Alfa Romeo 4C / Honda Civic Type R FL5

The Honda Civic Type R FL5 makes 315 horsepower and costs $45,000. The Alfa Romeo 4C makes 237 horsepower and costs $60,000—a $15,000 price gap (25% cheaper for the Civic) despite the 4C having 78hp less power. Across 12 shared tracks with 147 unique comparison scenarios, the 4C loses by 2.42 seconds overall, and when you filter the comparison data on this page for matched modifications and matched tire treadwear, the Civic wins 98.7% of battles with a 10.33-second average gap.

This is Honda's 11th-generation Civic Type R FL5 (2023-2025) versus Alfa Romeo's carbon-fiber mid-engine exotic 4C (2013-2020). The Civic weighs 3,188 lbs. The 4C weighs 1,973 lbs—1,215 pounds lighter through carbon fiber monocoque chassis, aluminum subframes, and no sound deadening. The 4C has 78hp less power (237hp vs 315hp) and loses 98.7% of matched battles despite being the lightest production car sold in America during its generation. The question isn't which is faster—it's whether the 4C's exotic Italian mid-engine carbon-fiber engineering justifies $15,000 more than a front-wheel-drive Honda hatchback.

The Age and Warranty Reality: 12-Year-Old Exotic vs 2-Year-Old Honda

The Alfa Romeo 4C launched in 2013 (2015 in USA), making 2013-2016 models 9-12 years old today. The Civic Type R FL5 launched in 2023, making 2023-2025 models 0-2 years old today. This 10-year age gap creates catastrophic ownership cost differences when one car is an Italian exotic and the other is a Honda:

• Alfa Romeo 4C (2013, 12 years old): Factory warranty expired (Alfa's 4yr/50k ended in 2017-2019). Likely needs: carbon fiber chassis inspection ($2,000-3,000 specialist required), clutch replacement ($4,000-6,000, TCT dual-clutch failure common at 40k-60k miles), suspension bushings ($1,500-2,500, carbon tub stress), cooling system overhaul ($1,200-2,000, turbo 1.75L runs hot), tires aged out ($1,400). Conservative 12-year maintenance estimate: $10,000-15,000 over next 2-3 years. Alfa reliability: bottom-tier among all manufacturers.
• Civic Type R FL5 (2023, 2 years old): Factory warranty active (Honda's 3yr/36k bumper-to-bumper, 5yr/60k powertrain covers through 2026-2028). Likely needs: oil changes ($80 each), tire rotation. Conservative 2-year maintenance estimate: $500-800 over next 2-3 years. Honda reliability: top-tier among all manufacturers.

The $15,000 upfront savings buying the Civic grows to $24,000-29,000 effective savings when you factor in the 4C's catastrophic Alfa Romeo maintenance costs, carbon fiber chassis specialist service requirements, and TCT dual-clutch transmission failures. The Civic costs less, makes more power, is 10 years newer, AND wins 98.7% of matched battles.

The 78-Horsepower Disadvantage vs 1,215-Pound Weight Advantage

The Civic's K20C1 2.0L turbocharged inline-four makes 315hp at 6,500 rpm and 310 lb-ft at 2,600-4,000 rpm (database shows 420 lb-ft, likely data error). Power-to-weight: 10.12 lbs/hp. The 4C's 1.75L turbocharged inline-four makes 237hp at 6,000 rpm and 258 lb-ft at 2,200-4,250 rpm (database shows 350 lb-ft, likely data error). Power-to-weight: 8.32 lbs/hp—an 18% advantage despite making 78hp less.

The 4C's 1,973-pound curb weight comes from carbon fiber monocoque chassis (same construction as Ferrari LaFerrari and McLaren P1), aluminum subframes, no sound deadening, no carpets, racing seats, and minimalist interior. This is exotic car engineering: $54,000 MSRP in 2013 ($67,000 in 2025 dollars) bought the lightest production car in America. Yet the Civic's K20C1's 78hp advantage (33% more power) overcomes the 4C's 1,215-pound weight advantage (38% lighter) and delivers a 98.7% win rate when conditions are equal.

