FN2 Honda Civic Type R Throwback Review: Does It DESERVE The HATE?
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- Опубліковано 29 тра 2024
- FN2 Honda Civic Type R Throwback Review: Does It DESERVE The HATE?
The Honda Civic Type R has gone through quite a few generations ranging from the EK9 through to the current one, the FL5. There’s one generation that’s often considered the weakest link - the FN2. Just how bad is it and does it deserve the hate. Well, I’m going to give it the Car Obsession Throwback Review treatment to find out.
The FN2 was quite the departure from the EP3 - long gone was the breadvan shape, in its place was a more rounded, futuristic looking design. Virtually the same engine is to be found under the bonnet only it has more power.
Compared to the EP3, Honda was able to give the FN2 a whopping 1hp extra. I know, they spoilt us, didn’t they? The engine was tweaked to allow VTEC to come in sooner and the exhaust was tuned to give a deeper sound.
This seemed like a step - albeit a small one - in the right direction, but Honda did take a noticeable step backwards when it came to the chassis. Instead of retaining the rear multi-link setup for suspension, a torsion beam was used instead. Good for saving costs, but not so much for driving experience.
As mentioned, the FN2 Civic Type R is powered by 2.0 litre naturally aspirated four cylinder producing 201hp and 193Nm of torque. Work the 6-speed manual gearbox quickly enough and you’ll hit 62mph in 6.6 seconds, and where possible, top out at 146mph.
So what if you’re watching this and thinking about buying your very own FN2? At the of filming you can pick one up for under 4K but what should you look out for? As with any used car, make sure there is a healthy amount of service history, but that’s even more important here.
The K20 engine is a robust unit, but they do like to get through a bit of oil and they are driven by a timing chain, so it’s important the engine is maintained properly.
A crackling noise at idle could be caused by a bad PCV Valve - one way to test is to pinch this hose and if the noise stops, it’s most likely the valve. There shouldn’t be too much to worry about on the interior, but check for bolster wear, and it’s worth noting that the door mirror modules are known to go down.
The 6-speed manual is also a robust unit, but syncro can wear prematurely, causing 3rd gear to feel notchy. A graunching sensation in 2nd gear isn’t uncommon, either. You may find the gearbox whines when you reach the biting point but that it is simply a quirk with the FN2.
The paint used for the FN2 was soft, meaning stone chips were a common issue. Therefore, if you see a car that has been treated to a front end respray that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s been in an accident - although it never hurts to do a car check for peace of mind.
As with a lot of Japanese cars, rust can be an issue with the FN2 - more so on the boot floor, the roof, and in case of pre-facelift cars, the door as well. This is due to seals at the tops f the doors, which were revised for the facelift.
The rear lights can suffer from water ingress, so if the seals look a little green or contaminated, you’ll know moisture has got in there.
Chapters:
0:00 Video Intro
0:26 Channel Intro
0:34 A Tough Act To Follow/FN2 Changes
2:52 Driving Intro/Engine Specs
3:38 My First Impressions/The Ride!
5:34 Handling
5:54 Positive Things About The FN2
7:20 Seats
8:21 This May Offend FN2 Owners...
10:28 Features and Other Versions
11:48 Space and Practicality
12:03 Buying Advice
14:54 What Could Have Been?
15:59 Conclusion
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#HondaCivicTypeR #FN2CivicTypeR #FN2HondaCivicTypeR - Авто та транспорт
Hi all, thanks for dropping in on my throwback review of the FN2 Civic Type R. Do you own one? What have been your experiences?
I think that if you can find one in good condition under 5 grand it’s worth considering. EP3s not shot to hell are rare and expensive. At least here in Italy they are.
Cheers
We have one- my wife’s daily and our family car :) decent car tbh. Very firm. Helped by Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres.. it’s not an EP3… never will be… but space wise it’s better than the EP3. The kids love it :)
I’ve owned one for past three years it’s great car to drive daily cheap to buy at moment but not really cheap to run unless ya been driving a while
Я владею такой 1 год. Езжу каждый день. Обожаю её. ❤
I think the fn2 is the best looking civic since the 90s. Generations after this were WAY over styled. The style started with this but they didn't over do it on the fn.
