Down low, the engine was docile enough, but rev it up to 6000rpm or so and it suddenly took on a whole new demeanour with a change to the engine note and a big hike in output.
It's this characteristic that can make the Type R a bit tiresome to drive around the suburbs: You're either bumbling around without a whole lot of power under your foot or you're thrashing the engine mercilessly to have fun.
That said, the V-Tec variable valve lift does mean that tootling about is an acceptable way to go since there's always decent torque on tap, if not the ear-splitting power of the engine at full noise.
Honda's build quality has always been pretty good, and the Civic Type R falls into that category.
Which means the big thing to watch out for is an engine that has either been poorly maintained or flogged mercilessly from day one.
A service record is critical with a Japanese car imports like this, because those intricate little hydraulic pathways that operate the V-Tec system can become clogged by even the tiniest piece of rubbish or sludge in the engine oil.
What colour is the oil on the dipstick? If it's black, you could be looking at a used Japanese cars with skipped services and at that point, we'd go looking elsewhere.
Unlike some old-school, low-tech engines, a couple of quick oil changes isn't going to restore a Honda V-Tec engine's health.
It's also worth knowing that these engines tend to consume a little oil in the normal course of things.
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