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Honda brought several exhibits at the Tokyo Auto Salon this year, although one of them is more interesting for Japanese buyers as it will soon evolve into a production offering. The 2024 Honda Civic RS Prototype previews a sporty trim of the hatchback with a manual gearbox, set to fill the gap between the regular versions and the hardcore Civic Type R.

The Civic RS was presented with a full-black livery, enhancing its stealthy appearance. The highlight of the exterior is the redesigned front bumper with sharper surfacing and slimmer side intakes. Furthermore, Honda added red RS emblems on both ends contrasting the black paint. The subtle visual upgrades make the new trim look like a softcore version of the Type R, even though the rest of the bodywork and the alloy wheels are carried over from the standard Civic Hatchback.

More: Mugen Drops Double Dose Of Civic Type R Madness For Tokyo Auto Salon

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Honda Japan

The Honda Civic is already available with a six-speed manual gearbox in the US market, but Japanese buyers are limited to the CVT automatic. This will change in the fall of 2024 when the manual-equipped Civic RS will launch in Japan.

The company didn’t say what lies under the hood, but chances are it will be powered by the non-electrified turbocharged 1.5-liter gasoline engine. More importantly, Honda promised “further refinements to the joy of driving”, hinting at a revised chassis setup that would justify the sportier looks.

Reading between the lines, the JDM-spec Civic RS could mirror the specs of the US-spec Civic Si. The latter benefits from a limited-slip differential, rev-matching tech, stiffer springs, revised dampers, thicker stabilizer bars, larger brakes, and 200 hp (149 kW / 202 PS) from the turbocharged 1.5-liter engine.

We will learn more information about the 2024 Honda Civic RS as we get closer to its debut in Japan this fall.