The title of this video will always attract FN2 haters. Ive driven both EP3 and FN2 and in my opinion, the FN2 is a far better car in every way. The rear beam has no affect on its handling especially for the everyday grand prix wannabees. Only a skilled performance driver could potentially tell the difference. Should anyone opt for the Championship White FN2 or any later 2010 Type R, then the FN2 moves even further away due to an addition of a slip differential.
Hi Damian, thanks for watching, and whilst everyone is going to have their own opinion (the world would be a boring place if we all thought the same thing) I think to say it's a FAR better car in every way is a bold claim. I'm not going to be narrow minded and pretend Honda didn't improve anything, but having driven both cars and having owned an EP3, I can say with confidence the ride is worse, and the car is heavier.
I have an Fn2 and drove the Ep3, I prefer my Fn2 in every respect. of the ep3 I prefer the position of the gear lever and better responsiveness in tight corners!
EP3 better drivers car. FN2 better car for the family I have found. My wife has the FN2 as her daily. Michellin Pilot sport 4 really helped the FN2.
No one hates these anymore.. actually quicker on track
Fact is this car is probably more capable than 80% of the drivers who slate it. People going on about the torsion beam suspension again probably 80-90% of people wouldn't be able to notice anyway.
As for being constantly compared to how raw the ep3 is😂 i had a stripped out 96 civic with b16 that was raw.
The difference between the ep and fn is marginal.
The fn is a great car.
A lot of people like to think they are too good for the fn2 the reality is they probably aren't.
Bought my FN2 the other day and have no regrets. Very clean example that has been modded to over 250hp without a turbo or supercharger and has had the suspension redone has transformed it into the car it was always meant to be.
Nice! Thanks for watching 👍🏽.
could you tell me what mods was added to added to make 49 horsepower, thats really good especially without a turbo or supercharger
It aint 250bhp what so ever without forced induction! Sorry it aint ❤
@@clivebrackstone1896 with enough money you can achieve 300 naturaly aspirated hp
@@clivebrackstone1896 cams, oil pump, balance shaft delete, manifold, throttle body and exhaust with a decent tune you’ll see 250
People are kind of looking at this car from the wrong perspective a lot of the time. The base car is really optimized towards interior space. That all works against it in terms of being a sporty car. Fuel tank under the front seats, engine far front is bad for weight distribution, but allows for the seats folding flat in the rear footwells. You can just put a big mattress in the bag and sleep in the car. You can also move lots of stuff with it if you need to! It's not a sports car that can only do one thing. And the overall package blows the EP3s and GTIs out of the water.
At the same time, it's a fun car to drive, with the very best 4cylinder N/A engine there is. The suspension harshness lets it down a bit, but that can be improved with 17" wheels, and if you are an enthusiast, you are going to fit a high quality coilover suspension anyway. If you don't care about practicality, you can throw out the rear seats for an easy 40 kg of weight saving. Brakes are a bit of a letdown, though.
It's weird to idolize the EP3 compared to this, the EP3 has its own problems: Mainly the weird steering rack location because it is based on the Stream MPV, which induces some crazy bump steer, especially when lowered. It has had its share of problems with the sliding steering rack. Same goes for the DC5, btw. That said, the FD2 was a superior drivers car - but sadly, only sold in Japan.
And no, it definitely should not have been turbocharged. Ugh. Just get an FK2R if you hate engines that sound good 😉
I’ve had lots of Evo’s, RS’s, Imprezas etc. but my Championship Edition Type R had a very very special front end that gave great confidence in terms of grip and feel. Twas an awesome car.
I have one, I like it a lot. The only thing wrong with it is the suspension, for sure, very stiff for speed bumps or country roads. It does turn pretty crazy though... if you were gonna keep this car forever you could just change the suspension.
The car isn't insanely fast, but it's fast enough, and the engine is fun to use. Nothing feels fast to me anymore though, since I own a Hayabusa...
As an owner of an FN2 for 6 years, this is the most accurate review I've seen so far
That is high praise! Thank you very much!
@@CarObsession You deserve it. Most reviews are either from FN2 owners trying to "defend" their cars or from haters who are just trying to roast it compared to the EP3.
I love my FN2 and think it's the best car in this class for that money, if you're using it as a daily. But I'm still aware of its drawbacks 😅
I like that its a bit subdued, it lets you make it the way you want it with mods
Yeah, it's a good base for mods - thanks for watching.
