We ran ISO 3888-2 style double lane-change drills (“moose test”) at progressively higher speeds to probe the 2024 Honda Civic Type R’s stability control calibration and tire grip limits. Here’s how it behaved as the stakes rose.
Test car: 2024 Honda Civic Type R, 315 hp turbo 2.0L, 6-speed manual, helical LSD, curb weight 3,188 lb. Tires are OEM Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, 265/30ZR19 on 19x9.5 wheels. We set cold pressures to 35 psi F/33 psi R; they stabilized at 38/36 psi after warmup. Ambient 18–20°C, dry asphalt, light crosswind.
Driver plus 25 lb of data gear on board. The course followed ISO 3888-2 dimensions with cones defining a swift left-right-left transition. We used a VBOX for speed and lateral g, adding 5 km/h increments from 60 through 85 km/h. We ran in Comfort (default) and +R modes; in +R, the Type R relaxes VSA thresholds but does not fully disable stability control.
In Comfort, the car is calm and predictable. Clean passes were easy up to 75 km/h, with mild initial understeer and a small inside-front brake nip as the system trims rotation. The fastest cone-clean run in this mode was 78 km/h. Beyond that, ESC becomes more assertive: you feel a brief engine torque cut on the first transition and targeted rear-outer brake on the exit to settle yaw.
Steering remains linear with strong self-aligning torque, but the interventions lengthen the path just enough to clip a cone at 80 km/h. Switching to +R raises the ceiling. The car rotates more eagerly off-center with less torque reduction and later brake application. Clean runs at 80 and 81 km/h were repeatable, with peak lateral load hovering around 0.97–0.99 g.
At 83 km/h, the rear steps slightly on the final lane, allowed a beat longer before VSA clamps with a decisive brake pulse; we brushed a cone on two of three attempts. Importantly, the system’s timing feels consistent—no surprises or mid-corner throttle yanks—so you can lean on it without second-guessing. Tire behavior is a highlight. The PS4S communicates early with a progressive howl and a narrow slip angle window you can hold.
Outer-shoulder temps rose from 26°C to 52–56°C after five back-to-back runs; grip peaked around the third and fourth attempts before edging greasy as carcass temps climbed. Adding a passenger dropped the clean-pass threshold by ~2 km/h. Reducing front pressure 1 psi improved midtransition bite but sharpened the exit oversteer in +R; we returned to 38/36 hot for best balance. Overall, the Civic Type R blends transparent, well-phased ESC logic with genuine mechanical grip.
Default mode is the safest for an unexpected swerve, keeping the car arrow-straight with modest path widening. +R is the choice for confident drivers on consistent surfaces, buying 2–3 km/h more headroom and quicker rotation without feeling lax. For repeated high-temp work, consider a touch more negative camber and watch pressures; otherwise, the stock setup is impressively dialed for real-world avoidance maneuvers.
