At today’s opening of the 2024 Tokyo Auto Salon, Honda presented its Honda Civic RS prototype. Not to be confused with the RS e:HEV hybrid sedan sold by Honda Malaysia, this RS is based on the Civic Hatchback, the same body used by the Type R.

More importantly, this RS hatchback has a 6-speed manual transmission, just like the Type R.

The display model is still a prototype, but Honda says the model will go into production in the third quarter of 2024, and it will slot between the regular 1.5-litre VTEC Turbo Civic and the 2.0-litre VTEC Turbo Civic Type R.

No interior photos were shared but the front disc brakes suggest that this is a sub-200 PS car for the streets, so it will most likely share the regular Civic’s 1.5-litre turbocharged engine.

Circa 200 PS and a 6-speed manual transmission is more than enough to enjoy analogue driving, just ask the Mazda MX-5 and Toyota 86 folks.

For now, all indication seems to point that this will be a Japan-only model. But that also means that parallel importers will be watching this model closely.

In Malaysia, there is a huge gap in prices between a regular Civic sedan and a Civic Type R, though this is due to higher import and excise taxes for the imported (CBU) Type R amplifying the gap between the locally assembled (CKD) Civic sedan.

The regular 182 PS / 240 Nm 1.5-litre VTEC Turbo / CVT automatic Civic sedan sells for between RM 131,900 to RM 151,900. The 184 PS / 315 Nm 2.0-litre e:HEV RS hybrid sedan variant sells for RM 167,900. The Japan-made 319 PS / 420 Nm 2.0-litre VTEC Turbo Civic Type R sells for RM 399,900.

In the US, Honda sells a 200 hp 1.5-litre VTEC Turbo-powered Civic Si Sedan at USD 29,100. The 6-speed manual transmission ‘hot sedan’ slots costs 35% less than the Civic Type R (from USD 44,795).