[AE86Guy]

Motor Trend also had their performance car shootout:

2023 MotorTrend Performance Vehicle of the Year: The Finalists

One of these wonderful machines took home the Golden Calipers as our Performance Vehicle of the Year.

www.motortrend.com

(The GRC does seem to be the most everyday livable in some ways though; its suspension, while softer, is reported not to cause pogoing like in the new CTR and the Elantra N.)

The pogoing in the CTR really is a bit wild. The thing is, with the GRCs normal non-adaptive suspension, you can always swap out to KWs or some other solution for both better performance and ride.

Problem with the CTR is that swapping the suspension means undo-ing all the Honda magic that was infused into the car.

To me, tinkering with your enthusiast car is half the fun of owning one. If I got a CTR I'd be compelled to leave it untouched. The GRC however is ripe for personalization without feeling like your being sacrilegious.

 

[fredzy]

Pretty sure I'd need a kidney belt to endure a session in the CTR on track.

 

[AE86Guy]

Pretty sure I'd need a kidney belt to endure a session in the CTR on track.

Honestly that suspension looks like it's tuned for a perfectly manicured track surface and driving 10/10ths. I've had s-chassis with 12k 10k spring rates that had less bounce to them.

 

[mdp5094]

Pretty sure I'd need a kidney belt to endure a session in the CTR on track.

Agreed, BUT ITS THEEEEEEE BEST COMPACT SPORTS CAR MONEY CAN BUY!!!!! - says almost every journo under the sun.

 

[fredzy]

Honestly that suspension looks like it's tuned for a perfectly manicured track surface and driving 10/10ths. I've had s-chassis with 12k 10k spring rates that had less bounce to them.

That's the thing, even on perfectly smooth track this thing hops when cornering on the limit. Watch the Suzuka lap record video, or really any youtubers in-car video when on a track. You'll see this 1.2-1.5hz bouncing, very significant. No flavor of GRC appears to do anything like that.

 

[GRMcFly]

Agreed, BUT ITS THEEEEEEE BEST COMPACT SPORTS CAR MONEY CAN BUY!!!!! - says almost every journo under the sun.

I disagree, and I'm a hardcore Honda guy according to some. I also like the Speed3... but, I absolutely think the GR Corolla is the best car EVER. No reliability, fuel economy, high maintenance, or more expensive costs associated with AWD turbo cars. Better balance when it comes to wanting it stock and or full bolton+tuned power, since traction is always there... and then, you have the ability to put it in FWD mode if you really want to get every last bit of straight line performance/mpg out of it... like the kia Stinger, hmm, AWD gets the traction but costs more and more drivetrain loss, but RWD is lighter...

OH, and don't forget this is a manual only (love that!), no electronic brake garbage (love that!), no-sunroof only for better weight & center of gravity like a CTR/Mazdaspeed3 (love that!l)

...ok, it has flaws, no seatback pockets and minimal storage compartments/armrest.

 

[Jeonsa]

I disagree, and I'm a hardcore Honda guy according to some. I also like the Speed3... but, I absolutely think the GR Corolla is the best car EVER. No reliability, fuel economy, high maintenance, or more expensive costs associated with AWD turbo cars. Better balance when it comes to wanting it stock and or full bolton+tuned power, since traction is always there... and then, you have the ability to put it in FWD mode if you really want to get every last bit of straight line performance/mpg out of it... like the kia Stinger, hmm, AWD gets the traction but costs more and more drivetrain loss, but RWD is lighter...

OH, and don't forget this is a manual only (love that!), no electronic brake garbage (love that!), no-sunroof only for better weight & center of gravity like a CTR/Mazdaspeed3 (love that!l)

...ok, it has flaws, no seatback pockets and minimal storage compartments/armrest.

It’ll have an auto option soon. Lol

 

[Cockrolla]

IT HAS 3 cylinders. that means 1 less spark plug ;D

 

[samagon]

That's the thing, even on perfectly smooth track this thing hops when cornering on the limit. Watch the Suzuka lap record video, or really any youtubers in-car video when on a track. You'll see this 1.2-1.5hz bouncing, very significant. No flavor of GRC appears to do anything like that.

less bouncy than the Mercedes W13, so I don't see a problem here. :lol:

 

[TimeRacer]

Honestly that suspension looks like it's tuned for a perfectly manicured track surface and driving 10/10ths. I've had s-chassis with 12k 10k spring rates that had less bounce to them.

