Certain names and letters carry more cachet than others in automotive spheres. When it comes to hot hatches, for example, the Type R label is bound to elicit an emotional reaction from enthusiasts.



Honda has applied that handle to a variety of cars, including the Accord, Integra, and NSX. But most of them have been Civics, making the Civic Type R something of a legend.

The question is, how do the six generations of Civic Type R compare – not to their contemporary competition, but to one another? Cars.co.za sought to find out, so they brought an example of each out to the track to see how they hold up in context. And they fortunately brought along some video cameras to record the comparison.

The lineup starts with an unusually yellow example of the first-generation EK9 model from the late-’90s, with one of the highest-specific-output naturally aspirated engines ever devised. And it runs up all the way to the current turbocharged model.

Along the way, the Civic Type R has increased in output significantly – from 182 horsepower (136 kW) all the way up to the 320 hp (235 kW) offered in the latest FK8 model. Between them there have been some real pocket rockets – though that pocket has grown some over the decade.

So which is the best of them? We wouldn’t want to spoil it for you, so you’ll just have to watch the 15-minute clip yourself. But for a Honda performance enthusiast especially, it’s 15 minutes well spent. So watch it ’til the end, and tell us which is your favorite in the comments section below.