When someone buys an Si, they know what they are getting. They know that this car does not drive like a regular automobile. They do not need to be told that the car's torque numbers are low. They fully understand that the engine has to be kept revving and the shifter has to keep moving. Let me tell you that once driving the Si has been mastered, the rewards are many and large. For example, if you are cruising on the highway in 6th gear and the urge is suddenly felt to pass, a swift movement of the shifter into 4th and a gas pedal to the floor is all that is required. The best part? Easy, that is when the VTEC kicks in at around 6,000 rpm. The motor roars, speed increases and a grin firmly plants itself on your face. This car is quick but I think that it could be even faster. With this car, Honda does what other manufacturers do with the use of force-fed induction systems; 200 hp. Honda has, historically, never used a turbo or supercharger. The arrival of the turbocharged RDX might change things.

When wringing out the Si, a nifty and helpful shift light blinks to indicate an upshift would be required. The gearbox is a joy to use although I would have loved it that much more had the throws been shorter, say, a la S2000. The clutch is light and friendly, the brake pedal is firm, palpable and braking performance is strong. Steering is sharp and precise. Traction and stability are improved a hundred-fold over any regular FWD vehicle thanks to the addition of the limited-slip differential.

Riding around in the Si is a little punishing. Once again, I revert to what I said earlier, this is an Si and that is the way it is. What you get though is little or no body roll, impressive lateral grip and surefootedness. I had, some would say, a little too much fun driving the Civic Si and I might agree but that is my job... What really impressed me was that I averaged just fewer than 9.5 L of fuel consumed per 100 km.

Safety

The Civic coupe, like the sedan, has standard dual front, side and side curtain air bags, ABS brakes with electronic brake force distribution and seatbelt pre-tensionners. The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) awarded the car 5 out of 5 stars (a perfect result) for both the driver and passenger in frontal impacts. The IIHS has rated it a Gold Top Safety Pick in its category.

Conclusion

The Si could be nothing less than what it is. If it was, it would not be an Si. This car is great fun to drive. My only gripe was that I really did find the Si to be difficult to drive in a cluttered urban setting. By comparison, the GTI is more relaxed and not as high-strung. I will end the comparison there as this could start a war...

Buying an Si is somewhat like buying a diamond; it will give you pleasure and that, for many many years. And, for those that are into Aftermarket tuning, a better starting point is hard to find.


Good stuff:
Handling
Performance
Seats

Not so good stuff:
Waiting for the Civic Type-R (if it comes)

Competitors:
Volkswagen GTI
Chevrolet Cobalt SS-SC
Saturn ION Redline
Hyundai Tiburon Tuscani