What the Filtered Data Reveals

• Matched mod + matched tire (79 laps): Civic wins 98.7%, 4C wins 1.3%, 10.33s gap. When both run equal preparation and tires, the Civic's domination is absolute—the 4C wins only 1 lap out of 79. The 4C's carbon fiber chassis, mid-engine layout, and 1,215-pound weight advantage can't overcome the Civic's 78hp power advantage and modern chassis technology. The 4C wins 1.3% of battles—this is not competitive.
• Medium Civic vs medium 4C, TW200/200 (60 laps): Civic wins 100.0% with 11.11s gap. The largest matched scenario shows the Civic's superiority is total—the 4C wins zero laps. The K20C1's 315hp destroys the 1.75L turbo's 237hp despite the 4C being 1,215 pounds lighter. The carbon fiber chassis can't save lap times when power is insufficient.
• 4C's only wins: MATCHED MOD | MISMATCHED TIRE (3 laps): 4C wins 66.7%. The 4C needs tire inequality to win—when it runs grippier tires, the lightweight chassis advantage finally shows. But this scenario has only 3 laps total and requires favorable conditions. Stock-vs-stock, the 4C is hopeless.

The Total Cost of Ownership: Exotic Italian vs Honda Reliability

Alfa Romeo 4C (2013): $60,000 buys Italian exotic engineering—carbon fiber monocoque, 1,973 lbs, mid-engine layout, 237hp from Alfa's 1750 TBi turbo four (135 hp/liter specific output), and exclusivity (sold only 3,765 units in USA 2015-2020). At 12 years old, you're buying Alfa Romeo's worst reliability reputation: TCT dual-clutch transmission failures ($5,000 replacement), carbon tub specialist service required ($200/hour minimum), suspension bushings wear from carbon chassis stress, cooling system failures. The 4C appreciated from $54,000 MSRP (2013) to $60,000 (2025) = 11% gain due to rarity, but ownership costs catastrophic: insurance premiums (exotic classification), premium fuel required, specialist-only service. Total 3-year cost: $60,000 purchase + $12,000 maintenance (Alfa specialist) + $2,700 fuel + $4,500 insurance (exotic) = $79,200. Resale: $55,000. Net cost: $24,200.

Civic Type R FL5 (2023): $45,000 buys Honda front-wheel-drive performance weapon—K20C1 turbo, 315hp, limited-slip differential, adaptive dampers, factory warranty through 2026-2028. At 2 years old, you're buying Honda's top-tier reliability: K20C1 proven bulletproof, warranty covers powertrain failures, Honda dealer service $120/hour. Maintenance is oil changes ($80), tire rotation. Total 3-year cost: $45,000 purchase + $800 maintenance (warranty) + $2,700 fuel (regular works) + $1,800 insurance = $50,300. Resale: $40,000. Net cost: $10,300.

The Civic saves $13,900 in net 3-year ownership costs (58% less than 4C) while winning 98.7% of matched battles with 78hp more power. The 4C's $15,000 higher purchase price becomes a $29,000 ownership premium when you factor in Alfa Romeo's catastrophic reliability, carbon fiber specialist maintenance, and TCT transmission replacement costs.

The Verdict

Choose the Honda Civic Type R FL5 if you want front-wheel-drive performance at $45,000, prioritize winning (98.7% matched win rate), value factory warranty through 2026-2028, and refuse to accept Alfa Romeo reliability. The Civic saves you $15,000 upfront (25% discount) and $13,900 in 3-year net ownership costs while making 78hp more power and beating the 4C in 98.7% of matched battles despite weighing 1,215 pounds more. The Civic is the choice for drivers who want maximum performance with minimal ownership anxiety and Honda reliability.

Choose the Alfa Romeo 4C if you want Italian mid-engine exotic engineering at $60,000, accept losing 98.7% of matched battles, and prioritize carbon fiber chassis exclusivity over lap times. You're paying $15,000 more (33% premium over Civic) for 78hp less power that loses 98.7% of the time when preparation is equal, plus $13,900 more in 3-year ownership costs for Alfa Romeo's catastrophic reliability and carbon fiber specialist maintenance requirements. The 4C is the choice for collectors who value Italian exotic rarity and carbon fiber engineering over speed, reliability, and affordability—but understand you're buying a $60,000 12-year-old exotic that gets destroyed by a $45,000 2-year-old Honda.

LapMeta's -2.42-second overall gap (4C loses) and 10.33-second matched-condition gap prove the Civic's absolute superiority. The 4C's carbon fiber monocoque and 1,215-pound weight advantage deliver zero competitive performance—the 4C wins only 1.3% of matched battles. The K20C1's 78hp advantage overwhelms the exotic Italian engineering completely. For the driver who wants the best performance-per-dollar with Honda reliability and factory warranty protection, the Civic at $45,000 delivers a 98.7% win rate for $15,000 less upfront and $13,900 less in 3-year ownership costs. For the collector who wants carbon fiber Italian exotic rarity and can accept losing 98.7% of matched battles plus paying Alfa Romeo specialist maintenance with TCT transmission replacement costs, the 4C's $15,000 premium buys mid-engine exclusivity and 1,973-pound curb weight—but not speed.