2017 Honda Civic Type R

With no true sports car in the Honda lineup — and the NSX being sold under the Acura banner — Honda and its U.S. customers have been craving a high-profile, enthusiast-oriented car like the Civic Type R for years.

Picking up where the Civic Si leaves off, the new Type R carries over many of the mechanicals from the previous generation: a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, a 6-speed manual transmission and front-wheel drive.

It's a hatchback only and single-spec, promising standard go-fast goodies such as Brembo front brakes, a 3-way adaptive suspension, rev-matching downshifts, a limited-slip differential and 20-inch alloy wheels.

• Powertrain: Turbocharged 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder, 6-speed manual transmission with automatic rev-matching on downshifts
• Technology: 7-inch color touch screen for infotainment system that accommodates Android Auto and Apple CarPlay; 7-inch color screen in instrument panel (showing boost gauge, lap timer, shift lights and G-meter); navigation system; 540-watt stereo system; adaptive suspension
• Safety: 6 airbags and standard rear-vision camera
• Competitors: Volkswagen Golf R, Subaru WRX and WRX STI, Ford Focus RS
• Strengths: Confidence-inspiring handling with excellent feel for the road; smooth engine and transmission; no torque steer to speak of
• Weaknesses: Exhaust note is too subdued for this car's audience; styling — especially in the rear with the wing — may be excessive for people out of their 20s
• Bottom line: A morning on the racetrack and an afternoon in the rolling country roads outside Montreal show that the Type R will please drivers looking to do both. Everything is predictable and smooth about this car. On the track, the car is a lively communicator; it's easy to feel comfortable pushing this car — and yourself — to the limit because you know exactly what it's doing at any given moment. On the road, the car is surprisingly refined, massive boy-racer, rear wing notwithstanding.