The Honda Civic Type R is being pulled from sale in the UK and Europe due to increasingly stringent legislation – bowing out with a new special edition that commemorates its 28-year production run.
The brand said it is removing the Type R from its line-up in 2026 because “the industry is changing, and our model range is having to evolve with it in accordance with European legislation”.
Although Honda has not been as explicit as to blame the EU’s General Safety Regulations 2 (GSR2) – legislation mandating the fitment of kit such as driver attention monitors and speed limit warning buzzers – it is most likely the reason for the model’s early demise.
GSR2 contains a provision allowing low-volume manufacturers to sell non-compliant cars until July 2026, coinciding with the end date for European sales of the Type R.
The same legislation is to blame for the early demise of the Toyota GR86 and, once the exemption window closes, will also kill the Alpine A110.
The decision to pull the Type R from sale will also ease the pressure on Honda in the face of increasingly stringent fleet CO2 emissions standards, given it is one of the brand’s higher polluters: it produces 189g/km of CO2, compared with the 114g/km produced by a regular Civic.
The Ultimate Edition is intended to celebrate the legacy of the Civic Type R as it bows out in Europe. It is painted in the signature Championship White shade, with contrasting red racing stripes calling to the model’s traditional interior colour. Inside, there is an abundance of carbonfibre details, such as on the door skidplates and around the centre console.
Pricing has yet to be announced but it is likely to cost notably more than the regular Type R (£48,900). Only 40 will be built in total, with 10 bound for the UK. These will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis, Honda said.
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