2023 Civic Type R FL5 - Reviews Compilation (Articles + Videos) ✍🏻 🎥

[spectre186]

I don’t consider people having fun on a track day to be any sort of instrumented test. But the Trophy I believe has a huge weight advantage and slightly less HP, so I’m not surprised it would be quicker. The ring record is a pipe dream. The Trophy R is not a mass produced daily driver. Practically vapor ware.

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[POPNTEC]

Agreed, IMO having a true hatch, a better, cleaner interior, and far superior controls would weigh up the daily driving factor over the N but I guess in the end, better daily = keeping your butt warm.

Too bad I find the N so visually unappealing but like the one reviewer, I can't get passed it's looks, no matter how hard I try.

Even if I was cross shopping the Civic Type R, which I wasn’t (ok maybe the GolfR). For the looks alone the CTR is worth the 10k premium over the Elantra N, not to mention the fit and finish and the fact that CTR is the better car IMO.

I didn’t buy the CTR for its creature comforts anyways. So outside of heated seats the CTR is as equipped as my 2017 M340i. In Canada our cars come with all the safety sensors and lane keep assist as well. It’s also the first vehicle I’ve owned with wireless CarPlay as well.

So at the end of the day if you always wanted a canon carving track focused head snapper Civic type R and can’t quite afford it yet by all means go get the Elantra N. In the short term you probably won’t be disappointed.

 

[s2kdriver80]

it can´t beat the Megane Trophy on track. Goodbye the lap record at Nurburgring

It might need more time to break in and/or the higher downforce isn't helping at the top end either.

 

[Robert.C]

it can´t beat the Megane Trophy on track. Goodbye the lap record at Nurburgring

The Trophy R is fast, no doubt, but there are multiple times throughout the lap where he's being slowed down by the Renault as well. The speed differential between the two isn't great enough for him to make a clean pass (like it was for the Supra), but I bet if they were both running clean, unobstructed laps (rather than lead-follow), the Type R would be marginally quicker. Of course, at the end of the day, I don't really care if the Trophy R is faster -- they're great cars from all I've read.

 

[Sazabi]

The Trophy R is fast, no doubt, but there are multiple times throughout the lap where he's being slowed down by the Renault as well. The speed differential between the two isn't great enough for him to make a clean pass (like it was for the Supra), but I bet if they were both running clean, unobstructed laps (rather than lead-follow), the Type R would be marginally quicker. Of course, at the end of the day, I don't really care if the Trophy R is faster -- they're great cars from all I've read.

Agreed. The fact that the FL5 catches up to this thing is pretty incredible. Have you seen the Trophy R interior? Its pretty much gutted out with two bucket seats and a racing harness.

 

[Sazabi]

Even if I was cross shopping the Civic Type R, which I wasn’t (ok maybe the GolfR). For the looks alone the CTR is worth the 10k premium over the Elantra N, not to mention the fit and finish and the fact that CTR is the better car IMO.

I didn’t buy the CTR for its creature comforts anyways. So outside of heated seats the CTR is as equipped as my 2017 M340i. In Canada our cars come with all the safety sensors and lane keep assist as well. It’s also the first vehicle I’ve owned with wireless CarPlay as well.

So at the end of the day if you always wanted a canon carving track focused head snapper Civic type R and can’t quite afford it yet by all means go get the Elantra N. In the short term you probably won’t be disappointed.

Plus the reliability. I was actually considering the N at some point thanks to two of my friends buying one. Then both their stock engines blew. wtf lol.

The N was off the list after that.

 

[TimeRacer]

Agreed. The fact that the FL5 catches up to this thing is pretty incredible. Have you seen the Trophy R interior? Its pretty much gutted out with two bucket seats and a racing harness.

The CTR record car has the entire rear gutted as well to 'offset the weight of the roll cage.' That's why to take any of these records with a big grain of salt. I believe the Trophy R was on proto forged wheels, custom final drive and tires unavailable to the public as well? The Megane Trophy R is a basically $80k car. In order to get a $50k car to a really non-production $80k car standard in performance means giving up a lot of what makes the CTR more interesting, it's ability to be a dual purpose vehicle.

 

[VarmintCong]

it can´t beat the Megane Trophy on track. Goodbye the lap record at Nurburgring

Donington GP is fairly short and technical, not a good proxy for the Nurburgring.

 

[ScumbagRob]

The CTR record car has the entire rear gutted as well to 'offset the weight of the roll cage.' That's why to take any of these records with a big grain of salt. I believe the Trophy R was on proto forged wheels, custom final drive and tires unavailable to the public as well? The Megane Trophy R is a basically $80k car. In order to get a $50k car to a really non-production $80k car standard in performance means giving up a lot of what makes the CTR more interesting, it's ability to be a dual purpose vehicle.

They should count track records only if you pull a random car off a dealership lot and go straight to the race track with it

 

[mbaapk]

I don't get those guys. They claim the Elantra is a better daily all-in-one... because it has heated seats? What other substantial features does this car have over the Civic? I would argue that the convenience and practicality of the hatch makes the Civic a better all-rounder, if anything.

I thought the same thing. The hatch rivals small SUV’s and I think the N has a trunk brace that blocks passthrough - head scratcher for sure.

 

[Tickle]

I'm taking an Si and GTI over an Elantra N. I don't need the car to be the fastest. Just enjoyable.

 

[VarmintCong]

I thought the same thing. The hatch rivals small SUV’s and I think the N has a trunk brace that blocks passthrough - head scratcher for sure.

they do that every comparison. “Oh all these cars are so great, how do we pick a winner?”

 

[FK7_]

I'm taking an Si and GTI over an Elantra N. I don't need the car to be the fastest. Just enjoyable.

You’d be picking the wrong car for enjoyment then. The Elantra N (according to reviewers) is the most fun hot hatch you can get, even over the R. So if you are just going for fun then the N is the way to go.

 

[Tickle]

You’d be picking the wrong car for enjoyment then. The Elantra N (according to reviewers) is the most fun hot hatch you can get, even over the R. So if you are just going for fun then the N is the way to go.

I've owned two Hyundai/Kia products.

Owning them isn't enjoyable to me. Both local operations that maintain them are not places I want to do business with.

If you combine those things, I wouldn't touch a Kia, Hyundai or Genesis.

It may be just fine for everyone else. My experience tells me otherwise. I wouldn't touch their products or walk into their showrooms or service departments.

So again I don't need it to be the fastest. I just need it to be enjoyable.

 

[Sazabi]

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