When we took delivery of our Honda Civic Type R FL5 way back in January, we were told that only 140 units would make there way to UK shores in 2023. However, that has proved not to be true, with owners still taking delivery of their FL5s everyday.
With more and more of the 11th generation Civic on the road, naturally, enthusiasts are keen to put their stamp on them to make it their own. So, it’s about time that we wrote a modification guide on the most powerful Civic Type R ever produced! In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve deep into the world of FL5 modifications, unlocking the secrets to enhancing its aesthetics, power, and handling, while preserving the core values that make it such a beloved vehicle.
For those of you that are reading this with a view to purchase a FL5, then it’s worth reading on, as we’ve already listed theGenuine Honda extrasfrom the UKDM,USDMandJDMmarkets on ourwebsite. Which means that if you’re specifically waiting for a car with a certain extra, then don’t worry, as you can purchase from us and then retrofit it yourself!
If you’re pushing your FL5 to its limits on track, then you’ll be wanting to upgrade the brakes. We have various differentMotul Brake Fluidsavailable, which will eliminate boiling the OEM fluid.
Whilst you’re upgrading the brake fluid it’s worth swapping out your OEM brake lines to an aftermarket solution. This will remove the ‘spongy’ feeling from the brake pedal, and make braking feel smoother and stronger. We have options available from both EBC and Spoon Sports.
PBS ProRace padsare made by racing drivers for racing drivers, working at high temperature with excellent pedal feel , consistent braking with low dust and great rotor life. These are one of the best bang for buck pads on the market giving great consistency, longevity and bite at both hot and cold temperatures.
We also have a couple of options available from Ferodo. TheDS2500are our pad of choice for everyday/fast road use, as they aren’t too aggressive and don’t produce too much dust either. If you’re thinking of using your car on track then it’s worth going for theDS3000instead.
For those of you that want a bit more ‘bite’ out of the brakes, then it’s worth upgrading your brake pads to something more suitable.RP-1andRP-X(race and track) brake pads will offer a lot more performance.
A brake pad that we recommend and use on most of our race cars, is thePagid RSL29. TheRSL29features very good modulation and release characteristics, making it ideal for club racing and track days.
To keep your brakes cool on track, it’s worth considering a set ofEBC Titanium Front Brake Pad Shims. These neat components reduce heat transfer through the pads to the caliper by around 90°F!
A relatively simple upgrade that will also change the way your FL5 sounds, is to install anaftermarket intake. There is a range of intakes already available with more being released very soon (includingEventuri)!
We’ve already tested theRamair Proram Induction Kiton our FL5 and was very impressed with the performance that it had to offer, especially for the price. Being an open intake, the sound is also great too!
Pipercrossoffer aPanel Air FilterandInduction System Kitfor the FL5. The panel filter is a great upgrade, especially when it’s time for a service. The Induction System Kit replaces the OEM airbox, andPipercrossclaim that they have seen gains of 10bhp.
If you want to keep things JDM, then you’ll want to consider theGruppeM Carbon Intake. This kit is designed to draw in the maximum volume of ambient air whilst maintaining filtration reliability. It’ll also look fantastic once you’ve popped the bonnet too!
We’ll soon be conducting our very own intake test for the FL5, similar to theGR Yarisone that we carried out. We’ll then be able to see for ourselves what gains each kit offers. Stay tuned as we’ll be carrying this test out before the end of 2023!
If you want to unlock some noise from your FL5, then you’ll want to upgrade the exhaust. Our Type R was actually used as the development car for Milltek Sport. We ended up with theMilltek Sport Non-Resonated Catback with Cerakote Black Tips. Check out the video of this, below.
We also have two iterations of theKakimotoexhaust listed too. TheClass KRexhaust keeps the OEM styling with 3 tips and is aimed at road users. TheGT1.0Z Exhaustis perfect for those who want to squeeze all the performance out of their FL5, as not only will it offer better performance, the muffler weighs just 7.4kg; half the weight of the OEM muffler!
First and foremost, it’s important to talk about regular servicing of your FL5 engine. Ideally, you’ll want to change the engine oil and filter before a track day to ensure that the engine runs as it should. We recommend sticking with aGenuine Honda Oil Filter, so you can expect a perfect fit and performance.