Absolutely love my fn2, pilot sport 5 tyres all around, tien lowering springs, ultra racing 18mm rear anti roll bar, poly bushed front lower wish bones with poly bush front arb, poly bushed engine mounts and a lightweight fly wheel handles & drives unreal
Great review sir, I would agree with many of your conclusions. I still think for the money, there is not much out there currently that matches it. Really enjoyed the video 👍
Thanks for watching!
Sitting in our is a greatplace to be, driving it is never dull, and actually fun british roads, driving safely. 😊
Hi Chris, thanks for watching, and thanks for the comment 👍
Must admit always liked this design even more than the outgoing 2017 variant, that was just waaaay too fussy. The old EP3 though 😍
Yeah, I quite like the design of the FN2. Thanks for watching 👍🏽
Hi all. I have an fn2 with a map on it. Vtec kicks in under 4k revs. Also a direnza induction kit. Done a clutch damper bypass on it which makes it drive way better. Poly bushed engine mounts and rear subframe. Yes the car is firm but handles amazing really. Had a ep3 10 yrs ago much prefer the fn2. Lot more stylish in every way. As mentioned not super fast but plenty quick enough for a bit of fun. Great all rpund and very reliable car
I had an EP3 as well. I remember being disappointed when the FN2 came out. What I did was trading in my EP3 for a second hand S2000. Love my S2000 but I still regret to this day trading in my EP3 30th anniversary. ❤
Cheers.
Well that was a good move an s2000 is double the price.
I’ve owned an EP3 and FN2 CW. EP3 definitely more raw and more ‘Type R’ in that sense but the FN2 is a better all round car for what I needed. I think which car is better depends on your real world usage case. If you want creature comforts you’re unlikely to go for the EP3 in the same way that if you won’t go for an S2000 if you need something with a big boot and room for more than 2 people.
after owning both the fn2 wins for me everyday its just the better car
simple fix , 17 inch wheels with 225-45 , ride is much better , or a coilover with sensible rated like the kw variant 1 , i ve had 5 fn2s , the car is better at every aspect with 17 wheels , if you put 12kg 18inch to an ep3 , the ride will worsen also , imagine the fn2 that is firmer already.
Among many Hondas I had I decided to keep FN2 CW as my weekend car - I just put Spoon calipers on it and that's it. I love driving it, even that I have much faster car as a daily - RS5.
No it doesn’t. It makes a lovely family warmish hatch! Bags of space for the kids :). Still raucous if you push it :)
K and N filter helps..
No it’s not an EP3 but the EP3’s are rusting out…and too small for a family :(
Michellin Pilot Sport essential mod for the FN2.. resolved a lot of handling issues imho
Hi there, thanks for watching, and thanks for the comment.
Great Engine, Gearbox and Backspace. Rubbish suspension and no sensors in the back, annoying noises when you forgot to turn off the light.
Great Value for the money.🎉
Surely it's better to have an annoying noise then finding you have a flat battery the next morning 😅.
That is the whole point 😂
That is the whole point 😂
Honda never offered the FN2 over here.
I have a 2006 FG2 Coupe Si.
Never selling.
Went from a 2006 base Lx sedan to a 2006 Si Coupe.
Canada.
To be honest, feel the K20 is rather over-hyped.
Kind of disappointed to be honest.
Expectations high...?
Amazing how everyone praises Honda transmissions yet so many complain about them.
S2000, 8th gen Civic Si, now FD2.
Love the styling of the FD2.
Also love the styling of my FG2.
201 hp vs my 197
142 tq vs my 139
Multi-link rear suspension on mine, not beam.
My FG2 COUPE doesn't feel 'light' by any means.
My 4 door LX sedan felt 200lb lighter.
In my opinion, the 'hate' has well and truly turned around I think considering that it's the last atmo VTEC Type R and the benefit of hindsight thrown in. It might still be considered the weakest of the lineup but I think hate is way too strong of a word to use about it these days and let's be honest most of it came from that Top Gear episode from 15 years ago.
Hi there, thanks for watching and thanks for the comment.
as a little guy myself, i dont mind the higher seats 😂
You can lower the seats almost to the floor btw. Little lever on the side.
