Sports cars like the BMW M4, Mercedes-AMG CLE 53, or Porsche 718 will easily satisfy your performance needs as long as price and practicality are not a high priority. However, they are expensive to purchase and inherently impractical given their two-door coupé design. That’s when budget performance cars like the Honda Civic Type R come into the picture. The Honda Civic Type R is one of the most widely known and respected performance sedans on the market, and has been for some time. There’s a good reason for that, but while the Type R remains one of the best budget sports sedans that money can buy, the price has gone up incrementally over the past few years.
Updated October 2025: The 2025 Honda Civic Type R is one of the most sought-after budget performance sedans, which manages to give more expensive sports cars a run for their money. With over 300 horses available on tap, it is one of the most powerful cars priced under $50,000. However, adding optional extras to the base model does drive up the price close to $55,000. We have updated this article to give you a proper breakdown of prices for various add-ons on the fully loaded 2025 Honda Civic Type R.
With the 2023 Honda Civic Type R, Honda introduced the latest-generation model of the performance sedan. While its predecessor, sold between 2017 and 2022, made a good name for itself due to its affordability, now, a fully spec’d out Type R comes at a price higher than some of its German competitors. That’s worth breaking down cent by cent. Don’t worry, though. It’s still far less expensive than, say, a new BMW M3.
To give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources.
Honda Eyes Hardcore Integra Type S, Civic Type R Models
Honda’s high-performance parts department wants a run at the fastest cars Acura and Honda make.
A Fully Loaded 2025 Honda Civic Type R Costs Around $55,000
That Is Almost $10,000 More Than The Stock Type R
Despite the major upgrades on the latest iteration of the Honda Civic Type R, compared to the 2021 Civic Type R, the Japanese manufacturer has managed to price the car well below $50,000; $45,895 to be precise. However, that’s the base price without any add-ons. Speaking of that, Honda offers a host of optional extras in the form of various packages; some are cosmetic in nature, while others make an actual difference in the driving experience.
With every single actual car-focused option checked, a fully-loaded Honda Civic Type R will run a buyer close to $55,000, including shipping and handling fees. Obviously, if one wants to add a factory bike rack or Type R valve stems, they’re more than welcome to, but it won’t noticeably affect the price, at least, not like some of these options will. However, before we get to those options, the Type R’s dynamite engine deserves its moment in the sunshine.
Additional Packages Offered With The 2025 Honda Civic Type R
Most add-on packages don’t change the end product all that much. They may add some additional ambient lighting, or they might even change a few colors to give a car a more aggressive look, and the Type R is no different. However, those kinds of options are few and far between here. The Type R has its head-scratching option packages, but for the most part, each box a buyer checks off makes the 2025 Type R more and more of a track day warrior.
The Must-Have R-Performance Package
If there’s only one option box you tick for a 2025 Civic Type R, it has to be the R-Performance package. The Type R’s famed oversized rear wing is iconic, but at high speeds, it turns out that it’s just as functional as it is fashionable. The R-Performance package gives drivers a more track-focused adjustable rear wing made entirely out of carbon fiber, along with 19-inch forged Alloy wheels to make for lighter hubs.
Both of these additions may not look like they would help the Type R function all that better on the track, but every pound saved helps when it comes to shaving seconds off a lap time, and the wheels particularly help with that. Of course, at the cost of an extra $5,459, it should, right?
Other Cosmetic Upgrades On The Civic Type R
The rest of the Type R option sheet is stuffed with cosmetic add-ons to make the performance car a bit more luxurious. The R-Protection Essentials pack includes:
- A branded car cover
- Branded cargo tray
- Better carpet floor mats
The R-Interior Driver’s pack offers illuminated door sill trim, a special shift knob, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and splotches of Alcántara scattered throughout the cabin — a fad that doesn’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon. And finally, a protection film can be added to the entire exposed exterior of the car for less than $200 from the factory or dealership.
10 Underappreciated Supercars You Need To Know About
These are the oddball exotics that usually get left out.
The 2025 Honda Civic Type R Boasts Impressive Specs
The 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder is about the going size for a modern sports sedan, but the fact that Honda ekes more than 300 horsepower out of this engine is impressive. The engine is in the same state of tune as the 2023 and 2024 Civic Type R. However, the current iteration of the performance sedan did gain nine horses and 15 pound-feet of torque over the 2021 Honda Civic Type R. Arguably, the best part, though, is that buyers get every bit of the power that the engine offers at the Type R’s starting price of $45,895.
