Test Drive: 2009 Honda Civic Si Sedan

Sport compact cars have it rough. They basically have to do everything, and people expect them to do most of it quite well.  First off, the car needs to be exciting to drive - fast, responsive, good brakes, tight suspension.  They also need to look tough but not too racey, which I think some manufacturers have a hard time with (I'm looking at you, Caliber SRT-4!).  They also need to be pretty practical - a hatchback at the very least, able to move around the college-student crap they are normally hauling.  Oh, and they need to be fuel efficient.  And reliable.  And relatively inexpensive to insure.  And they also need to give you a complimentary shiatsu massage on every third friday of the month.  Or so I've heard.

It's a tall order to fill, and a lot of cars fail pretty miserably at it.  Nissan's Sentra SE-R has all the stuff you'd expect a good sport compact to have: a 2.5L i4 with 200bhp, a 6-speed manual, LSD, sporty suspension, a body kit... and it's a bland, vanilla-pudding of a car.  Kia tries to pass the Spectra5 off as a sport compact, but raise your hand if you're fooled.  The aforementioned SRT-4 has horsepower in spades, but doesn't have the first clue as to what to do with them.

But when it comes to striking the perfect balance, Honda might have it figured out.  Let me introduce you to the Honda Civic Si four-door.

The Si is the top-of-the-line model of the current (8th generation) Civic.  It's available as a 2-door copue as well as the four door sedan tested here, but let's just set the Civic Si Coupe aside for the time being - it's pretty damn useless, and the performance difference between the two is negligible.

The engine is Honda's well-regarded K20Z3, a 2.0L gem of a four cylinder.  With dual overhead cams, four valves per cylinder, and variable timing control on the intake and exhaust cams, this all-aluminum motor makes a peak of 197bhp at a stratospheric 7800 rpm.  Like most Hondas, it's a bit short on torque: only 139 lb-ft at 6200rpm.

However, this high-revving (8000 rpm redline, 8500rpm fuel cutoff) is mated to a close-ratio 6 speed manual gearbox that is just an absolute joy to operate.  Honestly, no one in the business does a manual transaxle like Honda.  There's absolutely no need for an aftermarket short shifter; the gates are rifle bolt precise, and the shifter glides through the gears like it's been shot up with lithium grease.  Totally wonderful.  Another nifty detail: the Civic Si comes with a helical limited-slip differential as standard equipment, which is pretty uncommon.  It's also kinda funny because the Acura RSX Type-S (which had the same powertrain but was more expensive) didn't.

This peaky, high-revving nature is something of a Jekyll and Hyde type of relationship.  The VTec changeover point is at 5600rpm.  Below 5600, there's really not a whole lot happening - although the variable cam timing helps out with power on the low end enough that the car doesn't feel completely gutless.  But spin the little K20 past the cam changeover, and hold on tight.  The engine takes on a sharp, metallic bark and forward progress is suddenly put in double speed.  The Civic Si actually really needs an upshift light; past the changeover, it revs so fast you're bound to bounce the rev limiter pretty hard in second gear and sometimes third if you're not careful.  It's a nice-sounding engine as it is, but it's slightly boomy.  I'm young so I don't mind, but I think with an aftermarket exhaust it would get annoying quickly.

The steering is a bit overboosted, but what modern car isn't?  The brakes are reassuring, although I didn't drive the Si hard enough to incite fade - these are still some mighty strong stoppers.  All of the mechanical controls just feel natural - clutch takeup is very progressive and it's exactly where you'd expect it to be, the brakes are easy to modulate, and the throttle is razor-sharp precise.  It's a hard car not to fall in love with when you're behind the wheel.

Which brings me to another neat part about the Civic: being behind the wheel.  If you're not aware, the interior of the Civic Si is straight-up bizarre.  The tachometer and speedometer are on two seperate planes, with a bright red analogue tach and a red digital speedometer above and behind it.  It's a strange arrangement, but it works.  The Speedometer is right in your peripheral vision and it's very easy to read (no excuses, officer!), and the tach sits front and center where it belongs - and it requires a mindful eye as well.  And yes, the handbrake is weird too.

