Civic Si: An Excellent Economy Car Doesn't Necessarily Make A Satisfying Sports Coupe
Written: Jan 08 '04 (Updated Nov 23 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: All the Civic virtues--reliability, smoothness, and comfort--with just a touch of extra sport.
Cons: Not as nimble or quick as I expected--it feels too much like lesser Civics.
The Bottom Line: The Si offers the traditional Civic virtues with a bit more athleticism and an interesting visual twist. But if you're looking for fast and furious, this isn't it.
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| drive571's Full Review: 2003 Honda Civic 2 door |
My Experience
I test-drove a 2003 Honda Civic Si at a local dealership. My test drive lasted about twenty minutes, and covered city streets and the freeway.
Performance
Having never driven a Civic Si before, I was expecting the peaky, high-revving power delivery that previous generations of the Si were famous for, and that I had read about in magazines for years. The new Si is nothing like that. Its engine is smooth, flexible, eager, and surprisingly normal--a quality which has as many benefits as it does drawbacks. On the plus side, the Si is extraordinarily easy to drive. The engine makes smooth power at all engine speeds, revving quickly and evenly in each gear, with no surges or flat spots anywhere on the tachometer. But on the negative side, the engine comes up short on excitement and character if you're expecting the frenetic power delivery of past Sis. Redline is set at a very average 6800 rpms, and there's little of the high-rev push in the back to remind you that you're driving a VTEC Honda. Acceleration is good, but it feels more akin to a high-quality economy car than a true sports coupe. Its 0-60 times (usually quoted around 8 seconds) support this impression. The Si's engine is absolutely perfect for the everyday commuter--lively, user-friendly, efficient, and very easy to live with, but those expecting adrenaline rushes will be disappointed.
Transmission/Clutch
Things get a little more interesting in the transmission department. The Si has an unusual, elbow-shaped shifter that juts out of the middle of the dashboard, instead of sitting in the center console like most cars. This looks awkward at first glance, but on my test drive, it took no time at all to get used to, and the novelty of it was fun. More importantly, the shifter slotted from gear to gear with good weighting and a precise, mechanical-feeling action. The clutch was similarly excellent, with a light action and a smooth engagement point that made it all but impossible to jerk the car. Some might find fault with the fact that the Si's transmission is only a five-speed, since many of its sports-coupe competitors offer six-speeds. But with the Si's commuter-car persona and flexible power delivery, an extra gear really didn't feel necessary.
Steering/Handling
The Si's handling was a bit of a disappointment. Not because it's a poor-handling car--in fact, it's benign, easygoing, and light on its feet--but it doesn't deliver the immediacy and communication that you would expect of a sports coupe. Just like the engine, the Si's steering and handling felt like that of a regular Civic, but with artificial flavor added. I could feel that there was more grip to work with in the Si than in a workaday Civic sedan, but the car's attitude was the same. Where more exciting sports coupes encourage you to take quick turns and charge up on-ramps, the Civic Si seemed to say, "the speed limit feels perfectly adequate to me. We could go faster, I suppose, but this is more logical, don't you think?" While the Si's controls were firmer and quicker to respond than a normal Civic's, their reactions also felt less natural. The electric power steering suffered from inconsistent weighting in turns, and the wheel was heavy and numb to the touch. It also lacked sharpness on-center, which led to some wandering on the freeway. When driven briskly, the Si pleases with its stability, competence, and effortless agility, but it's not a thrill ride on twisty roads.
Ride
Here's where the Si's similarities to more pedestrian Civics pay off. Of all the mid-priced sports coupes that I've test-driven, the Civic Si had the smoothest and quietest ride by a significant margin. Its suspension felt exceptionally well-damped, absorbing bumps effortlessly but keeping body motions tightly controlled. The Si's structure was also extremely solid, with no secondary vibrations on rough roads--it may be a cliche, but this car really does feel carved from one block of metal. Finally, there's the refreshing absence of noise. The Si's engine is amazingly smooth and vibrationless, and there's very little wind or road noise to grate on the nerves. This is a very comfortable car to ride in, further supporting its case as a supremely capable commuter.
Interior
The Si's interior may not be styled to everyone's tastes, but my college-age aesthetic sense found it sporty and attractive. As is the norm for Honda, all the controls were clearly labeled and logically laid-out, and the knobs and switches felt smooth and well-oiled in operation. Visibility is excellent through the expansive windshield, and all the gauges are clean and legible. The seats look like they've been lifted straight out of a racecar, but I found them very comfortable and supportive, while still managing to hold me firmly in place in hard turns. The only odd quirk is how uncomfortable the driving position is for taller people. I couldn't get myself properly situated in the Si. The pedals felt too close, and the steering wheel was far away, so I felt like I was driving with my legs splayed and my arms straight out. Not cool--but it's the only blemish in an otherwise-flawless interior, and I imagine it's only an issue for people over six feet, or those who like to sit farther back from the wheel and pedals.
Practicality
I can't quite decide how to rate the Civic Si on this point. Here's my dilemma. On one hand, the Si is really quite practical for a sports coupe. It has plenty of room inside, and even offers decent space for two back-seat passengers. It has a hatchback, which allows tall and bulky items to fit in the trunk. With the rear seats folded down, the cargo bay borders on expansive, and the low loading height would make it easy to lift heavy items into the Si's trunk. But on the other hand, the Civic Si doesn't drive all that differently from a Civic sedan, and the four-door model offers a great deal more passenger flexibility, much easier access to the rear seats, and a generously sized trunk that keeps items out of the view of passersby. So if practicality is your thing, why not go for a Civic sedan, since you're really not missing out on all that much excitement compared to the Si? So I guess I'll put it this way: compared to other sports coupes, the Si scores big points for practicality, but you'd get a lot more utility--and almost as much fun--from a Civic EX sedan that costs almost $2,000 less.
Reliability
There's no uncertainty in this area: the Civic Si, like any other Civic, promises to be dead reliable. Consumer Reports rates the Civic's reliability as Better Than Average, and has done so for years.
Overall
The Si is supposed to be the hot version of Honda's Civic, but it seems to me that the extra spice only goes skin deep. On the surface, the Si looks unique and sporty, but to me, it feels more like a really excellent economy car than anything else. This doesn't mean it's a poor performer by any means--it's smoother, more solid, and surer of foot than any economy car I've ever driven--but the Si still feels like a Civic, with lots of artificial flavor added. There's no question that it's a sweet little daily driver. It's even a pretty decent sports coupe. But I think Honda erred on the side of caution with this car--it's never going to be a thrill-seeker's ride of choice. I gave the regular Civic sedan five stars for its exellent engineering and mass appeal. the Civic Si offers all those virtues, but it costs more, holds less, and doesn't match the speed or excitement of the sports coupes it's intended to rival. I docked the Civic Si two stars for that.
Feel free to check out my reviews of some of the Civic Si's competitors:
Honda Accord EX Coupe
Hyundai Tiburon GT V6
Mini Cooper S
Mitsubishi Eclipse GT
Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart
Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V
Scion tC
Subaru Impreza 2.5RS
Toyota Celica GT-S
Volkswagen GTI 1.8T
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 19,000
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drive571
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Member: P.J. McCombs
Location: Berkeley, California
Reviews written: 138
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New baby at home: a 1999 Mazda Miata in British Racing Green!
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