I think what Honda tried to do here is what many other brands tried to do keeping the 'comfort' mode comfortable. Over damping the car to give some artificial spring rate. It slows down the body roll transitions which is fine in quick transition turns but becomes a bump fest in sustained turns and bumpy surfaces. Honda engineers have stated they are using the same shocks and springs from the FK8 due to budget limitations. Increasing the stock spring rate MIGHT help the ride in Sport and R+ modes if the problem is just an over dampened shock... so while not 12k/10k spring rates, probably 6-7kg/mm rates? But this is just speculation until the big tuners start playing with the system. I didn't bump around that much on the same 10k/12k spring rates at Sonoma over the exact same surface you saw the bounce fests after the drag strip straightway after the carousel. Ultimately the takeaway is R+ mode is basically unusable unless on a F1 level manicured track, so when you see folks turning on R+ mode for their local backroad, you know they aren't optimizing anything.

As for the GR Corolla, basically it's the tossable, fun enough, endless grip car until understeer. Another confirmation the car doesn't have any rotation on throttle which is unfortunate. From the reviews here, it's basically the same case of the CTR, it's worth the money they're asking at MSRP and not much more. Lack of space, interior quality, not the best ergo, but get the cold weather features (heated steering and seats) and AWD with the shortest wheelbase are the reasons to buy it. But think everyone agreed the base Civic is leagues better than the Corolla and Toyota didn't make much changes besides drivetrain so the Civic is the 'better car' but that short(ish) wheelbase AWD is inciting and fun enough.

 

[Lug_Nuts_23]

The group of journalists in the video posted on page 50 said that allegedly the spring rates on the new Civic Type R were the same as on the old one but the dampers were way stiffer. Even if not precisely true, it sure seems to be overdamping.

Incidentally they also said that even in comfort mode the shocks would adapt and stiffen up as you drove harder, which was interesting.

Video:

 

[GRMcFly]

IT HAS 3 cylinders. that means 1 less spark plug ;D

and only 12 valvesprings to change, only 12 valves to damage, less cylinders to break, only 3 coils to go out, but 6 injectors, and 2 fuel pumps

 

[Cptnslo]

 

[Cptnslo]

This isn’t the type of video we put in here anymore but holy fuck this dudes garage and still picking up a GRC. Lol

 

[GRMcFly]

This isn’t the type of video we put in here anymore but holy fuck this dudes garage and still picking up a GRC. Lol

I prefer the GR Corolla. The Ferrari F8 is complete junk. Very unreliable and expensive to maintain. Oil change, no comparison... but I'd rather be a Ferrari builder/engineer than a GR Corolla builder/engineer. You can make a killing on the Ferrari.

 

[landyman71]

I prefer the GR Corolla. The Ferrari F8 is complete junk. Very unreliable and expensive to maintain. Oil change, no comparison... but I'd rather be a Ferrari builder/engineer than a GR Corolla builder/engineer. You can make a killing on the Ferrari.

You take the GRC, I’ll take the Ferrari off your hands

 

[mdp5094]

k

 

[samagon]

This isn’t the type of video we put in here anymore but holy fuck this dudes garage and still picking up a GRC. Lol

his comparison of the STI vs the GRC are spot on, the GRC just feels snappier.

 

[Jeonsa]

his comparison of the STI vs the GRC are spot on, the GRC just feels snappier.

It’s a newer car. In ways even the new WRX feels similar to the STI to me. Lol. Besides the brake and putting power down at times.

 

[samagon]

It’s a newer car. In ways even the new WRX feels similar to the STI to me. Lol. Besides the brake and putting power down at times.

no doubt, couple that with the STI having an aged engine, coupled with old tech (no DI, for example), the turbo is like a mile from the heads (vs the GRC the turbo is nearly in the head) it matters for a lot.

a lot of people are going to cross shop the two, even if the STI is only available used, and maybe some are already in a STI and are considering this. so regardless of the why, it is valuable data point for potential shoppers.