The Honda Civic Si is a sport compact / hot hatch version of the Civic built by the Japanese automaker Honda. The Si trim, which stands for "Sequential Injection" or "Sport Injected," was introduced for the third generation of Honda Civics in both Japan and North America. In Canada the trim became known as the SiR for the sixth and seventh generations, and the Si trim was equivalent to the USDM EX model.
For the Japanese and European markets, the Civic Type R was adopted as the high-performance variant of the Civic, starting with the EK9 hatch for Japan in 1997 and with the EP3 hatch for Europe in 2001. In North America the Type R name has never been used for Civics, and the Si/SiR badge continues to signify the highest performance trim. The Civic Si contrasts with the more track-oriented and spartan Type R, which has less sound deadening and amenities in return for better performance, and has been positioned as more of a full-featured sport trim, featuring luxury options such as a sunroof and a seven speaker audio system.
As to be expected with anxious fans and inquisitive reporters everywhere, a rumor has been started that may answer the question of what Honda plans to stuff under the hood of its next Civic Si, due for the 2012 model year.
If the latest rumors are to be believed, Honda will dip into its Acura parts bin and pull out a 2.4-liter four-cylinder that is good for 201 horsepower and 172 lb-ft of torque with the manual transmission in the TSX, according to fan site VTec, via egmCarTech.
This engine is rumored to be known as the K24, and will be very similar to the K24 in the TSX, but with a slight possibility of a minor bump due to the performance nature of the Civic Si. The fan site claims this engine is a guaranteed lock for the job, but does not have final power numbers at this time.
With the standard issue 2012 Civic set to begin arriving around April or May, expect a later 2011 or early 2012 arrival time for the hotter Si trim.
The good: An impressive gearbox and good handling make the 2009 Honda Civic Si a blast to drive. An intuitive voice-command system makes hands-free use of the navigation system easy, and the new iPod/USB drive connectivity is a good update to the music system.
The bad: We have few problems with the Civic Si, besides the rough look of the navigation system and the cheap steering wheel. A little more torque would also be nice.
The Dynolicious application for iPhone and iPod Touch uses the device's accelerometers to measure vehicle movement on two axes. By calculating movement over time, the app can measure vehicle speed and, subsequently, distance and acceleration. For purposes of our testing, we measured 0 to 60 mph time and skidpad lateral G-forces.
Securing our test iPod Touch to the windshield with a suction cup, we lined up for our 0 to 60 mph test. Previously, we'd tested the 2009 Honda Civic LX-S using the same Dynolicious application, reaching 60 mph in 9.76 seconds, and we wanted to see how much better we could do in the Si. On our first launch, we were a bit overzealous with the revs. The front wheels spun helplessly for grip before the Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) intervened, dampening the acceleration and resulting in an embarrassing time of 14.50 seconds. Subsequent launches were met with equal amounts of wheel spin and equally dismal times, even with the VSA disabled.
Based on an economy model, the 2009 Honda Civic Si doesn't do luxury, but Honda fitted it out with some performance elements. The seats offer all the bolstering and grippy fabric you need to keep from sliding around the cabin as the car demonstrates its cornering. The console lid features fabric similar to the seats', providing a comfortable arm rest for cruising. The shifter's metal construction gives it a solid feel.
Pros: 1) Fun and sporty - likes to be revved (redline at 8500) 2) Reliable 3) Affordable 4) Great factory stereo 5) Nice looking 6) Can add mods 7) Great gas mileage 8) Available as 2 or 4 door
Cons: 1) Road noise/ cabin poorly insulated 2) Seat comfort/sport suspension - make this less amenable to long drives 3) Not really a fast car per se - but feels fast due to high revving engine
Summary: Great car. Definitely recommend it to anyone on a budget.
For the Japanese and European markets, the Civic Type R was adopted as the high-performance variant of the Civic, starting with the EK9 hatch for Japan in 1997 and with the EP3 hatch for Europe in 2001. In North America the Type R name has never been used for Civics, and the Si/SiR badge continues to signify the highest performance trim. The Civic Si contrasts with the more track-oriented and spartan Type R, which has less sound deadening and amenities in return for better performance, and has been positioned as more of a full-featured sport trim, featuring luxury options such as a sunroof and a seven speaker audio system.
As to be expected with anxious fans and inquisitive reporters everywhere, a rumor has been started that may answer the question of what Honda plans to stuff under the hood of its next Civic Si, due for the 2012 model year.
If the latest rumors are to be believed, Honda will dip into its Acura parts bin and pull out a 2.4-liter four-cylinder that is good for 201 horsepower and 172 lb-ft of torque with the manual transmission in the TSX, according to fan site VTec, via egmCarTech.
This engine is rumored to be known as the K24, and will be very similar to the K24 in the TSX, but with a slight possibility of a minor bump due to the performance nature of the Civic Si. The fan site claims this engine is a guaranteed lock for the job, but does not have final power numbers at this time.
With the standard issue 2012 Civic set to begin arriving around April or May, expect a later 2011 or early 2012 arrival time for the hotter Si trim.
The good: An impressive gearbox and good handling make the 2009 Honda Civic Si a blast to drive. An intuitive voice-command system makes hands-free use of the navigation system easy, and the new iPod/USB drive connectivity is a good update to the music system.
The bad: We have few problems with the Civic Si, besides the rough look of the navigation system and the cheap steering wheel. A little more torque would also be nice.
The Dynolicious application for iPhone and iPod Touch uses the device's accelerometers to measure vehicle movement on two axes. By calculating movement over time, the app can measure vehicle speed and, subsequently, distance and acceleration. For purposes of our testing, we measured 0 to 60 mph time and skidpad lateral G-forces.
Securing our test iPod Touch to the windshield with a suction cup, we lined up for our 0 to 60 mph test. Previously, we'd tested the 2009 Honda Civic LX-S using the same Dynolicious application, reaching 60 mph in 9.76 seconds, and we wanted to see how much better we could do in the Si. On our first launch, we were a bit overzealous with the revs. The front wheels spun helplessly for grip before the Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) intervened, dampening the acceleration and resulting in an embarrassing time of 14.50 seconds. Subsequent launches were met with equal amounts of wheel spin and equally dismal times, even with the VSA disabled.
Based on an economy model, the 2009 Honda Civic Si doesn't do luxury, but Honda fitted it out with some performance elements. The seats offer all the bolstering and grippy fabric you need to keep from sliding around the cabin as the car demonstrates its cornering. The console lid features fabric similar to the seats', providing a comfortable arm rest for cruising. The shifter's metal construction gives it a solid feel.
Pros: 1) Fun and sporty - likes to be revved (redline at 8500) 2) Reliable 3) Affordable 4) Great factory stereo 5) Nice looking 6) Can add mods 7) Great gas mileage 8) Available as 2 or 4 door
Cons: 1) Road noise/ cabin poorly insulated 2) Seat comfort/sport suspension - make this less amenable to long drives 3) Not really a fast car per se - but feels fast due to high revving engine
Summary: Great car. Definitely recommend it to anyone on a budget.
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