Honda Accord 2.2 Type-R Review

Overall Rating

Sharp looks, great handling, plenty of feedback for the driver, momo steering wheel, recaro sports seats, manic 2.2 VTEC engine, still big enough for the family and the shopping.

Lack of low down torque, not much else really...

It is not every day you find something which pleases both your heart and your head. For example, that bikini model smiling your way may well look a million dollars, but in the back of your mind you just know she isn't the sort of girl your parents want to see at the family dinners. Or maybe you want that plush, fashionable London flat but for the same money you could instead buy that slightly boring but bigger semi-detached house which will better accommodate your growing family. It's usually your head, or your heart, but seldom both. But then there are always exceptions to the rule...
Meet the Honda Accord Type R. It is still a sensible four door saloon car which is roomy, practical and easy to drive. It is well built, reliable and pretty solid should you bang into something. But on the flipside, it has 209bhp, redlines at 7800rpm and can top out at well over 140mph. All out of a modest sized 4 cylinder engine without any hardcore turbo or supercharger. And if we add the sporty bodykit, 17 inch alloy wheels and Recaro sports seats into the equation, it seems Mr. Head has met Mr. Heart.
The Accord Type R (or ATR), is a family car that has been on steroids and a proper fitness plan. And the result is fantastic. Honda have long known a few tricks on how to make a car handle and the ATR is a keen driver's tool as a result. Its Front drive chassis has been gifted with a Limited slip differential which reduces understeer in sharp bends and keeps this saloon poised on the twisty lanes. A decent suspension setup means that body roll is kept to a minimum, and the strong brakes and direct gearchange all combine to make a fabulously involving drive. The Momo Steering wheel is a lovely touch, and feels top quality, while the Recaro seats hug you into place.
The engine is really the icing on the cake. It is a 2.2 4 cylinder 'H22A7' which incorporates Honda's VTEC technology. I won't bore you with an engineering lesson but it's all to do with different camshaft profiles and timing. What you might like to know is that when on full throttle, when the revs climb passed 5800rpm, you enter the second camshaft profile and you really feel the car pulling hard. Evo magazine timed the ATR 0-60mph in 6.1 seconds, which is astonishing for a naturally aspirated 4 cylinder saloon of this size. It is a racy-sounding powerplant and loves to be revved, but the downside is that it lacks the torque of bigger V6 or turbocharged engines which are found in many of the ATR's rivals. My old Octavia vRS has a 1.8 Turbo with 180bhp and if they both had a rolling start at around 3.5k rpm, the vRS would have no trouble pulling away. The Honda needs higher revs, but if you are prepared to hammer it right up to the redline, then you will have a pretty rapid weapon with a soundtrack to match. And then the vRS will be checking out your shiny tailpipes.
Like all performance cars, insurance isn't cheap at group 17, but it isn't excessive for the type of car it is, and fuel consumption isn't brilliant, but at around 29 miles per gallon, it's good enough when you're not going for it.
Overall there is little not to like about a car like this. The family will love it for its many talents, as will you after you've dropped them off to the shopping centre and seek out some winding country lanes. It combines everyday practicality and dependability with excitement and desirability. It's a commitment you can be happy with in all respects, and even the parents will approve.