulky seats lol so its time for a fun car again.

so its only a matter of time, the only downside i read is if you drive a ton the tires/breaks. I retired at 34 so i BARELY drive 5k a yr and a few vaca roadtrips to lake house n things.

i live vicariously here through all the other type r owners haha but its def on the horizon
 

AlphaDigital

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Tires and brakes are easily remedied with a harder compound tire and a longer lasting ceramic pad


But given how little you drive, you should easily get 3 seasons out of the stock components depending on your mannerisms.


I currently have a 2017 crv with a few mods, paid off. The plan was give that to wife and get myself an R.
Then her company gave us a free equinox to use(not even gas or washes)

then the pandemic came...
So now i have the cash waiting to buy one but dont want 3 cars...

i’m 40 so ive had ep3 with all ctr stuff, comptech supercharged 06 si etc and my 6yr old is phasing out the bulky seats lol so its time for a fun car again.

so its only a matter of time, the only downside i read is if you drive a ton the tires/breaks. I retired at 34 so i BARELY drive 5k a yr and a few vaca roadtrips to lake house n things.

i live vicariously here through all the other type r owners haha but its def on the horizon
.
 
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I dont own one but my con is the price lol
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