When it comes to engine oil, depending on what you’re using the car for, you can stick with theGenuine Honda 0w-20 Engine Oil, or opt for an aftermarket option from the likes ofMotul.
If you’re planning on getting your FL5 remapped at some point, then it’s worth considering an uprated BOV. TheTurbosmart Kompact Supersonic BOVis an ideal solution to replace the factory plastic unit, and is capable of handling higher levels of boost. It’s constructed of billet aerospace grade aluminium with high temperature seals and is a direct fit upgrade.
For those that want to send their FL5 to the moon, then you’ll likely be considering some more major modifications. Skunk2 Racing have released theirUltra Stage 1&2camshafts. TheirStage 1 cams, are a true drop-in cam that is compatible with stock valve springs and retains stock idling characteristics. You can expect to see gains of around 25-40bhp throughout the power band with these.
Looking for a more serious cam?Skunk2’s Stage 2 camshaftsunleashes the full potential of the K20C1. Expect to see gains of around 40-60bhp with these! The valve train will need upgrading with these, but Skunk2 have you covered with theirUltra Valve Spring and Spring Base Kit. We would recommend getting a tune from a reputable tuner when upgrading cams.
There isn’t too many options available yet when it comes to upgrading the suspension of the FL5. We know that the Yellow Speed Racing coilovers from the FK8 will also fit onto the FL5. TheirDynamic Pro Sport kitare perfect for both the road and occasional track and offer excellent value for money too! It’s worth considering purchasing theEDC Cancellation Kittoo which prevent any error codes or light from the electronic dampening control system.
Nitron have also produced coilovers for the FL5. They have three different options available;RoadSport,NTR R1andNTR R3.
If you don’t want to go down the coilover route, there are a couple of options for lowering springs. The first of which areSpoon Sports Progressive 20mm Springs. We plan on installing these to our car in the very near future.
Renowned manufacturers of lowering springs,Eibach, have a couple of options too, with kits for USDM and UK cars respectively. With theUK kit, you can expect to see a drop of 15mm at the front and 10mm at the rear. TheUS kitwill see the car lowered by 15mm at the front and 20mm at the rear.
The Civic FL5 boasts an awesome interior as standard, however, we offer a huge range of upgrades to make it even better! Honda have a range of accessories, which are available from various different markets of the world, however, we have listed them all on ourwebsite.
Some of the accessories that will stand out the most are thecarbon panels and trims. These definitely improve the cabin aesthetic and feature a lovely red weave in the carbon too!
We also upgraded our gear knob, opting for theJDM Red Leather Shift Knob, rather than the OEM metal unit.
A fairly costly, but iconic upgrade are theJDM Red Floor Mats. These are a cut above the rest in terms of quality of material and plushness and are likely to hold their value for years to come.
You can check out all the Genuine Honda extras that we went for in our latest YouTube video!
We offer a range of styling parts, including everything fromGenuine HondatoMugen. One of the options we have gone for on our FL5 is theGenuine Honda Carbon Wing. This really helps to make the rear of the car a lot more aggressive, as well as being lighter than original spoiler too.
We’ll soon be listing theMaxton Designscatalogue for the FL5, so make sure you watch this space to see when they become available.
Whilst aftermarket wheels can be chosen based on their appearance, there’s also the advantage of them being lighter than theOEM counterparts(in most cases). We’ve written a separate blog specifically onFL5 Wheel Fitment, which you can check out below.
Our FL5 has benefitted from a couple of sets of aftermarket wheels so far. The first set we tried wereMotegi MR145’s. These were 18″ x 9J ET45 in Satin Black withYokohama AD09265/35/19 semi-slick tyres.
We’ve recently just swapped these out for someTSW Imatra’s. These are 18″ x 9.5J ET38 and are also finished in Satin Black with the same tyres as before. We finished this setup by utilising a set ofMugen Black M14 x 1.5 Wheel Nuts.
If you’d like to learn more about modifying yourCivic FL5 or need any advice, then please get in contact with us and we’d be more than happy to help!