Civic Type R vs. Hyundai i30 N vs. Renault Megane RS Drag Race Is About Power

In a few years, the CTR went from a forgotten laughing stock of the industry to an almost unbeatable contender with some of the best front-wheel-drive technology on the planet. This drag race video is not to see which of the newcomers can beat it, but how much slower they are.

The European version of the Honda hot hatch makes 320 horsepower, while its two rivals have slightly less. The newcomer here is the Hyundai i30 N, built mainly for driver enjoyment, but still quite capable thanks to its 275 horsepower 2-liter.

Meanwhile, the Megane RS has everything to play for here. Renault kind of dropped the ball with the Clio RS and made some of the same controversial decisions on the bigger car. The Megane is heavier than before, has a smaller engine and can only be had as a 5-door.

Top Gear are the ones responsible for this drag race video, and as their editor points out at the beginning, the Civic was always going to win this. Their format is super-short, which is entertaining as a time-waster, but not 100% informative. They never tell us if more than one run was made, what sort of tires are fitted and other stuff that may count with these overpowered FWD cars.

They’re calling it a moral victory for the Megane RS 280, but considering it’s more expensive than the i30 N, which was quite close behind, we disagree. So are there no 300 horsepower hatchbacks that can challenge the Civic Type R?

Well, SEAT made a 310 horsepower Leon Cupra R, which matched the quarter-mile time of the Civic in a drag race two months ago. You can always buy an AWD rocket like the Golf R, and we won’t accuse you of cheating. However, if you like big engines, consider waiting for the next Focus ST, which will come out next year with a 2.3-liter turbo.