Honda Rental in Kuala Lumpur

The Civic RS at RM500 is the car we recommend to anyone whose main requirement is simply having a car that works. It is a five-seat saloon, it is comfortable in traffic, it fits every car park in the country, and it will do 6 to 7 litres per 100 km if you are not in a hurry. Over a fortnight the fuel saving against a German saloon is real money.

That makes it the standard replacement car. When someone's own vehicle is in the panel shop after an accident, or the insurer's loan car has run out, the RS is what most people end up in. It is also the one non-luxury car we run at a price where a month makes obvious sense and is not a stretch.

The Type R is a different proposition entirely: 329 bhp through the front wheels, a six-speed manual, and a wing you cannot miss. It is one of only two manual cars on the fleet, alongside the Porsche 718 Spyder, so please confirm you can drive a stick before booking. A surprising number of enquiries do not.

Type R bookings cluster around track days at Sepang, weekend drives up Genting or out to Fraser's Hill, and enthusiasts who want to try one before buying. It is loud inside at highway speed and the ride over KL's patched tarmac is firm. Nobody who books it is expecting comfort, but it is worth being clear.

Both Hondas are easy to place. The RS parks anywhere; the Type R is only slightly wider but sits low enough that steep ramps and unmarked humps need a little care with the front splitter. Both take RON 97 — the Type R needs it, the RS runs happily on it too.

If you are choosing between them for a longer booking, take the RS. The Type R is a wonderful weekend but a tiring month in Klang Valley traffic, and the difference in daily rate over thirty days pays for a great deal of petrol and a few nights away besides.