The 2022 Honda Civic Type-R Is The Quickest Front-Wheel-Drive Model Around A Lap At Suzuka

• The 2022 Civic Type-R lapped the 5.8km circuit in 2:23.120 seconds, nearly a second faster than its predecessor.

• Still wrapped in camouflage but features sportier bumpers, a beefier front grille, higher rear wings and a slightly revised tri-exhaust setup.

• Technical specifications will surpass outgoing models’s 320PS 2-litre turbo-petrol engine.

• Honda will be testing the 2022 Civic Type-R at the Nurburgring.

Remember back in December 2021, when the folks at Honda were pounding around the upcoming next-gen Civic Type-R on home soil at Honda’s own backyard, the Suzuka Circuit? Well those efforts have now borne fruit as the hardcore performance machine has broken the FWD record ahead of its debut this summer.

It managed to lap the 5.8km circuit in 2:23.120 seconds, which is nearly a second quicker than its predecessor in the Limited Edition setup at 2:23.993 seconds. Interestingly, the previous-gen model was the previous benchmark as the fastest front-wheel-drive production car around Suzuka.  

While the 2022 Civic Type-R continues to be draped in camouflage, it gets a cleaner design like the standard model. That being said, the Type-R aggression is present, thanks to a larger and lower air intake, a beefier front grille with a honeycomb mesh, and a higher and flatter rear wing.  It’s still got the central triple exhaust setup retained, but the middle tip is larger.

Under the hood, we’re yet to know what will power the performance machine, but it should surpass the outgoing model’s 320PS turbocharged 2-litre petrol engine. The current setup’s power was delivered to the front wheels via a 6-speed manual transmission with a limited slip differential. It is capable of a 0-100kmph sprint in 5.8 seconds, with a top speed of over 270kmph.

The 2022 Honda Civic Type-R’s record attempt at Suzuka is a good sign for the carmaker’s attempts to reclaim its crown at the Nurburgring. It’s got the current model’s 7:43.8-minute lap time, as well as the current benchmark Renault Megane R.S. Trophy-R’ 7:40.100-minute lap to beat. Before we head to the ‘Green Hell’ though, here’s an onboard of the new Civic Type-R’s record lap around Suzuka.