2018 Honda Civic Si

There aren’t trims to choose in the Honda Civic SI, only two versions; a 2-door coupe, and a 4-door sedan. We shall talk about only the coupe version here, which comes fitted with a small but sprightly 1.5-liter engine, with 205 horsepower on tap.

Trim	Honda Civic Si Coupe
MSRP	$24,100
Key Features	Power Windows with Auto-Up/Down Driver’s
	and Front Passenger’s Windows
	Cruise Control
	Tilt and Telescopic Steering Column
	Center Console with Sliding Armrest
	and Storage Compartment
	Sliding Sunvisors
	Electronic Remote Trunk Release
	Headlights-On Reminder
	Capless Fuel Filler
	Driver’s Seat with Manual Height Adjustment
	Adjustable Front Seat-Belt Anchors
	Adjustable Rear Head Restraints
	Heated Front Seats

We Recommend

Honda Civic Si Coupe is available in one trim level, Honda has offered an array of standard features. Although options are limited, you can opt for high-performance summer tires. 

The little Honda engine shines in terms of fuel economy, especially amongst the larger competition. It manages to run for 28 miles in the city on a single gallon of fuel, and 38 miles on the highway on the same. This brings the overall efficiency to an impressive 32 miles per gallon. The only clincher is that the direct injection system of the Si Civic runs on premium high-octane fuel.

Model	Honda Civic Si Coupe	Toyota 86	Volkswagen Golf GTi	Subaru BRZ
MPG (city)	28	21	24	21
MPG (highway)	38	28	34	29
MPG (combined)	32	24	28	24

The lighter Toyota and Subaru are surprisingly less efficient than the Civic. The heavier Golf GTi fits nicely in between the competition, being neither too thirsty nor too frugal.

Despite the low roof and seats, it’s still roomy, but only by virtue of being a fair bit longer than most rivals – check [if] it fits your garage. – Top Gear

Seating and Comfort

The Civic Si coupe seats two in the front and another two in the back. The ones in the front get plenty of space, while the ones in the rear get plenty of compromises. The rear legroom is especially disappointing, enough only for young kids.

Model	Honda Civic Si Coupe	Toyota 86	Volkswagen Golf GTi	Subaru BRZ
Passenger capacity	4	4	5	4
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	36.5/56.9/42.3	37.1/54.5/41.9	38.5/55.9/41.2	37.1/54.5/41.9
Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	34.5/52.6/35.9	35.0/51.7/29.9	38.1/53.9/35.9	35.0/51.7/29.9

The 86 and BRZ have horribly inadequate rear seats, even for kids, and can never seat adults under any circumstance. The Golf has the same amount of legroom as the Honda, although the straight hatch design liberates a little more headroom.

Infotainment System

The Si Civic uses the same infotainment system as the standard Civic, which is quite slow and frustrating to use. The standard features are listed below:

• Voice Control
• Bluetooth connectivity
• Two USB Ports
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• 10 Speakers audio system

Cargo Capacity

The Cargo space in the trunk is just enough for two (three, if you don’t carry fragile items) luggage bags. The rear seats can be folded 60:40 to liberate more space though, which is a great comfort when going on a shopping spree.

Model	Honda Civic Si Coupe	Toyota 86	Volkswagen Golf GTi	Subaru BRZ
Trunk Volume (ft.3)	11.9	6.9	23	6.9

Except for the GTi Golf, which is a proper hatchback, none of the cars here have a proper trunk. The 86/BRZ twins offer 6.9 cubic feet of storage space, which is useful when carrying a suitcase and not much else.

There was little worry that the 10th-generation Civic would be the most handsome version of the sporty compact in quite a while; the last 12 years of Si cars have been, shall we say, a tad homely. But the new Civic is one of the more handsome sedans on the market, regardless of how much you plan on spending. -The Drive.

Dimension and Weight

The Civic Si 2-door coupe is even smaller than the 4-door sedan, which itself was a simple mid-size sedan. The length is a smidge over 177 inches, while the width is just under 71 inches. Its wheelbase is longer than the competition, although all advantage in terms of interior space is negated by the coupe roofline. The car is easy to maneuver, or rather throw around, and negotiating traffic is as easy as it is fun.

The exterior design is quite unique, and that could either be a good thing or a bad thing. Love it or hate it, there is no denying that the Si Civic will turn heads wherever it would go. As discussed prior, the car isn’t very light. The ground clearance is adequate for the urban environment, but anything larger than pebbles would scrap the car from the underside.

