Honda Civic FD2

Honda's March 2007 specification gives the TYPE R the type code ABA-FD2, a four-door sedan seating four. Honda lists only front-wheel drive and a six-speed manual.

The FD2 is not the only Civic Type R Honda sold in Japan in these years. Honda introduced the three-door TYPE R EURO, built in the UK, in Japan on 5 November 2009, so calling the hatchback Europe-only is incorrect.

The K20A is a naturally aspirated 1,998 cc DOHC i-VTEC (86.0 × 86.0 mm) with 11.7:1 compression and chain-driven DOHC, running on unleaded premium petrol. Honda rates it at 165 kW (225 PS) net at 8,000 rpm and 215 N·m (21.9 kgf·m) at 6,100 rpm. The maximum permissible engine speed is 8,400 rpm and Honda's stock-engine comparison gives a VTEC switching point of 5,800 rpm.

Honda moved to drive-by-wire throttle control and changed the power steering from electric to hydraulic assistance. About 222 mechanical horsepower follows by conversion from 225 PS.

The six-speed manual has ratios of 3.266, 2.130, 1.517, 1.147, 0.921 and 0.738 with a 5.062 final drive, and a torque-sensitive helical LSD. Suspension is MacPherson at the front and a reactive-link double-wishbone at the rear.

Brakes are Brembo aluminium opposed four-piston front calipers with 320 mm front and 282 mm rear discs; Honda's "17-inch" brake wording refers to the package, and the rotor sizes are the 320 mm and 282 mm above. Tyres are 225/40R18 88Y Bridgestone Potenza RE070. Honda claims about 50% more body rigidity than the DC5 Integra Type R.

The car measures 4,540 × 1,770 × 1,430 mm on a 2,700 mm wheelbase and seats four. Honda lists 1,270 kg, or 1,250 kg without air conditioning, under its own vehicle-mass convention. The rear-seat trunk-through mechanism was deleted, and a puncture-repair kit replaced the spare tyre.

The standard front seats are Honda R spec seats in Lux Suede, a suede-look artificial leather from Seiren. The shift knob is aluminium and spherical. A TYPE R aluminium emblem carries a serial number. Launch colours were Championship White, Super Platinum Metallic and Vivid Blue Pearl.

M-TEC announced the MUGEN RR complete car on 28 June 2007 and began sales on 13 September 2007, built on specially supplied Type R base cars. It was announced as a 300-car made-to-order allocation, which is not a verified production total. webCG reports 240 PS at 8,000 rpm and 22.2 kgf·m at 7,000 rpm. M-TEC adds dedicated cams, intake and a dual exhaust, five-step adjustable dampers and Recaro-developed semi-bucket seats.

On 13 September 2007 Honda also introduced a competition-only one-make race-base car. Honda states it cannot be registered to obtain number plates.

Honda's Japanese release of 19 April 2010 says production of the four-door Type R at the Suzuka factory would end at the end of August 2010. American Honda's retrospective labels the FD2 2007–2011; the contemporary Japanese announcement is used here.

Honda Malaysia introduced the Japanese-version four-door Type R new on 2 August 2007, so a car outside Japan is not necessarily a privately imported used car.

For the US, the federal safety exemption is judged on each car's own manufacture date (49 CFR 591.5(i)): the vehicle must be at least 25 years old, so a model-year label proves nothing and the build month is what counts. EPA's age rule is separate. Its procedure describes 21 original-production years, an original unmodified configuration, and an exception for equivalent or newer EPA-certified engines and emission-control systems.

EPA's current guidance asks for the same engine model and configuration as the original, so consult EPA before relying on it for a modified or swapped car. State registration and emissions rules are not covered here. Canada treats vehicles older than 15 years as non-regulated at import, with age taken from the manufacture month and year; a right-hand-drive car should be checked against the destination province's registration rules.