Test bench | 2022 Honda Civic Si: Driving Young

Faced with modern, rational, expensive and charmless automobiles, Honda opposes a more authentic Civic, the Si.

Eric LeFrancois
special collaboration

This year, Honda intends to market a few thousand Si. It is not considerable, but it seems that these cars that few people buy are selling many others. Especially with people under 40.

Whether gasoline or electric, any normally constituted vehicle must sooner or later exist in a sports version. Slightly more perky appearance, slightly stiffer suspension and, of course, a few extra horsepower or watts to distribute on the pavement must be there.

The method varies little and if the commercial interest of a more muscular vehicle tends to weaken, the exercise remains unavoidable. Firstly because it reassures enthusiasts. Then because it allows brands – sometimes very reasonable – to spice up their range at little cost.

In this context, no one will be offended to learn that the Si takes over the supercharged 1.5 L four-cylinder already installed on board the most opulent Civics. This mechanism is the subject of some alterations to bring its power to 200 hp, or 5 less than on the previous generation. It would be unfair to dwell too long on this undetectable decline unless you have a stopwatch in hand.

This is compensated by a wider range of use, therefore better flexibility at low and high revs. It’s a change from the sharp engine of yesteryear which struggled to get going under 3000 rpm and then struggled to catch its breath as soon as the tachometer needle flirted with the red zone. These transformations result in particular from a lighter flywheel (by 26%) and offering less inertia than that proposed previously.

A popular manual gearbox

Never mind, to reach the maximum speed allowed on our roads, this Civic Si is a little less in a hurry than the previous model. But once installed at his controls, just turn on the ignition and grab the ultra-short gear lever to treat yourself to a little slice of sweet nostalgia. Its mechanics are more “round” than volcanic, but its minimal weight gain (about twenty kilos compared to the old model) does not change much.

We have fun with the manual transmission, the only one offered. This benefits from a tight gear ratio and a short travel of its six gears to take advantage of liveliness at all speeds.

To this should be added an easy to dose clutch. And since the Si responds quickly and well when requested, the torque available is sufficient so that it is not necessary to whip it constantly.

Reputed to consume more energy than an automatic, the manual transmission here does not seem to weigh too much on the level of consumption, which is around an average of 7.5 L per 100 km in the combined cycle. However, we find fault with the octane number recommended by the manufacturer to obtain the optimal performance of this mechanism. An extra soul.

The vitamin cure imposed on the Civic Si also involves firmer-tuned shock absorbers. The springs are stiffer front (+8%) and rear (+54%) than those of a “regular” Civic. Like the stabilizer and torsion bars, they are also fatter to provide more direct contact.

And, compared to the previous Si, the new allows certain elements to be set individually (the throttle response, for example) rather than restricting the user to only Normal and Sport modes. But regardless of the selection, this Si remains stable on its feet and well seated on the tarmac. But this efficiency is paid for in terms of comfort.

We are less shaken on board a GTi which, however, also holds the pavement perfectly. The steering is fast and makes it possible to precisely correct the wanderings of the front axle when traction is undermined by atmospheric conditions.

The usual recipe

Well-designed and very well made, the cabin hasn’t changed much from that of the “everyone” Civic (remember, this is the best-selling car in the country). We notice all the same more enveloping seats, a redesigned steering wheel, a glossy pedals and the inevitable red stitching.

On the outside, the Si bears only a few discreet distinctive signs. The times are changing. Formerly, one would have given in the fin “10 stages”, the wing wideners and the catches (often false) of ventilation. From now on, we stick to a more “dynamic” front fairing (according to Honda), exhaust tips that exceed the skirt, without forgetting, of course, the badge pinned to the grille.

All served with chic metallic hues and without too much fuss for a price of $33,100. It’s expensive, but Honda replies that this price does not include any surprises. Indeed, with the exception of accessories installed and offered by the dealer, no factory options are listed in the catalog.

A matter of age

The most excited Civic prepares its return. Honda is currently fine-tuning its development of the Type R, which is expected to go on sale by the end of the year in Canada. The latter’s customer base is older than the Si’s. John Bordignon, Honda’s domestic spokesman, confirms that the traditional Type R buyer is usually over 40 years old, while that of a Si is from 30 to 39 years old.

The origins

It won’t make anyone any younger. The marketing of the first Si (for Sport injection) in North America dates back to 1985. At that time, only the Prelude and CRX sported this distinctive sign. These two models have not survived, but the acronym will be exhibited from 1987 on the Civic (hatchback) of the third generation. We are now at 11^and…

Tell us about your experience

The Press will soon publish the test of the following vehicles: Acura RDX, Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Cadillac CT-5, Infiniti QX60, Subaru Forester, Volkswagen Jetta GLi and Toyota 86. If you own one of these vehicles or expect delivery, we would love to read from you.