Model	Honda Civic Si Coupe	Toyota 86	Volkswagen Golf GTi	Subaru BRZ
Curb weight (lbs.)	2899	2774	3031	2789
Length(in)	177.3	166.7	168.0	166.7
Width(in)	70.9	69.9	70.8	69.9
Height(in)	54.7	50.6	56.8	50.6
Ground clearance (in)	4.9	4.9	5.0	4.9
Wheelbase (in)	106.3	101.2	103.6	101.2
Track width (in) F/R	60.5/61.2	59.8/60.6	60.6/59.6	59.8/60.6

The Volkswagen is the heaviest here, although there isn’t much of a complaint with it since it is quite quick, handles well, and is reasonably efficient too. The Toyota and the Subaru are the smallest in terms of dimensions, and also weight, although there isn’t much else for it. All these cars have great maneuverability due to their compact dimensions.

For 2018, Honda offers all the necessary safety features as standard in the Civic sedan. These are as follows:

• Advanced Front Airbags (i-SRS)
• Side Curtain Airbags with Rollover Sensor
• 3-Point Seat Belts at all Seating Positions
• Advanced Compatibility Engineering
  (ACE) Body Structure
• SmartVent Front Side Airbags
• Front 3-Point Seat Belts with Automatic Tensioning System
• Child-Proof Rear Door Locks
• Driver’s and Front Passenger’s Seat-Belt Reminder
• Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren (LATCH):
• Lower Anchors (2nd-Row Outboard)
• Tether Anchors (2nd-Row All)

IIHS Ratings

The IIHS Ratings for the 2018 Honda Civic Si are not available.

NHTSA Ratings

The NHTSA Ratings for the 2018 Honda Civic Si are given below:

Overall Rating	5 Star
Overall Frontal Crash Rating	4 Star
Frontal Crash Rating Driver Side	5 Star
Frontal Crash Rating Passenger Side	4 Star
Overall Side Crash Rating	5 Star
Combined Side Barrier and Pole Rating Front Seat	5 Star
Combined Side Barrier and Pole Rating Front Seat Rear Seat	4 Star
Side Barrier	5 Star
Side barrier Driver	5 Star
Side barrier Rear Passenger	4 Star
Overall Side Pole Star Rating	5 Star
Rollover Rating	4 Star

Honda Civic SI Coupe vs Toyota 86

When it was first introduced in 2012, the Toyota 86 took the automotive industry by a storm. The racy styling, the frugal engine offered enough power to light the skinny tires and turn them into smoke. The experience could also go sideways, as the car loves to drift.

The Toyota, however, is a lot less practical than its peers, especially the ones mentioned here. The rear seat space in poor, as is the trunk space. Even the performance has started to feel slow, and with each passing year, the 86 becomes a little more dated.

Honda Civic SI Coupe vs Volkswagen Golf GTi

The German giant offers the best by-the-numbers budget performance car here. The car is up there with the best in this segment and brings a sense of mechanical efficiency that is hard to achieve. Its cornering abilities are phenomenal, and the abundance of torque helps pull you out of corners strongly.

The Honda would save you a little in outright price, and a lot more in fuel savings. And when you consider that these cars are ‘Budget performance cars’, the budget would probably the biggest deciding factor influencing your buying decision.

Honda Civic SI Coupe vs Subaru BRZ

The Subaru BRZ is a Toyota 86 branded as a Subaru, which means all the mechanical components are the same on both these cars. As such, everything that feels lacking about the 86 feels lacking for the BRZ as well.

The 2018 Honda Civic Si Coupe is one of the best cars you can buy without burning a hole in your pocket. The Si fits neatly between the regular Civic and the no holds barred Type-R. This car is the perfect mix of comfort and sportiness, quick but not at the expense of efficiency. For people who feel like the Civic is underpowered, there is always the bigger sibling, the Civic Type-R beast.

The looks are a little polarizing though, as it is in the ‘love it or hate it there is no in-between’ category. The Golf GTi has a little more conservative looks but is a lot more practical than the other one. Purists would also prefer the rear wheel drive 86 or the BRZ over the Civic, and powerslide their way through a race track. In the end, it is all about what the Civic brings to the table, and for the price, the Civic Si bring quite a lot.