One could look at the 2018 Honda Civic Type R and immediately criticize it for having front-wheel drive, particularly since many of its rivals are all-wheel drive.
However, simply dismissing the Type R based on its front-wheel drive layout would be short-sighted. It still provides incredible driving thrills, performance and with the right driver behind the wheel, could keep up with rear-wheel drive supercars along a mountain road.
Perhaps one of the most remarkable things about the Type R’s front-wheel drive system is its complete lack of torque steer. That’s right, despite the front wheels handling 316 hp, 295 lb-ft of torque, steering and braking, the steering wheel won’t try to break your wrists under heavy acceleration, a trait notorious with many other powerful front-wheel drive vehicles.
In order to avoid torque steer, Honda engineers employed a number of novel solutions, as Engineering Explained reveals.
One of these factors involves a complete redesign of the Type R’s steering and suspension systems compared to a base Civic. By pushing the steering axis closer to the wheel’s centreline, Honda has been able to almost completely eliminate torque steer without scarifying ride comfort.
