So when not frolicking in the winter wonderland of white flakes, I was cruising around town in the rain. But that didn't stop me from reaping the benefits of the standard power moonroof. It comes with a tilt feature, privacy glass, as well as a sunshade, the latter obviously not needed for my test.

Visibility in the compact Civic is ideal, and parking is a breeze. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)

Additional standard features that I particularly liked were the 5-speed manual transmission (always a bonus for me), 4-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather-wrapped shift knob, lidded front cupholders, cruise control, keyless entry remote with panic alarm feature, power door locks and windows, and air conditioning.

Visibility in the Civic is ideal. The front dash is low, the blind spots are easily identifiable, and the rear is not too high, making parallel parking a breeze. Plus, it's a compact car, enabling me to squeeze into the oh-so-hard to fit parking spots and stalls.

The Civic Si is reasonably attractive, but lacks the extra pizzazz to set it apart from the crowd. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)

The interior is clean-looking and has a hint of sass with its carbon-fiber-look instrument panel and console. As for the exterior, with its body-colored door handles, impact absorbing bumpers, heated power mirrors, and side moldings, it's a very appealing vehicle. If you hadn't noticed, Honda updated its headlights and front fascia this year, nothing dramatic but enough to excite diehard Civic fans.

I, however, found the new Civic Si sedan to be fairly plain. Yes, it's reasonably attractive on the inside and out, but I felt like it needed a little more pizzazz. I felt the same about the Honda CR-V that I drove previously. They're both fabulous vehicles, but to me each needs a little "something" to get me excited. Compared to the new Mazda3, for instance, the Civic looks a little, yawn, too family oriented.