The Honda Civic Si returns for a facelift in 2022. Based on the eleventh-generation Civic sedan, it sports essentially the same aesthetic.
Compared to the previous Si, the Japanese brand has revised the powertrain and added a range of technologies to it. But does it still offer driving pleasure worthy of the name?
To get to the bottom of it, the Car guide tested the Honda Civic Si on the roads of Quebec. Here’s what we thought.
Engaging drive
In driving, the Honda Civic Si adopts a raised sporty behavior. The sport-tuned suspension gives it exceptional handling, even though our test car was wearing winter tires. Fitted with 18-inch wheels, the sedan has a rather firm ride. In addition, the seats provide excellent support, to the detriment of few possible adjustments (height, backrest inclination and moving forwards/backwards).
At the wheel, the driver is served by a completely digital instrumentation of ten inches. This makes it possible to provide several information to the pilot, such as the pressure of the turbo or the G forces. Visibility is good thanks to the large glass surfaces and the mirrors, except at the rear because of the narrow window. The steering, meanwhile, is firm and responsive.
Photo: Antony Lajoie-Beaudoin
On the pedal side, the accelerator would benefit from being more resistant and the clutch pedal could be more progressive. The latter only bites towards the second portion of the clutch range. Despite everything, it remains precise and simple to use.
The manual gearbox has been revised: the gear changes are 10% shorter than those of the older generation and the knob is made of aluminium. Typical of the brand, the gear lever is very precise and pleasant to use.
As an indication, the manual transmission is equipped with the function rev-matching (correspondence of the engine speed in downshifting) which can be practical on track. It can be turned off in the vehicle settings, located in one of the many multimedia system menus.
Photo: Antony Lajoie-Beaudoin
Revised engine
Like the previous version, the Civic Si has a 1.5-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine equipped with VTEC technology. It produces five horsepower less — 200 horsepower — and the same 192 lb-ft of torque as the previous generation model. Many might think it’s a performance hit, but it’s not.
Honda mentions that the power curves are wider than before. In addition, the mill now delivers its maximum torque between 1,800 and 5,000 rpm, which is 300 rpm earlier than before.
Photo: Antony Lajoie-Beaudoin
When accelerating, Cavalry is delivered linearly, meaning there are no power dips, regardless of engine speed. In terms of performance, expect a 0-100 km/h sprint in around seven seconds.
According to Natural Resources Canada, the Honda Civic Si has a fuel consumption rating of 7.7 L/100 km. Strangely, at the end of our test, the dashboard calculated 6.6 L/100 km, despite the fact that we had regularly requested the performance of the sportswoman. Allow us to doubt it.
Lots of technology on board
With a price of $35,645, including freight and delivery charges, the Honda Civic Si comes with several technologies.
The multimedia system incorporates a nine-inch touch screen. It includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system has the advantage of being well designed in terms of presentation and image quality. However, it requires a period of adaptation because of the multiple menus and sub-menus.
Photo: Antony Lajoie-Beaudoin
Charging by induction is in the catalog and the Bose audio system with 12 speakers is of good quality. Besides, the car has the Honda Sensing suite of driving aids, which includes among others the automatic emergency braking system, the lane keeping system and the traffic sign recognition system.
The semi-autonomous driving system works well in general. Acceleration and braking are gradual and the car manages to stay in its lane, even when the lines start to fade. The technology nevertheless shows some shortcomings, especially when a vehicle changes course suddenly in front of you, the system does not even react.
The sedan includes the stop/start function, an electric parking brake and three driving modes (Normal, Sport and Individual). The latter allows the rider to choose engine response, steering force and instrument panel color display settings.
In short, the Honda Civic Si does not have to blush in the face of competition from the Volkswagen Jetta GLI, Mazda3 Turbo, Subaru WRX and Hyundai Elantra N Line. Even if it is a little behind in terms of power and torque, the Japanese sedan provides driving pleasure and surprising performance.