The interior itself is quite nice.  For the most part it feels very high-quality, with a few exceptions like a flimsy center console.  The seats are amazing; they seem to have taken a page straight out of the Recaro textbook.  Black cloth and suede constrasts well with red stitching to give the interior a special feel.  The touch-screen satellite navigation works well as you'd expect, and the 350w stereo with integrated subwoofer and amp provides all the bass that the techno listeners who'll buy this car could need - maybe.

It's relatively practical, as well.  The four-door can comfortably seat four adults, provided they aren't all over 6' tall.  There's a 60/40 split folding rear seat with access to the trunk for carrying larger items, and plenty of storage inside for your goodies.

On the outside, there's not a whole lot that differentiates the Si from the regular Civic models - you'd never guess it's got another 57 horsepower, I suppose.  Small red "Si" badges front and rear are the biggest hints, although there's a tacky little spoiler on the trunk and some equally tacky "DOHC i-VTEC" decals on the rear doors that I could do without.  The Si comes with a funky, attractive set of 17" alloy wheels with either all-season or summer performance tires, depending on how you order the car.

The Civic Si is one of those rare cars that seems to do almost everything well.  It's well built, attractive, quirky enough to be interesting, fast enough to be entertaining, sharp and responsive enough to amuse an autocrosser, and it gets 29mpg on the highway.  There's a nearly unlimited aftermarket for it if that's your thing, too.

The best part?  You can get all of those goodness for a base price of $22,105, which is a screaming bargain in my book.  Add $200 for the summer tires option and $2,000 for the satellite navigation, and a completely loaded Civic Si rings up at only $24,305 - which is still a good deal.

Downsides?  Sure.  There's not really any torque - 139lb-ft is pretty limp-wristed in my book.  (My previous and current car are both about the same size, the Saab makes 191 lb-ft much lower down, and the Jetta with the 5-cylinder had 170 lb-ft lower down as well.)  Other competitors do offer more power for similar cash: the MazdaSpeed3 has a tire-smoking 263bhp and a wrist-snapping 280lb-ft of torque for only $23,410.  The 285bhp Caliber SRT-4 (which is admittedly pretty awful except for the engine) is yours for $25,470.  Stepping into all-wheel-drive territory, the nifty Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart (with the detuned single-scroll turbo Evolution engine, 237bhp, and a twin-clutch automated gearbox) is $25,885.  The ridiculously quick new WRX, with it's retuned 265bhp engine, is a bargain at $24,995.  So for the horsepower wars, the Si is rather outgunned - but it's anything but outclassed.  Also, it's worth noting that none of these competitors are nearly as efficient  on fuel as the Civic Si, which is becoming increasingly important these days.  The biggest competitor for the Si is VW's sublime GTI, which offers similar power (200bhp) but way more torque (207lb-ft) from it's direct-injected 2.0L Turbo motor.  The power delivery isn't nearly as interesting, but the GTI offers something the Si doesn't: two pedals, in the form of the fantastic DSG model.  As well as a 5-door hatchback and a Jetta GLI sedan version.

So, if you're looking for a car that does a little bit of everything (and does it well) the Civic Si 4-door is certainly worth a look.

Summary

Manufacturer: Honda Motor CompanyMake: CivicModel (tested): Si 4dr w/NavigationBase Price: $22,105Price as Tested: $24,105

Engine: 2.0L DOHC 16v I4 w/ VVTHorsepower: 197@7800 rpmTorque: 139@6200 rpmTransmission: 6 speed manual, standard Helical Limited Slip Differential0-60: 6.7s (approximate)EPA Fuel Mileage: 21 city/ 29 Highway

Highs: Fantastic sounding, velvety smooth, rev-happy engine; best shifter damn near anywhere, great balance of fun and practicality, Funky but functional interior, a great value, wanna-be Recaro seats

Lows: No torque, down on power respective to the competition, funky interior might not be to your liking, slightly boomy exhaust note, tacky "i-VTec DOHC" stickers (but that's what a hairdryer and dental floss is for!)

Conclusion: A Delicate, And Successful,  Balancing Act.

Also Consider: VW GTi, MazdaSpeed3, Dodge Caliber SRT-4, Subaru WRX, Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart, Mini Cooper S, Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V

Sponsor: honda civic