in all respects of top speed, handling, acceleration, weight balance, launching, anything racing-oriented: RWD is better than FWD. Sure, fwd can keep up sometimes, but ultimately rwd cars will do it beter and usually for cheaper. The only advantage fwd will have is efficiency/economy.

Civics are so popular mostly because they are cheap, economical, low insurance, easy to work on,reliable.. and because of all those--lots of people buy them, which makes a ton of aftermarket-support, which creates even more popularity.