2017 Honda Civic Si

The 2-door Civic SI is available in two different variants namely the Civic SI and Civic SI w/summer tires. Comparing both of them, the only difference between them is of the tires, which results in a $200 gap. Otherwise, both the trims of the coupe offers the same features and have similar looks from head to toe.

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Both the trims have a very minor price difference so going for either one is a sole choice of the buyer. However, to assist you, we must tell you that the trim equipped with summer tires offers better performance, handling and braking capabilities. 

“Turbocharging helps deliver more power lower on the tachometer, along with a bigger slug of torque — 192 pound-feet — so you don't have to rev the bejeezus out of it to achieve strong acceleration. That's excellent news for around-town drivability, but it comes with a price: Whereas previous Civic Si models sounded and felt special because they revved sky-high like a motorcycle, this car's engine checks out at humdrum 6,500 rpm.”-cnet

Engine and Transmission

Differentiating the Civic SI from regular Civic models is the 1.5-Liter turbocharged I-4 engine, which produces a tremendous torque of 192 ft.-lbs. and 205 hp of power. The engine is commanding and allows the Coupe to gain speed pretty fast. Additionally, the 6-speed manual gearbox offers smooth and fast operation. However, keeping in mind the sporty nature of the coupe, it should have come with an automated manual transmission.

Judging the competition, all the three cars employ bigger capacity engines than the Civic SI and are more powerful at the same time. In terms of the power delivery, the Subaru WRX’s 2.0-L flat 4 engine stands tallest while the highest torque is produced by the Ford Focus’ engine. However, in the transmission section, a 6-speed manual is common among them all.

Acceleration

Soon after hitting the throttle of the Civic SI, one can feel the power rushing to the front tires of the coupe and pushing the vehicle with a great force. However, the vehicle’s 0-60 mph time of 6.8 seconds seems disappointing when compared to the rivals especially with the Subaru WRX and Volkswagen Golf GTI.

The quarter-mile time of the Coupe is also not so impressive and acts as one of its shortcomings. Nonetheless, its annual emission of 5.5 tons is just outstanding and makes it the greenest car amid the rivals. Thus, making Civic SI an ideal choice for people having a major concern for the environment.

Ride and Handling

Handling the coupe is pretty easy even when it is moving on rough roads and high-speeds. Its leather-wrapped steering wheel offers a good grip and responses sharply. The vehicle’s suspension system is perfectly configured to make the cabin as comfortable as possible. Moreover, the vehicle’s cabin is well-isolated and only a small amount of noise enters inside when the car is in motion.

The engine of the vehicle is powerful, which results in a strong throttling action. At low rev range, the power delivery is not at its best but soon hitting the mid-rev range, the coupe displays its aggressive behavior. Also, features like cruise control, climate control, traction control, and vehicle stability assist enhances both the ride and the handling quality of the vehicle.

Braking

Even with a little push of the brake pedal, the Coupe decelerates responsively, which is due to the efficient braking system and the lightweight body of the vehicle. Thus, allowing the driver to rely completely on the vehicle’s brakes for stopping in emergency situations. Practically, the Coupe comes to a complete stop from a speed of 60 mph within a distance of 106 feet.

The size of brakes employed by the rivals is almost the same as that of the Civic SI. However, their curb weights are significantly higher, which causes a certain lack of effectiveness in their braking abilities.

The fuel economy delivered by the Coupe is superb and exceeds the expectations. While driving in the city, the vehicle offers a mileage of 28 miles per gallon and on highways, it gets a huge leap to become 38 miles per gallon. In addition, comparing the fuel economies of its closest competitors, they look highly inefficient. Thus, owing the Civic SI will not only cut down the fuel overheads but also result in less frequent visits to the fuel station.

“Inside, Si buyers get fantastically supportive front seats with red stitching that carries over to the door trim, shift boot, and steering wheel. Aluminum pedals with rubber traction nubs are standard, as are some additional choices for the multi-­function ­display in the instrument panel.”-caranddriver

Seating and Comfort

The bucket seats at the front row and a split folding seatback at the rear section of the coupe account for its total passenger capacity of 5 people. In addition, the seats are finished using cloth and are comfortable for long journeys.

Extra convenience has been offered by the front seats as the driver seat is 6-way while the passenger seat is 4-way manually adjustable. Furthermore, the multi-level heating feature is also made available for the driver seat.

Talking about the interior space of the Civic SI, the headroom offered at both the front and second row is a little cringy for tall people. On the other hand, both the rows have ample shoulder room as well as legroom for comforting the passengers. Still, looking at the best, both the Volkswagen Golf GTI and Subaru WRX offers generous interior space.

