CTR vs Type S

[egxflash]

We all fanboyed out and got manual 6 speed hatches and we all spent way too much to get it, miss the old days.

Truest thing said in this entire thread.

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[CBPFL5]

Truest thing said in this entire thread.

I wouldn't say that, honestly. The FL5 is way more car than pretty much any hot hatch ever before. Is it a little pricey... Sure. But you buy any civic before the FK8, you're putting $30-40k worth of parts alone into it to get the same capabilities depending on the base, and you're sacrificing a lot of daily drivability (though it may feel quite a bit more exciting to drive).

Heck, accounting for inflation the FL5 MSRP is like 15% cheaper than a 2015 FK2. An FD2 in 2007 was $40,000 adjusted for inflation.

The CTR was never an "economy" car. It was always 30-50% more expensive than an SI or sport trim, and has never been *this* significantly better than the SI trim. Flagship hot hatches have always been pretty expensive.

 

[Zone47]

I test drove a Type S and then bought the type R.

Things that I liked about the Type S:
The heads up display
The heated seats, and that the rear seats match the front
The sound of the stock exhaust
The deep metallic blue finish option

Things that I liked about the Type R:
The deeper front race ready seats (except for no matching color in the back).
The dash and S2000 like display option
The shifter knob
The naturally flared fenders and more aggressive looks of the body
The wheels
The branded brembos
The wing (not at first though)
The stiffer ride
The MSRP price (I didn't pay any mark up).
Made in Japan

Both cars; the rarity. There aren't 19 Zillion of them on the road at any given time or at any car show, like a Corvette for example.

Build quality. Hopefully they will prove to be reliable as Honda products have been from the start.

 

[CBPFL5]

I test drove a Type S and then bought the type R.

Things that I liked about the Type S:
The heads up display
The heated seats, and that the rear seats match the front
The sound of the stock exhaust
The deep metallic blue finish option

Things that I liked about the Type R:
The deeper front race ready seats (except for no matching color in the back).
The dash and S2000 like display option
The shifter knob
The naturally flared fenders and more aggressive looks of the body
The wheels
The branded brembos
The wing (not at first though)
The stiffer ride
The MSRP price (I didn't pay any mark up).
Made in Japan

Both cars; the rarity. There aren't 19 Zillion of them on the road at any given time or at any car show, like a Corvette for example.

Build quality. Hopefully they will prove to be reliable as Honda products have been from the start.

Don't forget LogR! ITS doesn't get LogR.

 

[jcb]

I tried on both (came from other sports cars):
1. FL5 doesn't have glued on rear hips. I hate glued on things.
2. FL5 has way better seats and, to me, a more classic interior...it says 993....to me.
3. LogR gauges. I like gauges.
4. I like the white...historic.
5. I like the wheels on the FL5 more.
6. The stereo is actually better in the FL5 if you really work at evaluating them....this was confirmed by serious analysis by savagegeese.
7. I got the FL5 ctr for 500 over msrp!
8. More honda dealers than acura dealers...

 

[MC BumSlap]

I've always wanted a CTR. I've never wanted ANYTHING with the Type-S moniker.

 

[s219]

6. The stereo is actually better in the FL5 if you really work at evaluating them....this was confirmed by serious analysis by savagegeese.

That is surprising to me -- I owned an ITS for about 10 months and thought the ELS stereo was one of the best OEM setups I'd experienced in many cars. The CTR stereo seems a lot flatter with less range to me, pretty "average" overall. I wonder if I can better tune the settings in the CTR.

 

[RMA]

I have had both, tough call but I pretty much prefer the CTR. I like the fact its built in Jp and I do see a difference in the build quality on the R vs the S. For example when opening and closing the doors for example.

 

[jcb]

When I said the CTR had better audio, that was both to my ears and (more importantly) in a video by savagegeese. He is an audiophile and tests frequency data formally and felt the CTR was better.

 

[apl360]

I went type s cuz it just made sense

fl5 was 5k over msrp. Putting it in headshot range of the de5. Coming from a GTI, the one with the nicer interior materials, nicer sounding stereo (I’m not an audiophile but I found the fl5 radio lacked bass) and other things was just a no brainer.

all of my bulbs are led. I have this stupid heads up display that shows me my turn by turn directions when using gps. And frankly, there’s nothing the fl5 can do that the de5 can’t. Even on track with the same rubber they run similar times.

I do wish the de5 had the fl5’s tq reduction in first and second tho. Fl5 seats are cool but at my age ain’t no way I can do those seats and a road trip

and I don’t track and see zero value in LogR. Had it in my old fk8 and the shit gave me Cobb accessport levels of anxiety.