I know what lever you mean, it was set to its lowest. I know that as I pumped it up and then all the way down again. Thanks for watching.
Only look the Civic fn2 r3 rally.... Awesome
I've always liked these but would never pick one over a ep3
Yeah, I'm not surprised! Thanks for watching.
Can i ask why pal not arguing just wanna see why people like the ep3 more ive had multiple of both and love the fn2 more just because the ep3 reminds me of a old nova or something
I like em, but EP3 is in my opinion a better car
I think you'll have search hard to find someone who thinks the FN2 is better than the EP3 😅. Thanks for watching.
Hmmm wished i saw this before buying one.....
😅
You forgot to include that in comparison to the ep3 the interior is much nicer it comes with cruise control divided ac unit for driver and passenger etc. as a package overall it is a way nicer car to be in interior design, features and material wise.
I wouldn't say it's a case of forgetting, it's more a case I was trying to keep the video length down and I didn't want to to focus too much time on an area, which in my eyes, wasn't a key focus.
But yes, the interior is a nicer place to be, you are right.
Thanks for watching, apologies for the delay in responding to you.
Not a fan of ' non-adjustable' headrests..
Another great, reasoned review✌️🤞💜
A nice example of the breed too, however......
I've never driven or owned one (the ride quality in the FN2 put me off), but my preference would be the EP3. Although the FN2 looks great, but any car built in Swindon after redundancies had been declared? No thanks. I digress. My Swift - a cheaper car - handles well with a torsionesque beam rear suspension but Honda took a step backwards in doing such imho. The Japanese management at Swindon had a very strange culture and view towards car design and development, I know and have known, several "associates" that worked in Swindon and one or two - rare - design engineer consultants who worked there too.
When nearly all mainstream cars went front wheel drive - a cost down exercise by and large - in performance models to stop torque steer etc etc suspension set ups became harder. Performance cars don't often need such if RWD. Eg the MK1 MR2, great handling, fast, compliant, comfortable ride even in the supercharged versions.
I've long held the theory that to get the optimum from FWD there's an equation of: weight, size (L), and BHP. I'm not a car designer, but I'd argue that mass production of FWD cars is merely a production cost down exercise, and many cars are ruined by it. Not all, but many.
Dare I say, that ignoring the bluster and rhetoric, Clarkson said very similar to you, upon the FN2's introduction. I'm sure day to day for its owners it's great, but I won't be getting one any time soon, although I do love the looks🤔😕😕
Hi Muso, as always, thanks for watching and thanks for the comment 👍🏽
All type r look good. To say one looks better then another is splitting hairs
The glorious 'FNPoo' - unlike the evolution of the FK8 & FL5, the FN2 was always destining to be overshadowed by the EP3, a shame really as I like the styling and interior!
Good video mate
Cheers mate!
Don't care about looks or suspension.
It has REAL V-tech 😂
I never said it didn't?
Exactly you can't beat the real vtrc
@@CarObsession Newer Honda's don't have V-tech on both cams...
Learn to take a compliment 😉
@@yukonstriker1703 I didn't know it was a compliment 🤷♂️, especially as the original comment was worded differently (if you look you can see it's been edited).
@@yukonstriker1703 Plus, how would that have been a compliment aimed towards me anyway?
If you are hot open the window lol how do you think we went on before air con?
I'm fully aware how a window works... BUT if I were to have it open whilst filming it would compromise the audio as you'd hear wind noise. Thanks for watching.
@CarObsession you could of just dropped in down an inch then or just used the normal fan...its not air con or nothing
Still not worth the risking in compromising the audio as I wouldn't have had another to shoot the video 🤷♂️.
I did try the normal fan and honestly made little to no difference. I just had the windows down in between takes 👍🏽.
Disagree. This is last of the last true Honda.
Screw the weak internals of the 1.5L turbo
What about the Type Rs that followed this? Or the newer NSX?
I think you copied someone else's homework. How about interior a much better place than an EP3? How about the Torsion beam loses nothing in terms of handling? Especially LSD model that EP3 never had. The non CW LSD version is better on a track than an EP3. Owned both.
Hi there, thanks for watching. I didn't copy anyone else's homework; I wanted to have as open mind as possible with this car.
Reference the interior, I want to focus more on the driving than the interior, but yes the interior is nicer.