With that horsepower addition, though, the Type R does take a hit when it comes to fuel economy. With just an average of 24 combined MPG, the Type R is nowhere close to the most fuel-efficient Civic, but that isn’t really the point, is it?
What Makes The Type R’s Engine Special?
To find out about the engine at the heart of the Type R, one must first learn about Honda’s famed VTEC innovation. Using electronically varied valve timing, a VTEC engine is essentially constantly reinventing itself and its valve timing, ensuring that the exact amount of balance between fuel horsepower and torque application is put down in any situation.
The 2.0-liter VTEC in the Type R is Honda’s most advanced yet, and is one of the main reasons why the Type R is such a fun car to sling around any track. It churns out 315 horses and 310 pound-feet of torque. Power is routed to the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox. The VTEC also means that drivers will have no problem putting the Type R through its paces across every single inch of the powerband, as the engine itself doesn’t reach its full potential until it turns 6,500 rpm. This allows it to get to 60 mph from a standstill in 4.9 seconds and go all the way up to 170 mph before losing breath.
The TV Show About Racing That’s Way Better Than Drive to Survive
A new Amazon show, First to the Finish, shows racing with way more grit, action, and scariness than F1’s Drive to Survive.
Where Does The 2025 Honda Civic Type R Stack Up Against The Competition?
Of course, the automotive market is all about competition, and few segments are as tightly contested as the sports sedan market. If it seems like almost every manufacturer today churns one or two out, that’s because they do. Therefore, it’s worth looking at where the Type R stacks up against its main competition.
In doing so, it’s important to note that the Type R is not meant to be an M3 killer, although it’s certainly a popular alternative. The Type R is meant to be a budget-friendly sports sedan, and thus, that’s what it will be compared to, starting with a close competitor.
Why Not Buy A Hyundai Elantra N Instead?
If price-cutting is what you’re after, the Hyundai Elantra N certainly has the Type R in that category. We’ve gone so far here on TopSpeed to call it a bit of an ugly duckling, but there’s no denying the value for money here. However, is there enough value to choose the Elantra N over the Type R?
Underneath, it’s pretty close. Both cars come with a six-speed manual, both are front-wheel drive, and both have 2.0-liter Turbo four-bangers. However, the Honda rendition of said 2.0-liter churns out 315 horsepower while the Elantra N only manages 276 horsepower. That number isn’t anything to scoff at, but if you buy one, the day will inevitably come when you pull up to the light, and right across from you is someone in a Type R. Then, after you’ve finished second getting to the next light, you’ll wish you had the Type R. If it’s truly a sports sedan you’re after, the Elantra N just doesn’t have enough ‘oomph’ to beat out the Honda.
What About The Audi S4?
Ah, the Germans. They’ve long been heralded as the kings of the performance sedan, and the Type R has long been considered the better buy, simply due to being a better value for the money. However, is that the case now?
Well, it certainly is when looking at the Audi S4. Starting at just over $55,000 once dealership fees or shipping are applied, the S4 holds true to that tradition.
While it does churn out more than 350 horsepower in comparison to the Type R’s 315 horsepower mark, it’s significantly more expensive, especially once you decide to look higher up the build sheet than the base model. The top trim of the S4 runs over the $60,000 mark, which doesn’t make it an affordable sports sedan at all. Time will tell whether Audi’s new S5 model wipes the floor with the legendary S4, but as of right now, the Civic still offers that same value for money that made it famous in the first place.
Why Not Choose The Subaru WRX?
Now there’s a good question. The Subaru WRX makes for what I believe to be the most interesting comparison on this list, and not because the cars are all that similar. In truth, it’s because they’re so different. The Type R is meant to provide as much thrill as possible on a front-wheel-drive platform, but the WRX is meant to give drivers the best experience possible in an all-wheel-drive setting.
Sure, the WRX has fewer horsepower (44 less, to be exact), but it puts that power down in a more efficient manner. It can go just about anywhere, and out of all the other options on this list, it might be the only one to compare to the aftermarket support that the Type R has.
Truthfully, it comes down to what kind of sports sedan a buyer wants in this case. If it’s off-road thrills, then the WRX is the clear-cut choice. If it’s a track day thumper with grocery-getter capabilities, then the Type R is the easy pick. These four sedans aim to offer drivers something that not many do anymore – a good, cheap thrill. There are no gimmicks, there is no glitz or glamor. There are just four doors, four cylinders, and a whole lot of fun.