FL5 and FK8 Civic Type R Comparison Side-by-Side Look

[mbaapk]

It’s literally the grill that gives the FL5 the beluga look… you are over analyzing it haha. The black piece on the FK8 aka the grill, connects flush to the bumper where the FL5 grill is concave so it gives it the frumpy hood.

It looks good on the FL1 in person. Pics dont do it justice.

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[Whitboy82]

It’s literally the grill that gives the FL5 the beluga look… you are over analyzing it haha. The black piece on the FK8 aka the grill, connects flush to the bumper where the FL5 grill is concave so it gives it the frumpy hood.

Can you please explain the “beluga look” and “frumpy hood”? I don’t see any of that.

Maybe it’s just me, but as far as vents go, while the slits on the front and rear bumper may be non functional, trying to compare them to the massive hexagons with fake mesh grill indentations, seems a bit of a reach. it’s like people are trying to reach for straws to find some way to say the FL5 is just as bad, when it clearly isn’t. I don’t think anyone expected Honda to come out with a car with 110% track ready full aero…but they clearly tried to make most of what you’re seeing functional.

 

[Rhorn]

It’s literally the grill that gives the FL5 the beluga look… you are over analyzing it haha. The black piece on the FK8 aka the grill, connects flush to the bumper where the FL5 grill is concave so it gives it the frumpy hood.

Right and the FL5 has that look because there is no black trim in the grill which makes it look concaved. If that black trim on the FK8 was body colored it would look very similar.

 

[Rhorn]

these badge placements oddly feels like afterthoughts...

Looks identical to the FK8 to me

 

[FK7_]

Can you please explain the “beluga look” and “frumpy hood”? I don’t see any of that.

Maybe it’s just me, but as far as vents go, while the slits on the front and rear bumper may be non functional, trying to compare them to the massive hexagons with fake mesh grill indentations, seems a bit of a reach. it’s like people are trying to reach for straws to find some way to say the FL5 is just as bad, when it clearly isn’t. I don’t think anyone expected Honda to come out with a car with 110% track ready full aero…but they clearly tried to make most of what you’re seeing functional.

Just relax, I’ve been a die hard Honda guy since the day I got my license. There is stuff on my FK8 I don’t like as well. I’ve owned 10 Hondas/Acuras since 2010 and almost imported an FD2 before I jumped on the FK8.

now the part I don’t like on the front which gives me the frumpy/beluga look is between those red arrows. See how the grill goes convex in between 2 overhangs (shown by the red arrows). That’s the part I don’t enjoy about the FL5. To make you feel better I guess (since this is all objective opinion), I don’t like the rear fender arch on the FK8 and the back end is clearly overstyled.

 

[citrus]

When I heard beluga, I immediately thought of this:

Makes me like FL5 even more now.

 

[FK7_]

Right and the FL5 has that look because there is no black trim in the grill which makes it look concaved. If that black trim on the FK8 was body colored it would look very similar.

The black trim is the grill though? Many people have body matched the grill for the FK8 and doesn’t have the concave look with overhang on the top and bottom.

 

[Whitboy82]

Just relax, I’ve been a die hard Honda guy since the day I got my license. There is stuff on my FK8 I don’t like as well. I’ve owned 10 Hondas/Acuras since 2010 and almost imported an FD2 before I jumped on the FK8.

now the part I don’t like on the front which gives me the frumpy/beluga look is between those red arrows. See how the grill goes convex in between 2 overhangs (shown by the red arrows). That’s the part I don’t enjoy about the FL5. To make you feel better I guess (since this is all objective opinion), I don’t like the rear fender arch on the FK8 and the back end is clearly overstyled.

I’m fully relaxed, but when people, mostly FK8 owners start hyper critiquing the FL5, before it’s even out, I want to know why…to me, owning 100 previous Hondas doesn’t have anything to do with that.
And maybe I sound the way I do because I’ve seen this happen before. I remember when the s550 replaced the s197 Mustang, and all the s197 guys came out of the woodwork, trying to criticize the hell out of the newer s550…looks like it’ll be the same with this.

 

[FK7_]

I’m fully relaxed, but when people, mostly FK8 owners start hyper critiquing the FL5, before it’s even out, I want to know why…to me, owning 100 previous Hondas doesn’t have anything to do with that.
And maybe I sound the way I do because I’ve seen this happen before. I remember when the s550 replaced the s197 Mustang, and all the s197 guys came out of the woodwork, trying to criticize the hell out of the newer s550…looks like it’ll be the same with this.

I’m just trying to find common ground with you lol yup I’ve been through every generational forum and seen it too. I will be getting an FL5 in the future, as I basically get a new car every year or 2. I just find it funny how defensive you get! I guess you should be used to it by now. Every new generation car will get critiqued by previous owners, that’s a fact. I don’t think what I have said is baseless though, I even showed you a pic of what my opinion is.

 

[mbaapk]

I’m just trying to find common ground with you lol yup I’ve been through every generational forum and seen it too. I will be getting an FL5 in the future, as I basically get a new car every year or 2. I just find it funny how defensive you get! I guess you should be used to it by now. Every new generation car will get critiqued by previous owners, that’s a fact. I don’t think what I have said is baseless though, I even showed you a pic of what my opinion is.

Sexiest view ever - aside from rear 3/4.

 

[FK7_]

Sexiest view ever - aside from rear 3/4.

Yes it’s a damn nice car. Just wish they would fix that grill area (in my opinion in case anyone else feels like getting defensive )

 

[mbaapk]

Yes it’s a damn nice car. Just wish they would fix that grill area (in my opinion in case anyone else feels like getting defensive )

I think smoked headlights would blend it nicely and give more of a menacing look.

 

[TrackS]

I think smoked headlights would blend it nicely and give more of a menacing look.

I really like the car's shape overall - however personally I find it mismatched front to back. The front is a smooth, sculptured design, while the rear view is slightly older fashioned, sharper edged and busy in comparison. I personally like the front better, but regardless, they just don't seem to have had the same design methodology front to rear.

I think it's mostly the complicated rear lights vs the sleek modern front lights that don't gel for me.

At the same time, the rear 3/4 view is great.

 

[mbaapk]

I really like the car's shape overall - however personally I find it mismatched front to back. The front is a smooth, sculptured design, while the rear view is slightly older fashioned, sharper edged and busy in comparison. I personally like the front better, but regardless, they just don't seem to have had the same design methodology front to rear.

I think it's mostly the complicated rear lights vs the sleek modern front lights that don't gel for me.

At the same time, the rear 3/4 view is great.

Honestly i thought the same with the FL1 until i saw it in person. 11th is strange in that the pics dont really do the car justice compared to seeing in person. I suppose thats the same for most cars. Not trying to dissuade you but sharing my experience. The fastback design really needs to be seen in person in totality and not in snaps to get a full sense for it. The accord like front is less accord like in person and blends better- seems less disjointed and more of a euro derivative.

 

[TrackS]

Honestly i thought the same with the FL1 until i saw it in person. 11th is strange in that the pics dont really do the car justice compared to seeing in person. I suppose thats the same for most cars. Not trying to dissuade you but sharing my experience. The fastback design really needs to be seen in person in totality and not in snaps to get a full sense for it. The accord like front is less accord like in person and blends better- seems less disjointed and more of a euro derivative.

Makes sense - I haven't seen it in person. In person even the FK8 rear end seems far more cohesive than in photos (and I personally thought Honda designers might have lost their minds when that first came out) so I know what you mean for sure.

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