2006 saw the release of the eighth generation Civic. While the sedan version was a little more evolutionary, the hatchback was a proper revolution. It went back to a more traditional hatchback form, but the super angular styling with a triangle motif was vastly different compared to the van-like proportions of the previous one, and it still looks quite modern even to this day. Obviously, this generation brought along a new Type R, the FN2, but there was a problem.
The eighth generation Civic hatchback was significantly larger than the EP, and that meant a good amount of extra weight. Normally, a more powerful engine would fill in for the extra mass, but the FN2 Type R used the same K20 as the EP3, and it had basically no extra power. That meant it was a little slower, taking around 7 seconds to get to 60 mph. Most people could live with that, but the FN2 threw in another disappointment.
To save on costs, the EP3’s multilink rear suspension was ditched in favor of the much less favored torsion beam. As a result, the handling wasn’t as sprightly, and overall, the FN2 just didn’t strike the same chord that the EP3 did. It’s a shame, not only because this was the last naturally aspirated Type R, but also because Honda kept the good stuff for back home…
