2020 Honda Civic Type R facelifted with hardware changes

Having updated the regular Civic line-up, it’s now the Honda Civic Type R’s turn.

Bowing in at the 2020 Tokyo Auto Salon, the Japanese hot hatch gets the customary front and back makeover to freshen it up for another few years.

At the front, there’s a subtly tweaked front bumper and larger grille that improves engine cooling, while the rear bumper has also be tidied up and look sleeker than before. A fresh colour called Boost Blue has also been introduced and is exclusive to the Type R.

However, fans will no doubt be more interested in the mechanical changes to the Type R. The facelifted model brings newly developed two-piece brake rotors coupled to updated brake pads designed to reduce fade and improve stopping power at high speeds.

The 2020 Civic Type R also features modified suspension with optimised dampers to boost comfort during normal driving and new stiffer rear bushings to improve grip. The front suspension has been modified to make the steering feel more direct by reducing friction.

On the inside, the hot hatch has a new Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel, along with a new gear knob with shorter shift throws. The 2020 model also debuts Honda’s Active Sound Control that modifies the engine noise depending on the selected driving mode.

Underneath the bonnet, the turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine remains unchanged, churning out 228kW of power and 400Nm of torque channeled to the front wheels via a 6-speed, close-ratio manual and limited-slip differential.

The 2020 Honda Civic Type R is expected to go on sale later this year.