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A £6k alternative to the new Civic Type R

The new Honda Civic Type-R is attracting a lot of attention for its hardcore approach to the standard hot hatch model.

It offended VTEC purists when it arrived with a turbo bolted to its two-litre engine, but is now performing very well in group tests, and head-to-head comparisons – here it is getting the nod over the (also spectacular) new Focus RS.

Its looks are also dividing opinion – especially that massive spoiler – but the experts seem fairly unanimous on the thing that matters: it’s brutally fast and handles like a dream.

However, the £30k price tag is a bit strong for some tastes. Historically, the whole point of the CTR was that it was a financially accessible pocket rocket.

So, if you’ve been priced out of the latest model, what are your options? We have a very good answer in stock at the moment.

This 2006 Civic Type R is much less challenging from a visual point of view. The design did feel ‘out there’ when it first arrived, but its curves have aged very well. It also has a lot of the practicality of a medium-sized hatchback – decent boot, four good seats, etc.

Most importantly, though, it comes mated to that free-revving 2.0 VTEC engine, with power delivered via a fantastic manual gearbox. You have to drive these differently to a car with a turbo engine – you can’t be as lazy, and have to work to find the power at the top end of the rev range, but to many, that’s exactly this car’s appeal.

This is a hot hatch performance bargain and at less than £6,ooo, we don’t think it’ll be around for long.

Check it out here, and don’t forget to try our homepage for a price for your old car.