MSRP: $21,290
As tested: $23,000
2.0 liter,
dual overhead cam
16-valve 4 cylinder,
197 hp
22 city / 31 highway
More info:
www.honda.com
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Honda takes what was arguably the most generic car on the road and transforms it into one of the coolest affordable rides you will find. The base Civic is a stunner by itself, but the SI's more aggressive ground effects and rear spoiler pimp out the already sporty shell. Sitting on gorgeous 17-inch alloy wheels, our black-on-black tester looked more Beemer than economy car. The car's wedge design looks amazing from every angle -- except from inside, because the steeply sloping front end completely disappears from view. It's rare for a car company to make such a radical redesign to one of its best-selling vehicles. It's even rarer when they nail it on the first try.
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The SI's interior overhaul is nearly as radical. While the last generation Civic used simple instrumentation, the new model goes ultra-modern, minimalist in some touches, futuristic in others. Climate and radio controls are simple and intuitive if slightly out of reach. The layered tachometer and speedometer controls, though, seem completely out of place. The tachometer sits directly behind the steering wheel, and you will look twice at the whopping 8,000 rpm redline normally reserved for rotary or two-cycle motors. Behind the tachometer are digital speedometer, gas and temp gauges, continuing a digital dash trend we'd just as soon forget. Aggressively bolstered front bucket seats do the job for aggressive driving, but they are constricting for long hauls. Our black interior with sporty red accent stitching looked great, but showed every speck of debris.
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A free-spinning 2.0-liter, dual overhead cam, 16-valve four-cylinder engine gets the SI moving. This power plant produces just shy of a respectable 200 horsepower, yet it has a remarkably anemic torque output. This translates to a very smooth, albeit unimpressive, power delivery; the car feels slower than it actually drives. If you keep rpm's above 6,500, the car is quick and crisp -- the engine seems to be happiest near its limits. The SI absolutely screams while approaching its rev limiter, and it quickly becomes addictive; you will look for any excuse not to upshift. Like the engine, the Honda's suspension is nicely balanced for mixed motoring, but it's perfect for living on the wild side.
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The Civic SI's luxurious Euro design will lure her in, and you'll have all that extra cash for dinner.
-- Chad Doering |
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