HONDA has returned the Civic Type R nameplate to the Australian market after six years in the wilderness due to poor timing of the previous model, with its fifth iteration built on the tenth-generation Civic hatchback

The Australian hot hatch segment has moved ahead in leaps and bounds since the discontinuation of the 2011 148kW/193Nm three-door FN2 Type R.

Volkswagen and Ford have a dominant grip on the market thanks to their circa-$40,000 front-wheel-drive (FWD) Golf GTI and Focus ST, while the $50,000-plus all-wheel-drive (AWD) Golf R and Focus RS cater to hotter hatch fans.

Honda, however, has opted for a FWD layout in its latest Type R but with the performance and price to compete directly against its AWD rivals.

Helping the Civic’s case is a 2.0-litre turbocharged VTEC four-cylinder engine producing 228kW/400Nm and a tricked-out front suspension to help make the most of the performance.

But can the world’s fastest FWD production vehicle really outgun its all-paw competitors, or has Honda’s ambitions with the latest Civic Type R exceeded its grasp?