I say pick whichever U like. At my age with my back issue. Plus being spoiled by the mk7.5 autobahn GTI, The de5 made sense

 

[s219]

When I said the CTR had better audio, that was both to my ears and (more importantly) in a video by savagegeese. He is an audiophile and tests frequency data formally and felt the CTR was better.

I just looked back at his video and other than bass response, he said the ITS audio is much cleaner in the mid and high range than the CTR, which matches my experience as well. There is a lot more range/detail and dynamic separation with the ITS system, probably due to additional mid-range speakers and just having more speakers in more positions around the listener. To me, the CTR system sounds very flat across the mid and high range and loses a lot of dynamics and detail. I'd rate it average sounding. Even the Bose system in my GMC Sierra Denali sounds quite a bit better.

I don't think this is a knock against the CTR system per se, since it's a Civic platform and I wouldn't expect a high end audio experience in the price range of a Civic. If Honda juices up the CTR system over lesser Civics, it's not by much.

Here's a link to the video, I tried using a link that goes right to the spot where he covers audio, but the assanine forum software insists on embedding the video and sometimes breaks that. Audio discussion starts at 13:20 in case the auto play doesn't work.

 

[apl360]

I just looked back at his video and other than bass response, he said the ITS audio is much cleaner in the mid and high range than the CTR, which matches my experience as well. There is a lot more range/detail and dynamic separation with the ITS system, probably due to additional mid-range speakers and just having more speakers in more positions around the listener. To me, the CTR system sounds very flat across the mid and high range and loses a lot of dynamics and detail. I'd rate it average sounding. Even the Bose system in my GMC Sierra Denali sounds quite a bit better.

I don't think this is a knock against the CTR system per se, since it's a Civic platform and I wouldn't expect a high end audio experience in the price range of a Civic. If Honda juices up the CTR system over lesser Civics, it's not by much.

Here's a link to the video, I tried using a link that goes right to the spot where he covers audio, but the assanine forum software insists on embedding the video and sometimes breaks that. Audio discussion starts at 13:20 in case the auto play doesn't work.

De5 radio is pretty solid. Especially when U turn on the thingy that makes the ceiling speakers cut on. I also found the fl5 radio to be very neutral and lacking in bass a lot. Though I’m sure some folks do appreciate the flat profile. Playing with the eq doesn’t seem to help at all. Not even with bass.

 

[NoelPR]

My decisive factor was price. Both run on the same platform, and it’s been proven many times that they post similar metrics.

I wasn’t able to find a CTR at MSRP. I was willing to drive or fly to get one, but after months of calls I had no luck. It only took me a couple of days to find a DE5 at MSRP. Back in summer 2023, the typical FL5 price was around 55K.

I value many extras that come with the Integra.
The HUD, headlights, radar sensors, triple sound profile exhaust, and extended warranty are among my favorites.

 

[apl360]

My decisive factor was price. Both run on the same platform, and it’s been proven many times that they post similar metrics.

I wasn’t able to find a CTR at MSRP. I was willing to drive or fly to get one, but after months of calls I had no luck. It only took me a couple of days to find a DE5 at MSRP. Back in summer 2023, the typical FL5 price was around 55K.

I value many extras that come with the Integra.
The HUD, headlights, radar sensors, triple sound profile exhaust, and extended warranty are among my favorites.

Same. Coming from a mk7.5 GTI, the fl5 felt too expensive to have “that” stereo and “those” interior materials. I felt the fl5 stereo was good but not as solid as the GTI’s and I felt the fl5 interior design was great but materials were lacking. Then the fl5 was 5k over msrp + bullshit add ons. Putting it right in head shot range of the de5

and frankly. The de5 comes off as a car that was the result of a type r having a baby with a GTI.

sold. No regrets. Love the fl5 but I love my de5 more. No offense to anyone

I’m just glad and happy I was able to afford the de5. Its price ain’t exactly low. Even at msrp. But I was able to trade in my GTI for 25k and I only owed like 7k on it. And I put some money down too. My monthly payment plus insurance is super comfortable

 

[s219]

The ITS is fairly easy to buy below MSRP, at least that was the case when I bought my 2025 ITS in late 2024. Without much haggling they knocked about $3K off. Despite selling in much lower numbers than the CTR (which theoretically makes the ITS more exclusive) it lacks the "aura" that lets Honda dealers jack up the CTR price and get away with it. Doesn't necessarily make sense to me but clearly CTR customers enable that behavior.

On a per-dealer basis (simply because there are ~4X more Honda dealers than Acura dealers), the CTR is considered scarce but in overall numbers Honda sold more than 2X CTR units in the North American market this year than Acura did with the ITS. I suspect long term, that will factor into collector value and the ITS may carry more weight. Hard to say, as Acura is doing a lousy job making the ITS special, and they are slapping the Type S tag on other models that don't necessarily deserve it. So long term the CTR may be judged as the more exclusive car.

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