CIVIC DUTY: HONDA’S SPORTY SI
2017 Honda Civic Si
MSRP: $23,900
As Tested: $24,975 MPG: 28 city, 38 highway
While the Honda Civic makes sense for a practical car-buyer looking for a spacious sedan that’s reasonably cheap to maintain, the 2017 Civic Si bridges the gap for the gearhead on a budget.
The Civic Si, with an MSRP under $24,000, mates a new turbocharged engine with a slick 6-speed manual transmission to create a thrilling driving experience. The Si, which is the performance edition of the mainstream Civic, offers only one engine: a robust 205-hp 1.5-liter in-line four-cylinder. Though the Si’s lack of an automatic transmission option might be a drawback for some, I thoroughly enjoyed working the car’s short-throw shifter both in city traffic and on the highway. The turbo was fast off the line, supplying more power and torque down low, without
any noticeable turbo lag. Honda recommends premium fuel for the directinjected powerplant and fuel economy is rated at 28 mpg city and 38 mpg highway.
The Si’s rigid body provided sharp handling. Electric steering was precise and the Civic was stable at highway speeds. A sport driving mode further enhanced the Si’s driving performance by adjusting the suspension, reducing the power steering assistance and ramping up throttle response over the more comfort-oriented default normal mode. An instrument panel display provided a turbocharger boost gauge, shift lights, and a G-meter that creates a representation of acceleration, braking and cornering forces. The customizable cockpit readout also provides lap times for closed-circuit racetracks.
My tester, priced at $24,975, was painted in a hard-to-ignore metallic blue. Slightly bulging front fender flares, low-profile sport tires mounted to 18inch machine-finished alloy wheels, and a rear wing spoiler combined to create an aggressively styled exterior. A single rear exhaust port is uniquely centered under the Civic Si’s bumper.
The Si sedan with roomy rear seats has plenty of room for five. Large Si logos were embroidered into the front seats along with red stitching on the seats and doors. A leatherwrapped steering wheel and shift knob along with alloy sport pedals gave the Si a race-ready feel. A 7-inch display audio touch screen that supports both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto platforms made for easy integration of my smartphone. A 450-watt, 10-speaker sound system kept the music distortion-free well past 11. Heated seats and dual-zone automatic climate control was an added bonus.
While the four-door sedan Civic Si worked out great with my family during my week-long test drive, the coupe version is far more aesthetically pleasing and both have a decent amount of trunk space.
Certainly a lack of options is a solid criticism of Civic Si. I’d like to see leather seats but when it comes to the transmission, I would argue that the Si wouldn’t be the same without the stick shifter. Also, I found that the Si’s frontwheel-drive failed to be a detriment to overhall driving performance.
The 2017 Honda Civic Si with a MSRP of $23,900, is a driver’s car that should be on the enthusiast’s short list of sport sedans/coupes under $30,000.