Honda Brings Its Racing Division to Road Cars With New HRC Models

A Passion For Driving

There are very few automotive brands that can say they were born out of a passion for driving – Honda is one of them. Throughout its history, it has produced models that are iconic for their outstanding driving performance.

Doubling down on that idea, Honda has chosen to showcase its passion once more by displaying multiple models and concepts reflecting its love for driving in various forms. Its most recent stage was the 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon (TAS).

Honda Sports DNA

Introduced during the show are two new, distinct lines, called the "Sport Line" for on-road vehicles and the "Trail Line" for off-road vehicles. These new lines embody "the future direction of Honda automobile products that inherit the Honda Sports DNA carried forward since the company’s founding." Backing up this announcement, the automaker said that these new sports models will bear the Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) name as HRC-spec models.

Highlighting the "Sport Line" models are the Civic Type R HRC Concept and the Prelude HRC Concept. The former will have new HRC technologies coming from feedback from HRC race car drivers, while the latter will soon have HRC-specific parts to enhance performance. Honda sums up the "Sport Line" as “joy of driving at the will of the driver."

The "Trail Line" was highlighted by the Passport Trailsport Elite (The North American version was displayed as a reference). This model is what the brand regards as their top-tier off-roading vehicle, and the concept is a representation of that. Also part of the "Trail Line" showcase are the TrailSport HRC concepts, which are dressed-up SUVs from the lineup, consisting of the CR-V TrailSport HRC Concept, ZR-V TrailSport HRC Concept, Vezel TrailSport HRC Concept, and WR-V TrailSport HRC Concept. All are set to embody the key learnings HRC has gained from off-road racing.

Honda Civic e:HEV RS Prototype

Another treat by the brand was the display of the soon-to-be-launched Honda Civic e:HEV RS. This is the sportier version of the hybrid Civic and will be equipped with the new Honda S+ Shift control technology, the first car outside the Prelude to get it.

While not bound for production, the on-display design pays homage to the Civic that competed and claimed the championship of the All-Japan Touring Car Championship race 30 years ago. It is set to be sold in Japan by the end of 2026.

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