EPA accidentally leaks 2017 Honda Civic Type R fuel economy
If you were hoping for a performance-oriented thrift machine, prepare to have your hopes dashed.
Occasionally, the EPA's fueleconomy.gov website will leak a new car's fuel economy before the automaker has the chance to make it public. That just happened with the 2017 Civic Type R.
According to the EPA's website, the 2017 Honda Civic Type R will achieve 22 mpg city, 28 mpg highway and 25 mpg combined. Its estimated annual fuel cost is $1,700, and the site claims a Civic Type R owner will spend $1,750 more in gas over five years than the average new car. Also, it will apparently require premium gasoline, although it's unclear if it's mandatory or just recommended.
If you're showing off your hot hatch on the Nurburgring, it shouldn't be expected to also achieve 1 billion mpg.
Honda has not responded to our request for confirmation as of this writing, but it's not like the EPA is making this stuff up. It lists the car as a 2017 Honda Civic with five doors, a 2.0-liter I4 engine and a turbocharger. There's no other Civic that fits that bill -- the Civic Si uses a modified version of the 1.5-liter I4 found in higher Civic trims.
The Civic Type R's fuel economy stands in stark contrast to the rest of the Civic lineup, which achieves between 30 and 32 mpg city, and between 36 and 42 mpg highway. It shouldn't come as a surprise, though, because traditional Civics keep thrift in mind, whereas the Type R is built for pure, outright performance.
25 mpg combined isn't too bad for a car pushing 306 horsepower at the crankshaft, all of which is sent through the front wheels. It's about on par with some of its closer competitors, like the VW Golf R (22/31/25) and the Ford Focus RS (19/25/22). The CTR is the only front-drive car of the group, though -- the other two are all-wheel drive.
