BMW M2 Coupe vs Honda Civic Type R
Verdict
These are both C-segment, four-seat, CBU petrol performance cars, but they go about it very differently. The BMW M2 Coupe has the numbers that matter for hard launches: 473 hp, 600 Nm, rear-wheel drive and 0-100 km/h in 4.1 seconds. The Honda Civic Type R gives away 158 hp and 180 Nm, yet its manual gearbox, 272 km/h top speed, bigger 410-litre boot, five-year warranty and RM1,735 lower annual road tax make the RM223,900 gap feel very real in Malaysia.
Pick the BMW M2 Coupe if you want the quicker, more powerful rear-wheel-drive car and accept the higher price, road tax and shorter warranty.
Pick the Honda Civic Type R if you want a manual front-wheel-drive hatchback with more boot space, longer warranty, lower road tax and the higher top speed.
Key differences
- Price: BMW M2 Coupe RM623,800; Honda Civic Type R RM399,900
- Engine output: BMW M2 Coupe 473 hp and 600 Nm; Honda Civic Type R 315 hp and 420 Nm
- Transmission and drive: BMW M2 Coupe conventional automatic, rear-wheel drive; Honda Civic Type R manual, front-wheel drive
- 0-100 km/h and top speed: BMW M2 Coupe 4.1 seconds and 250 km/h; Honda Civic Type R 5.5 seconds and 272 km/h
- Boot and fuel tank: BMW M2 Coupe 390 litres and 52 litres; Honda Civic Type R 410 litres and 47 litres
- Warranty and road tax: BMW M2 Coupe 2 years and RM2,113 a year; Honda Civic Type R 5 years and RM378 a year
M2 Coupe
- 473 hp and 600 Nm are much stronger figures
- Quicker 4.1-second 0-100 km/h time
- Rear-wheel drive with an automatic gearbox
- RM223,900 more expensive
- RM2,113 annual road tax
- Shorter 2-year warranty
Civic Type R
- Manual gearbox
- Higher 272 km/h top speed
- Larger 410-litre boot and 5-year warranty
- Slower 5.5-second 0-100 km/h time
- Lower 315 hp and 420 Nm outputs
- Smaller 47-litre fuel tank
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM 623,800 | RM 399,900✓ |
| Body type | Coupe | Hatchback |
| Segment | C-Segment | C-Segment |
| Assembly | CBU | CBU |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 24-valve DOHC, Twin-turbocharged with Direct Injection and Variable Valve Timing and Lift | 16-valve DOHC, Turbocharged with Direct Injection and Variable Valve Timing and Lift |
| Capacity | 2,993 cc | 1,996 cc |
| Horsepower | 473 hp✓ | 315 hp |
| Torque | 600 Nm✓ | 420 Nm |
| Cylinder Arrangement | Inline | Inline |
| Timing Type | Chain | Chain |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Bore | 84 mm | 86 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 9.3 | 9.8 |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | Manual |
| Transmission Name | M Steptronic | 6-speed Manual |
| Gears | 8 | 6 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | ZF | Honda |
| Driveline | Rear Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 4.1 seconds✓ | 5.5 seconds |
| Top Speed | 250 km/h | 272 km/h✓ |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,580 mm | 4,593 mm |
| Width | 1,887 mm | 1,890 mm |
| Height | 1,403 mm | 1,407 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,747 mm | 2,734 mm |
| Weight | 1,725 kg | 1,423 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 52 litres | 47 litres |
| Doors | 2 | 5 |
| Seats | 4 | 4 |
| Boot Space | 390 litres | 410 litres✓ |
| Front Tyre | 275/35R19 | 265/30R19 |
| Rear Tyre | 285/30R20 | 265/30R19 |
| Spare Tyre | Tyre Repair Kit | Tyre Repair Kit |
| Factory Tyres | — | Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Mexico (CBU) | Japan (CBU) |
| Chassis | Unibody | Unibody |
| Front Suspension | MacPherson Strut | MacPherson Strut |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Multi-Link |
| Front Wheels | 19" M Double-spoke Style 930 M Black Alloy | 19" Alloy |
| Rear Wheels | 20" M Double-spoke Style 930 M Black Alloy | 19" Alloy |
| Front Brakes | Ventilated Disc | Ventilated Disc |
| Rear Brakes | Ventilated Disc | Solid Disc |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | Adaptive M Suspension | Adaptive Dampers |
| Crash Safety Ratings | ||
| EuroNCAP | — | 5 stars |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain | Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Curtain |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Airbag Disable Function | ✓ | ✓ |
| Child Safety Lock | — | Manual for Rear Doors |
| Seat Belts | 4 Three-point | 4 Three-point |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available on Rear Seats | Available for 2 Outer Rear Seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes | Yes, Honda Sensing |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | All Seats | All Seats |
| Safety Notes | Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Prevention, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System | — |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | Adaptive LED Projectors with High Beam Assist | LED Reflector with Auto High Beam |
| Taillamps | LED Combination | LED Combination |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Power Adjustable Front Seats with Driver-side Memory Function | Manual Adjustable, Driver's Seat Height Adjustable |
| Rear Seats | 40:20:40 Split-folding | 60:40 Split-folding |
| Front Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-zone Automatic Climate |
| Rear Air-con | Single-zone Automatic Climate Control | — |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front, 2 Front USB, 1 Rear | 1 Front, 2 Front USB-A |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights | Map Lights and Ambient Lights |
| Cup Holders | Map Lights and Ambient Lights | 2 Front, 2 Rear |
| Audio | BMW Live Cockpit Professional with 14.9" Touchscreen, iDrive Controller, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Harman Kardon Surround Sound System | 9.0" Advanced Display Audio Touchscreen with 8 Speakers, Wired Android Auto, Wired and Wireless Apple CarPlay |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Two Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti Pinch | Four Windows, Driver's and Front Passenger's Side Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Push Button | Keyless Push Button |
| Locks | Keyless Operation | Keyless Operation with Walk-away Auto Lock |
| Auto Start/Stop | ✓ | — |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Passive Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control with Low Speed Follow |
| Tiptronic | ✓ | — |
| Paddle Shift | ✓ | — |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Remote Control Activation | Remote Control Activation |
| Parking Sensor Front | 4 Sensors | 4 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 4 Sensors | 4 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes | Yes, with Multi-angle |
| Auto Parking | Yes, for Parallel and Perpendicular Parking, with Reversing Assist | — |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | — |
| Head-up Display | ✓ | — |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Full LCD Monitor | Full LCD Monitor |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Convenience Notes | BMW ConnectedDrive, Wireless Phone Charger | — |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | Unlimited | — |
| Warranty Mileage Extended | Unlimited | — |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 2 years | 5 years✓ |
| Warranty Extended | 5 years✓ | — |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM 2,113 | RM 378✓ |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration.
M2 Coupe vs Civic Type R FAQ
Is the BMW M2 Coupe or Honda Civic Type R better?
For acceleration and output, the BMW M2 Coupe is better: 473 hp, 600 Nm and 0-100 km/h in 4.1 seconds. For lower running costs, warranty, boot space and top speed, the Honda Civic Type R has the stronger case.
What is the price difference?
The BMW M2 Coupe costs RM223,900 more than the Honda Civic Type R. The annual road tax gap is also large: RM2,113 for the BMW against RM378 for the Honda.
Which one is more practical?
The Honda Civic Type R has the edge on boot space at 410 litres versus 390 litres in the BMW M2 Coupe. Both seat four, and their exterior dimensions are very close.