Many vehicles available in foreign markets don’t make us swoon after them and wish they were part of our market, but the new Honda Civic RS certainly does.

The Civic RS is only being offered in Japan and won’t be part of the North American market. This may cause some uproar among drivers who love the Civic and its performance variants. This new Honda compact car has a serious driving improvement that we don’t see very often anymore: a manual transmission.

Here’s what makes this new Civic a desired commodity and something we want to drive and enjoy but can’t.

What does this Civic have to offer?

For the 2025 model year, one version of the Honda Civic takes a step back in time to add a stick shift to make it more fun and engaging to drive. The new Civic RS utilizes the 1.5-liter turbocharged engine, which is only offered in the sedan-only Si model in the United States. In Japan, this engine is part of the mix for the Si and the new RS, which can make driving this little car a lot more fun. Honda is quick to point out that the new RS isn’t just a manual-transmission version of the Si.

Additional upgrades

Some additional items that help make the manual transmission better for the engine it’s mated to in the Honda Civic RS are the rev-matching function and lighter flywheel. These items improve the engine response to give drivers a much more engaging feeling on the road or track. This new Civic also has larger front brakes and a stiffer steering torsion bar to deliver sharper handling to the driver, making it easy to carve up the roads. The RS wears a hatchback body style and rides 0.2 inches lower than the Si sedan.

The upgrades didn’t stop with some handling bits; the new Civic RS also has a new set of dampers and 18-inch black wheels, red RS badging, and an improved front bumper. You won’t find any chrome accents on this car; they have been replaced by black trim to give the RS a sportier feeling and a more stylish appearance.

Going inside for more

With performance changes and an improved exterior style, the RS doesn’t stop offering new looks for drivers in Japan. When you open the doors, you’ll see red stitching and a leather-wrapped aluminum shift knob. These changes aren’t in-your-face obtuse but add a subtle improvement to the interior style. This new JDM hatch also has two additional driving modes: Sport and Individual.

Power for the RS

The new Honda Civic RS comes with the already-known 1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that makes 180 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque. This makes it a little less powerful than the SU which generates 200 horsepower and 192 lb-t of torque. This three-pedal Civic is also less powerful than the Civic hybrid which sends 200 horsepower and 232 lb-ft of torque to the wheels.

If the Civic RS makes less power than two of the models we have in the United States, why do we want to drive it? The simplicity of a hatchback Civic with a manual transmission is enough to make us want this car to be part of our market. Most people don’t like to be told they can’t have something, but if you want to drive the Civic RS, you’ll have to go to Japan to experience the fun and engaged driving manners of this performance hatchback.

Will the Civic RS come to America?

Honda hasn’t shared any plans to bring this car to America or any other market outside of Japan. The Civic S was shown at the start of the year as a prototype at the Tokyo Auto Salon. This car was expected to match the Si for power, but that’s not the case. Still, a Civic hatchback with a lower stance and improved performance bits to go along with the manual transmission could be an excellent car to drive for drivers who don’t take high-speed driving too seriously.

Would you drive the Civic RS?

The Honda Civic RS presents an interesting choice for drivers. Some might want to drive this car simply because it’s a sporty and fun hatchback with a manual transmission. Still, other drivers might not appreciate the lack of power compared to two other Civic models. The performance upgrades might make enough of a difference for some, but not all. Additionally, many drivers don’t know how to use the third pedal and the manual shifter, which could put the Civic RS out of the running for them.