MAKING a hot hatch raw and refined at the same time is a tricky balancing act. Honda gets it right with the formidable Civic Type R, which it describes rather well as 'rawfined'.

The Type R, of course, isn't just any old sports hatch. It is the biggest-selling 3-door hot hatch in the UK – the big daddy, the powerhouse without parallel.

Honda's speed machine outsells all its rivals (Golf GTI, Ford Focus ST, Volvo C30, SEAT Leon Cupra). And at £17,600, it's also cheaper than any of them.

So why do so many drivers hanker after a Type R? The answer lies in its unique blend of astonishingly futuristic glamour and driving satisfaction.

Type R looks the part – its incredible visual appearance is like no other car on the road with its splayed stance, fascinating wraparound band of headlamps, sinewy sill extensions, bold rear spoiler that splits the rear window and themed triangular detailing that makes the car so harmonious.

Critics have sniffed that the Civic's styling is so off the wall that it will quickly date. But sales don't bear that out and I think they're just miffed that Honda has been bold enough to initiate a design that just blows the rest away.

And, importantly, Honda has stuck to its principles of making the Type R a pure driving experience. That means it is still powered by a normally-aspirated 2.0-litre engine rather than having a strap-on big turbo, thus providing smoother acceleration.

Honda says it isn't chasing ultimate performance figures. But the Type R is still mightily impressive, snapping the 62mph barrier in 6.6 seconds and blasting all the way to a top speed of over twice the legal speed limit. Yet it will still return a combined 31mpg.

Honda's latest incarnation of the Type R sees smoother acceleration than before and more frequent access to the crucial 'power band' in answer to customer requests.

Enthusiasts pointed out that while they appreciated the staggeringly impressive performance package, they did not want to necessarily travel all the way to Aberdeen "with their arse on fire" (their words, not mine).

Personally, I don't mind having my nether regions hotting up if the driving experience is worth it. And the Type R is still my choice of hot hatch by a mile. It's raw, edgy, and a slightly rough- and-tumble experience but isn't that how life should be in the fast lane?

When the accelerator is floored, that Honda engine howls with delight and takes off like a dog that has been in the kennels for a fortnight and spots its owner coming to pick it up from 100 yards away.

Blinding acceleration is orchestrated by a rapid-fire six-speed manual 'box with a tiny gearlever as you snap and surge through the ratios in quick-fire time.

With no hint of tailwag or front-end fightback, the Honda always remains in command of any driving situation. Bends can be tackled with utter confidence as the car stays flat and carves out a sweet and consistent driving line and its free-spirited nature is allowed full rein in the knowledge that the brakes can haul down speed fast and safely.

And despite all that is going on, ride quality remains hard but perfectly acceptable for everyday driving.

On a practical note, the Type R has a wide, good-sized boot with a big cutaway area for loading large objects on board, plus tie-down hooks to keep luggage in place.

I love the red-themed interior and incredibly funky, two-tier dashboard that might look more at home in a spaceship than a hatchback car.

But there are still question marks over clunky-action door handles, hard interior plastics, vague lever-adjust seat rake adjustment, no rear wiper and that rear spoiler hindering rear vision.

But I'd still take the Type R over any rival without a moment's hesitation. It's 'rawfined' defined.

At a glance:

• Honda Civic Type R 3-door sports hatch, £17,600.


• Top speed 146mph, 0-62mph in 6.6 seconds.


• Combined mpg 31.


• Co2 215 g/km.


• 1998 DOHC normally-aspirated engine producing 201PS @ 7800rpm.


• 18-inch alloy wheels.


• Vehicle Stability Assist.


• Stereo CD-tuner with RDS.


• Dual front and side airbags.


• Aluminium footrest and drilled sports pedals.


• Alloy gearknob with red-stitched leather boot.


• Tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment.


• Type R Alcantara sports seats.