Honda is officially taking its iconic Civic Type R hatchback from the tarmac to the dirt. Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) will showcase the new Civic Type R HRC Rally XP at the upcoming 2025 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.
Set for its global debut at the show (November 4–7), this new build isn’t just a concept—it’s a fully functional, street-legal vehicle fresh from off-road durability testing in Texas with F1 driver Liam Lawson. The project’s goal is to bridge Honda’s incredible touring car legacy with rugged, off-road performance. HRC is targeting the highly competitive American Rally Association (ARA) 2WD class, a series known for its demanding stages and talented drivers.
Learn about the competition at the ARA official site
Starting with a stock Civic Type R, HRC partnered with rally specialists at Rally Ready to transform the car. To handle the brutal demands of rally stages, the vehicle received significant modifications:
- Chassis: Fully protected with a tubular subframe, aluminum skid plate, and extensive underbody armor.
- Suspension: Features rally-specific dampers and heavy-duty suspension components.
- Performance: Upgraded with an HRC oil cooler, intercooler, and a radiator with reverse cooling flow.
- Drivetrain: A clutch plate differential to get the power down on loose surfaces.
- Cockpit: All business, with a prototype shifter and a carbon fiber hydraulic handbrake for initiating those perfect rally slides.
This build pulls from HRC’s 30+ years of winning on- and off-road and is a serious look at future customer racing programs.
We can’t wait to see this thing fly!
Find out more about the debut:
- HRC’s Official Announcement: https://hondanews.com/en-US/releases/honda-racing-corporation-to-showcase-new-prototype-performance-parts-concept-cars-and-race-bred-machines-at-2025-sema-show
- SEMA Show Official Page: https://www.semashow.com/
