I have to admit to doing something rather juvenile at the press launch for the 2012 Honda Civic that happened recently in Washington D.C. After our technical presentation, I knew that there would be a variety of Civic models available for the long driving test portion of the day and I really, really wanted to make sure I got to drive the Si model.
So, while the rest of the journalists waited by the elevators to take them to the hotel’s main lobby, I did something I never do—I took the stairs. Yes, I beat most of the other journalists out to the fleet of test Civics but somehow I found another journalist already waiting by the last Si. Seriously, did he jump out a window? Thankfully on these press events they have you ride in pairs so my experiment in trickery worked.
The reason for all of my unbridled and immature excitement was down to a previous weeklong drive test I had with a 2010 Honda Civic Si HFP coupe which ranks as one of my top five favorite driving experiences thus far. The only issue with that car’s astronomically high rev torque curve was the fact that it was hard to be going slower than 60 miles per hour as you shifted into third. Trips to redline with that car’s highly tuned 2.0 liter engine were not only mandatory but also truly addicting.
So what’s so new about the 2012 version? Well, besides all of the visual changes to the exterior and interior, the Si also got a brand new engine that promised more easily accessible power, better fuel economy and one scary concept—more refinement. So, has the 2012 Civic Si lost a bit of its bad boy edge in translation?
To put Si lover’s minds at ease, the 2.4 liter 201 horsepower/170 lb. feet of torque 4-cylinder is an engine Acura lovers have known for quite some time as the motivating force behind the TSX sedan. While horsepower is only up a little bit (albeit with peak power arriving lower in the rev range), the real news is the fact that torque is up 22 percent (from 139 lb. feet) and it arrives 1,700 RPM lower in the rev range.
The end result of all this is a Civic Si that you can rev the hell out of with joyous revelry thanks to the continuingly excellent close ratio 6-speed manual transmission but you no longer absolutely need to all the time to enjoy the performance. Power builds steadily and quickly and feels much less like an on/off switch now. As a real world daily driver the 2012 Civic Si really does offer up a powerful alternative to its arch nemesis VW GTI which has always had a nice balance of performance and everyday drivability.
At normal cruising speeds the Si’s motor rarely requires a downsift to summon up passing power but should you choose to hear the engine’s banshee-like high RPM wail the choice is always there for you to make. But overall, this engine is far more tractable in everyday driving and should prove more appealing to a wider array of drivers.
Even fuel economy is improved with EPA estimates coming in at 22 city/31 highway. Although I defy anyone to drive this Si sensibly for improved fuel economy, which is one of the reasons why Honda’s new Eco-Assist system is not featured on this model. In its place, however, is a Si exclusive “power monitor” (kind of useless) and a Sequential Rev-Limiter Indicator which tells you when you have fully activated the engine’s free breathing VTEC mode (very, very cool).
I can report that the steering felt a touch lighter to me but the pay-off for that is the disappearance of any of the high speed cornering skittishness that afflicted previous versions of the Si. There is still plenty of feel on offer but the system keeps you from overcorrecting and getting the tail loose during cornering maneuvers at ridiculous speeds.
Speaking of cornering at ridiculous speeds, I had the pleasure of taking the 2012 Civic Si on an autocross course at the event and it proved to be quite the adept handler much like its predecessor. A lot of this is down to the usual Civic handling balance but on a track the use of limited slip front differential keeps wheel spin at bay.
Accelerating out of corners the front end bites into the pavement hard and never pushes out like so many lesser front wheel drive cars. I may not have won the autocross competition at the event but I can tell you I got out of the car grinning like a total idiot. So even an idiot will feel like a racing champ behind the wheel of a 2012 Honda Civic Si. Yes, I just called myself an idiot.
On the crumbling back roads around Washington D.C., I was struck, however, by how truly comfortable and forgiving that the ride felt even over the worst stretches of pavement. This thing still corners like a sports car but it doesn’t always make you feel like you are riding in one. The interior of the coupe I tested also felt far roomier than last year’s model thank to thinner A-pillars (for better visibility) and 1.2 inches of increased shoulder room.
The Si also features sport seats in a very durable feeling cloth much like last year’s model and red embroidered stitching covers the seats, leather wrapped steering wheel and shifter. Chrome ringed climate control bezels add a touch of class and standard fit is a very impressive 360-watt 7-speaker audio system with standard USB/iPod integration and Bluetooth. Optional extras include in-dash navigation and summer tires.
Now, I realize this concept will fall under the notion of heresy to the Honda faithful but the Civic Si could probably even still feel sporty with an optional automatic transmission. While I applaud Honda for sticking to the Si’s sporting concept, if the VW GTI can get away with offering an automatic then the Si should be able to as well. No matter how much people on internet chatrooms would complain about it, of course. Hey, the more Civic Si models Honda sells the more likely they will keep offering to sell them. Do you want to live in a world without the Civic Si? I sure don’t.
But you have to applaud Honda for sticking with its performance heritage and offering the Si only with a six-speed manual transmission that continues its reign as one of the sweetest shifting units in the entire automotive universe. Although I am not proud of how I behaved while trying to get some behind the wheel time with the Si I can’t say that I regretted it. Just like you wouldn’t regret buying one.
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