Something cool is happening. Finally.
The United States is fixated on boring vehicles. Well, if you go by the numbers. Last year, the best-selling vehicles in the U.S. included the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, Toyota RAV4, and the Honda CR-V, which I often call the most boring vehicle on the entire road. However, automakers have started to realize that the numbers aren’t the full story.
A few years ago, car brands realized that their cheap cars weren’t selling, yet their luxury SUVs were. It seemed like SUVs were the way to go. But a different story was brewing behind those sales. Americans weren’t sick of the cheap sedan. They were sick of rising prices, especially since many couldn’t afford them. This made it look like nobody was buying cheap sedans, so why bother? They weren’t making a good profit margin anyway.
But as Chinese EVs continue to dominate outside of the United States, automakers are beginning to realize that being smaller than an SUV wasn’t the issue: the prices were. Now, automakers have started rethinking their stance on sedans and other smaller cars.
We recently had Ariel tease us by announcing that its UK lineup of lightweight performance cars was coming to the States for the first time. However, those cars will set you back well over $100,000. Womp. Now, Honda is coming to the rescue.
What we know about the Honda Civic Type R HRC
The Civic Type R is already a pretty cool car, maybe even underrated. The 2027 model is under $50,000 yet offers a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, six-speed manual transmission, and a pretty immersive driving experience. It grips the road, offering great handling and a pretty zippy 315 horsepower. Despite its sporty nature, the Type R still offers room for four passengers, a hatchback for cargo, and 30 miles per gallon.
Honda has made even more aggressive Type R variants, but they’ve never been available in the United States. The upcoming Type R HRC finally changes that. With a new front bumper, fender flares, and a way more dramatic rear wing, this thing looks crazy. It has lightweight wheels, a short-throw shifter, and a high-flow exhaust system, offering performance to match its looks.
We don’t know about the engine just yet.
The concept first appeared at the Tokyo Auto Salon, and it’s now going to be showcased at SEMA. That’s happening November 3-6, 2026. I’m sure we will learn more about its specs, performance, and appearance at that point. And hopefully its price. If it’s anywhere near six figures, I don’t think there will be much interest anymore.
You’ll definitely want to pay attention to Honda at SEMA. The HRC will be joined by the Honda Passport Baja Spec Trophy Truck. This thing has a twin-turbo 2.4L V6 hybrid powertrain that produces more than 1,300 hp.
