Notable McLaren Formula 1 driver Stoffel Vandoorne recently took some time off to test the new 2017 Honda Civic Type R. Vandoorne, who happens to be driving a Honda-powered McLaren race car, is one of the first few people to test the highly anticipated hatchback.

In a statement acquired by Motor Authority, Vandoorne said, "It's a superb looking car and faithful to the ethos of what makes the Type R great - a superb engine, excellent dynamics and Honda's proven quality and reliability."

According to Auto Week, the 2017 Honda Civic Type R packs a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 engine. It is rated with 306horsepower and 295lb-ft worth of torque delivered to the front wheels using a 6-speed manual transmission. Unlike most of its rivals, it is only available in manual and no automatic model will be released.

A video of the 2017 Honda Civic Type R was shared on several motoring blog sites and video sharing platform. Most of these videos were teaser and there are a handful of early test drives.

What many observers have noticed, based on these videos, is just how aggressive the hatchback sounds. Many complemented Honda for tinkering with its exhaust system to create such aggressive sound that many said perfectly matches the aggressive style of the new Honda Civic Type R.

The 2017 Honda Civic Type R made its official debut on March 7 at the Geneva Auto Show. The hatchback is expected to hit showrooms in the United States in late spring. As for its competition, the car will most likely be priced at the same price point as the Subaru WRX STI, Ford Focus RS, and the Volkswagen Golf R. It is interesting to know the new Civic Type R competes with its rivals, given that all of them have all-wheel-drive configurations.

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