The ride is both sportier than the outgoing Civic Si and more rigid than its four-door siblings, which helps it manage corners
with less body lean while braking in a more controlled manner thanks to a fully independent control-link MacPherson strut front and reactive-link double-wishbone rear suspension setup with a thicker 28.0 mm stabilizer bar up front and 17.0 mm one in the rear (compared to 25.4 x 3.5 front and 11.0 rear in other Civics).
In case you were wondering, Road & Track magazine had some pretty impressive handling stats on hand too, including the standard slalom in 68.6 mph and 300-foot skidpad at 0.85 Gs. This test was done on the standard 17-inch rims and P215/45R17 tires too - the optional 18s could have helped it to achieve even better results.
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should mention, though, that despite its sporting pretensions, the Si rides smooth enough to satisfy older, softer enthusiasts. And to those "Civic Nation" tuners who will be flocking to the new car before upgrading it beyond reason, a more compliant suspension is also important for keeping a tire's contact patch on the road rather than in the air, which believe it or not aids in real-world handling. Total rigidity only improves handling on baby's-butt-smooth surfaces, and in my town at least, no such road exists.
Suffice to say that in stock form the little Si took to the racetrack in fine form. The boost from its adrenaline inducing engine and six-speed manual gearbox was intoxicating, and the fact that that the car maneuvered so effortlessly around the course's tight corners, even at high-speed, built confidence with each passing lap.
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| The ride is both sportier than the outgoing Civic Si and more rigid than its four-door siblings, which helps it manage corners with less body lean while braking in a more controlled manner. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
In case you were wondering, Road & Track magazine had some pretty impressive handling stats on hand too, including the standard slalom in 68.6 mph and 300-foot skidpad at 0.85 Gs. This test was done on the standard 17-inch rims and P215/45R17 tires too - the optional 18s could have helped it to achieve even better results.
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| The boost from the Si's adrenaline inducing engine and six-speed manual gearbox was intoxicating, and the fact that that the car maneuvered so effortlessly around the course's tight corners, even at high-speed, built confidence with each passing lap. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
Suffice to say that in stock form the little Si took to the racetrack in fine form. The boost from its adrenaline inducing engine and six-speed manual gearbox was intoxicating, and the fact that that the car maneuvered so effortlessly around the course's tight corners, even at high-speed, built confidence with each passing lap.