Infotainment System

The infotainment system integrated into the vehicle comes with an LCD touchscreen display and supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay feature. It also offers 2 USB ports and music players can be connected to the system using Bluetooth connectivity.

Furthermore, the infotainment system is coupled with a 10-speaker stereo sound system, which also consists of a single subwoofer. However, the infotainment system is a little laggy, which is possibly a software related issue. Moreover, the conventional knobs for adjusting volume and scrolling through options are also absent. 

Interior Features

The cabin of the car is not expensive looking but the materials used for finishing are of high-quality. In addition, there are many useful featured laid inside the vehicle with some of them mentioned as below:

• Climate control
• Keyless ignition
• Air filtration
• Dual illuminating vanity mirrors
• Heated mirrors
• One-touch power windows

Cargo Capacity

The SI Coupe is designed specifically for high-performance, still its trunk space of 11.9 cubic feet is appropriate. A good amount of baggage can be stored inside the boot of the vehicle. However, except for the Subaru WRX, its two other competitors offers humongous cargo volumes. In figures, the Volkswagen Golf GTI offers a cargo volume of 22.8 cubic feet while the Ford Focus can store 23.8 cubic feet of cargo.

“Adding visual distinction, the new Si's exterior design cues start with a bolder black-wing style front fascia that includes larger outboard air intakes and a prominent chrome polygonal center exhaust outlet. Where the Si Sedan boasts upsized rear side vents and a subtle decklid spoiler, the Si Coupe features a full-length light bar and a free-standing wing.”- Kelley Blue Book

Dimension and Weight

The body proportions of the Civic SI is perfect and allows the car to look dashing and quintessential. With a wheelbase span of 106.3 inches, the complete length of Coupe is estimated to be 177.3 inches. Moreover, its low roof height of 54.7 inches results in it to look like a premium coupe.

Despite being the shortest among the rivals, the Civic SI has a high ground clearance of 5.9 inches, which also makes it suitable for a little off-roading action. Among the rivals, the Subaru WRX looks the most muscular while the Ford Focus acts the car with a compact body.

Exterior Features
The Coupe appears dashing and leaves a lasting impression in the minds of its onlookers. The headlight design of the Civic SI is unique and grabs a major attention. Furthermore, its exterior elements including racing inspired body lines, sporty exhaust, rear spoiler, and big 18-inch wheels are the key highlights.

Although the coupe is inexpensive, it certainly stands among the best cars in terms of safety. The vehicle ensures the safety of passengers with its advanced passive safety features including front side airbags and a rollover sensor. Moreover, its Advanced Compatibility Engineering body is designed to drive away the impact of a collision away from the occupants.

The airbag occupancy sensor integrated into the vehicle detects the passenger at the front seat and stops passenger side airbags from deploying if there is no occupant. Furthermore, the coupe also comes with Honda LaneWatch system, which utilizes a camera to display the blind spot at the right side of the car, thus enhancing visibility.

• ABS And Driveline Traction Control
• VSA Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
• Passenger Airbag Occupant Sensing Deactivation
• Dual Stage Driver And Passenger Seat-Mounted Side Airbags
• Airbag Occupancy Sensor
• Honda LaneWatch Right Side Camera

Honda Civic SI VS Subaru WRX Premium 2dr

The Subaru WRX challenges the Honda Civic SI with its extremely powerful engine and spacious interiors. However, the WRX comes at a higher price, which corresponds to $26,695. Furthermore, considering the fuel economy, braking, ground clearance, and visual appearance, the Subaru WRX gets outshined by the Civic Coupe.

Honda Civic SI VS Volkswagen Golf GTI S 4dr

The widely popular German-made Volkswagen Gold GTI also finds a high place in the competitor list due to its heart-stealing performance. However, the major drawback of the car is that it is available only in 4-door configuration and also its price is a bit too high. Compared to its Japanese counterpart, the Golf GTI excels in terms of engine strength, acceleration, and cargo space.

Honda Civic SI VS Ford Focus ST 4dr

Yet another car that carries similar charm like the Honda Civic SI Coupe is the Ford’s Focus ST. Costing around $24,775, the vehicle carries a 2.0L engine onboard that offers 252 hp of power and 270 ft.-lbs. of torque. In contrast to the Civic SI Coupe, the Focus declares itself as a superior car pertaining to factors like acceleration, headroom and boot space. However, it fails to surpass the superlative fuel efficiency and low emission figures offered by the Honda’s Coupe.

The 2017 Honda Civic SI Coupe is a good choice for people who are interested in a vehicle with above-average performance and attractive design. There are many vehicles that cost a couple of grand more than the Civic SI and offers more powerful performance. However, if buyers need a vehicle with, reasonable price, low pollutant emissions, matchless fuel economy and sporty nature then skipping the Civic Si Coupe would be a big mistake.