I have M5 tastes and an under $20k budget and there are not a lot of interesting cars in this price range. When I heard about the Si I knew I had to check it out. Did so, traded in my very old SHO on the spot and drove home in a new Cobalt blue Si. "Only" paid MSRP for it, too.

I had been driving it like a nursing home escapee because the Si motor is a highly stressed, hi-tech unit a proper break-in is important. But, finally, things have loosened up and I used it on a vacation trip. Most of the travelling was, of course, on freeways, but there were many miles of twisty mountain roads as well. Actually, some truly great, very twisty and well maintained roads.

The Si comes with Michelin tires; not top of the line, but very good for this price range. Very predictable, no squealing and not noisy.

I like the alloy wheels. Attractive and easy to clean. Sure, 16" or bigger would be interesting, but again this is an economical car and Honda could not specify expensive tires.

The 4-wheel discs are very good. The pedal is firm, with no mush and a good feel. I would prefer ABS. Probably in future versions. I had two panic stop situations; one when a covey of quail ran in front of me when I was going about 45 mph and another at around 80 when a big traffic cone was thrown in front of me. Both stops were successful and easy, even when steering and braking at the same time.

One of the things I like about Hondas is that they use a real suspension, rather than cheap struts. Both front and rear. Some readers will not know what I am talking about, but do know that there is some real content here in this price range.

The handling was terrific. Si models come with sportier shocks, front and rear sway bars, etc. which, along with the better tires, provided handling far better than expected. And, the ride is firm but comfortable for me. The steering is very accurate and provides good feel without being twitchy or harsh.

Note that in some road tests the competition may pull more Gs in the cornering tests because they use an ultra-stiff suspension and sticky wide tires. This works on a perfectly smooth road or a race track. In the real world, the car with the most sophisticated suspension and more realistic tires is superior. A BMW is a much nicer car to actually drive on a typical road than a Z28 Camaro, for example.

At first, I did not like the seats. They seemed small, hard and had small side bolsters that provided little apparent side support. Although I am 6-2, 200 lbs I was able to get a comfortable adjustment and did not suffer at all even after hours of non-stop driving. I do think that a sportier seat would be an improvement, though.

I am not a huge sunroof fan; normally I would like the extra head room. But, a power moon roof is an unexpected bonus in this price range and works well. I hated the roof controls. Down by my left knee? That is terrible. Put them up on the roof like everyone else. And illuminate them. Stupid and unsafe.

The motor is loosening up and is amazingly smooth and responsive. I was afraid that a low-torque, high reving motor might be a hassle around town, but it is fine. That is what VTEC does for you. Let's face it, an 8000 rpm motor and 100 hp/liter (over 1.6 hp/ci) is exotic car territory.

You do have to shift a lot to get the best performance , but the shifting is excellent and the clutch is smooth and easy. The only disconcerting thing is that on the typical 80 mph interstate cruise the motor is pulling over 4000 rpms. There is no vibration or signs of stress, but most cars are well under 3000 rpms at this speed. I reached for another gear more than once. A six speed transmission would be an obvious plus.

The AC worked fine in 100 degree weather. It must be a modern design because it barely affected the motor when it kicked in.

The stereo. Well, I guess it is a stereo. It has so little power that it is hard to tell. I doubt that you could actually go out and buy one that weak. The only speakers I could see are those on the package shelf. They look like the $19.95 a pair for sale at the fairgrounds electronics liquidation sale extravaganza. Oh well, at least nobody will steal it.

The fold down rear seats are nice, all power is great, AC, cruise, all kinds of stuff. A terrific value, good looking, well built, reliable, great resale, fun performance from an exotic motor. Great mileage (so I don't mind paying for 92 octane).

For those who appreciate true over the road GT performance it is the best value around. Amazingly sophisticated for the price. If you have kids or routinely carry 3-4 people, then you need a 4-door. If you want to drag race, I just do not think a 1.6 liter front wheel drive car is the best choice.

Most people would like a bigger car or SUV or truck with an high-torque motor and an automatic transmission and would not consider any Civic. They do not need any caution from me or anyone else. This is a nich car that is not an attempt to appeal to the average person. Makes it all the more desirable to me.

For the price there is no competition as far as I can see. If this car was made in, say, Germany, it would cost $25K and get all the raves in the car mags.