Simply Impressive
The Honda Civic and the Civic Si in particular, is highly regarded as being one of the original modern day tuner cars. It is adulated by some and respected by all of those that participate in today's tuning business. Because of the car's high status and the fact that it is held with such high esteem, it can sometimes be a delicate affair to evaluate such a cult hero. The Civic Si and VW GTI share much in that respect. I would even go so far as to compare them to the Porsche 911 as far as the fan base and following are concerned.
The Civic is now in its eight generation and is still going very strong. For the first time in Canada, we receive the real sporty Si. What we knew as the Si was in fact an EX model in the US. The authentic Si, the one that was sold as an SiR here, was really the Si. All of this to say that we are now on par with the rest of the World.
The base Civic Coupe DX retails for $17,180. The ultimate Civic, the Si, has a sticker price of $26,080.
Styling
The 4-door Civic is hit in my book as far as original dynamic styling is concerned, the 2-door is a notch above. The front grille and bumper treatment of the coupe is sportier and a tad more aggressive than the sedan. The tail-end is further differentiated by completely different lights, bumper and trunk lid accoutrements. Nearly obvious to all, the Si is the hottest looking of the bunch. It receives gorgeous 17" twin five-spoke allow wheels, a tidy rear spoiler, a chromed oval exhaust tip and a mildly revised grille over the other coupes. As per usual, the Honda Civic is expertly assembled.
The best thing about getting into the Si is sliding into the front seats. The cloth-suede covered bucket as basically mild-core racing seats. Once in place, the occupants are firmly held into place in a high degree of comfort. Every type of support is perfect, their styling is racy and all of this is capped off by
an embroidered Si logo. Also specific to the Si are the sport pedals with rubber pads and the S2000-like 6-speed shift knob.
The remainder of the cockpit is shared with the rest of the line. The high-mounted digital speedometer is still novel and incredibly easily to consult. The six-speaker plus subwoofer audio system is true to the car's powerful nature. There is plenty of leg and elbowroom up front. Rear occupants are also well treated although only two of them can take place back there. The trunk is a good size and once again and overall, the Civic is perfectly crafted.
Technical
A nearly true 2.0L (1,998 cc) i-VTEC DOHC 4 cylinder is at the heart of the Si. The psyched-up little powerplant creates 197 hp at 7,800 rpm and 139 lb/ft of torque at 6,200 rpm. The only available transmission is a very close ratio 6-speed manual which includes a helical-t
ype limited-slip differential. Braking duties are managed front and rear discs. Unique for the Si in the Civic line is the electric power assisted rack and pinion steering. The suspension is fully independent.
On the road
My first few moments behind the wheel of the Civic showed much about the Si's nature. This car is bread to move. As the days went by, I realised that this car was difficult to drive smoothly. Whether it is the driver or the car, there is a certain energy or nervousness about the mechanicals and the controls.
 |
The Civic is now in its eight generation and is still going very strong. For the first time in Canada, we receive the real sporty Si. What we knew as the Si was in fact an EX model in the US. The authentic Si, the one that was sold as an SiR here, was really the Si. All of this to say that we are now on par with the rest of the World.
The base Civic Coupe DX retails for $17,180. The ultimate Civic, the Si, has a sticker price of $26,080.
Styling
The 4-door Civic is hit in my book as far as original dynamic styling is concerned, the 2-door is a notch above. The front grille and bumper treatment of the coupe is sportier and a tad more aggressive than the sedan. The tail-end is further differentiated by completely different lights, bumper and trunk lid accoutrements. Nearly obvious to all, the Si is the hottest looking of the bunch. It receives gorgeous 17" twin five-spoke allow wheels, a tidy rear spoiler, a chromed oval exhaust tip and a mildly revised grille over the other coupes. As per usual, the Honda Civic is expertly assembled.
The best thing about getting into the Si is sliding into the front seats. The cloth-suede covered bucket as basically mild-core racing seats. Once in place, the occupants are firmly held into place in a high degree of comfort. Every type of support is perfect, their styling is racy and all of this is capped off by
an embroidered Si logo. Also specific to the Si are the sport pedals with rubber pads and the S2000-like 6-speed shift knob. The remainder of the cockpit is shared with the rest of the line. The high-mounted digital speedometer is still novel and incredibly easily to consult. The six-speaker plus subwoofer audio system is true to the car's powerful nature. There is plenty of leg and elbowroom up front. Rear occupants are also well treated although only two of them can take place back there. The trunk is a good size and once again and overall, the Civic is perfectly crafted.
Technical
A nearly true 2.0L (1,998 cc) i-VTEC DOHC 4 cylinder is at the heart of the Si. The psyched-up little powerplant creates 197 hp at 7,800 rpm and 139 lb/ft of torque at 6,200 rpm. The only available transmission is a very close ratio 6-speed manual which includes a helical-t
ype limited-slip differential. Braking duties are managed front and rear discs. Unique for the Si in the Civic line is the electric power assisted rack and pinion steering. The suspension is fully independent.On the road
My first few moments behind the wheel of the Civic showed much about the Si's nature. This car is bread to move. As the days went by, I realised that this car was difficult to drive smoothly. Whether it is the driver or the car, there is a certain energy or nervousness about the mechanicals and the controls.