The 2018 Honda Civic Type R is a very capable daily driver

I was optimistic that the Civic Type R would succeed as a daily driver -- not necessarily a given, because some performance cars are just too rough for Michigan's pockmarked roads.     

After nearly two straight weeks with a Type R in common situations, I can report that my expectations have been exceeded.

No, Type Rs of years past haven't been this visually aggressive, but the best part is that when you're driving it, you don't have to look at it. 

The Civic Type R relies on a massaged version of the previous generation's 2.0-liter turbocharged I4, good for 306 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque.

That torque comes on nice and low, so even if you short-shift, decent throttle application results in ample hustle. It always wants to go.

That motor is connected to the single best-feeling transmission Honda has built in over a decade.

The Civic Type R's preternatural smoothness applies to its road manners, too. Three-mode adaptive dampers are surprisingly comfortable even in the hottest +R mode.

If that bad boy is slapped into Comfort, it deals with Michigan's craptastic roads with ease.

The Type R is EPA-rated at 22 mpg city and 28 mpg highway, and both numbers are staggeringly easy to top if you stay out of the boost. 

Keep on scrolling to check out even more pictures of Honda's most powerful Civic to ever grace the US.