5-Door Si is Loaded With Features
Honda has given the Civic lineup a luxury leader with the launch of the Si model.
The stylish five-door hatch is sourced from Honda’s plant in Swindon, England – the same plant which produces the racy Civic Type R – and is brimming with standard luxury features. Very much a car designed for European tastes, the Civic Si brings real prestige to the Civic team.
Civic is the mainstay of the Honda brand, accounting for 30 per cent of Honda sales globally for the past 37 years.
What You Get
The Si is a five-door and power comes from Honda’s familiar 1.8-litre i-VTEC engine. Drive is to the front wheels via Honda’s excellent 6-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission.
Styling is exceptional with the Civic ‘cab forward’, wedge shape cleverly executed in a five-door guise. Concealed handles for the rear doors promote its almost coupe look and the rear tailgate glass is split by the rear spoiler in the same way as the Type R.
Inside are nice leather seats and the hallmark Civic dashboard with colourful gauges and white lettering all combining to give a real sense of style and luxury.
Without doubt the Civic Si delivers a commendable dose of street cred and on-road presence even when benchmarked against market segment rivals in Europe like the Audi A3 and BMW 1-Series.
Under The Hood
Honda’s perky 1.8-litre i-VTEC engine first saw light of day with the current 8th generation Civic lineup in 2006. Maximum power is 103kW at 6,300rpm and peak torque is 174Nm at 4,300rpm. Zero to 100km/h is achieved in 8.6 seconds.
Development objectives were to deliver a high performance engine that is strong in the mid-range, quiet and refined and to achieve Euro4 compliance for reduced exhaust emissions and fuel economy. Honda claims combined cycle economy of 6.9l/100kms for the Civic Si (manual).
Car Showroom tested the Civic Si with the five-speed automatic transmission. It’s a smooth operator and certainly the extra gear delivers better acceleration and a more relaxed freeway cruise than the previous 4-speed auto. Honda’s shift sequence remains one of the industry’s best – we really like the way each ratio slots in accompanied by the great audio of the 1.8-litre at work.
The Interior
Honda’s usual top class interior design is enhanced by the Civic Si’s abundance of leather.
Practicality is also a strong point and includes the ‘Magic’ rear seat folding mechanism which debuted in the outstanding Honda Jazz compact hatch. The split fold rear seat can be tipped up or there is a ‘dive-down’ function to provide a flat load area.
In addition, with the 50-litre fuel tank mounted centrally, a low, flat rear floor enhances the luggage area – volume is a handy 415 litres with the rear seats upright.
Fortunately the driver-friendly cockpit layout is maintained in the Si.
We particularly like the round instrument panel with great graphics and lighting for the instruments. The essential information (speedo etc) appears at the top with secondary requirements like air-conditioning settings appearing below. White graphics and subtle lighting (50 per cent brightness reduction for European tastes) complete an excellent package.
Seats are supportive, and combined with the sporty leather-wrapped steering wheel that adjusts for rake and reach, a comfortable driving position is easily achieved.
Civic Si comes equipped with nice aluminium pedals and left footrest.
Audio is a six-speaker Cd system with MP3 and WMA, compatible for fifth generation iPod and iPod Nano.
The rear seat is comparable with segment rivals for space and with three-stage opening doors, entry is a snack.
Exterior & Styling
Honda is crystal-clear that the Civic Si is a European market car. It’s a five-door hatch that ticks all of the boxes needed to compete in the European hatchback market – and styling is a non-negotiable part of the deal.
The wedge shape-‘cab-forward’ look of the Civic has been nicely integrated into the five-door form. At the front the sharp grille, stylish headlight design and triangular fog lights blend together to deliver a contemporary look that is distinctly Honda.
Same at the rear with nice, modern taillights and stylish twin exhaust pipes blending with the bumper.
Overall, it’s certainly a modern look and a bit more edgy than the more conservatively styled European rivals.
On the Road
The current generation Civic has been highly regarded as a nice drive and before the Si model arrived in the Car Showroom for a week, we wondered how this would translate into the five-door design. The answer is ‘excellently’.
Honda says best-in-class refinement and NVH were the targets and Honda being Honda, the engineering effort lacks for nothing. A refined aerodynamic profile for the exterior mirrors and new flat-blade windscreen wipers are evidence of the steps taken.
The McPherson strut front suspension and torsion beam rear axle design plus 17-inch alloy wheels with 225/45 R17 tyres combine to deliver the sharp, precise road-holding and handling you expect from Civics.
And while the ride may be a little firm and ‘sporty’ for some the Si is a lot more genteel than its racy Type R sibling.
Certainly mid-range performance from the 1.8-litre engine is spirited – helped by the well-spaced ratios in the six-speed auto we tested.
The Car Showroom juniors were comfortable in the rear seat but a full complement of adults might be tested on a long journey (same for rivals in the segment of course).
Safety gets the green light with standard twin SRS airbags up front (dual-stage for the driver) plus side airbags and full-length curtain airbags. There is also stability and traction control and ABS anti-lock brakes with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) – again all standard.
Honda says the Civic Si is one of Europe’s safest cars with a five star rating from EuroNCAP.
Challenges
With price tags of $38,990 for the manual and $41,290 for the auto as tested by Car Showroom, the Civic Si lineup is clearly positioned at the upper end of the hatchback segment – in the same league as the BMW 1-Series for example.
Competent and well-equipped the Si might still ride a little firm – noticeable mostly on secondary suburban roads and when crossing train/tram tracks etc - to meet all of the luxury expectations in this segment
Verdict
Parking the five-door Civic Si alongside the 3-door Civic Type R highlights the versatility of Honda’s designers and engineers.
On the one hand the Si oozes significant amounts of prestige, refinement and plenty of kit, while the Type R presents everything a die-hard racer could ask for. Both exude magnificent engineering, impeccable production quality and dynamic styling.
We like the Si a lot but in our minds, the type R remains our favorite Civic.
The Competition
In Australia, Honda expects the Civic Si to appeal to professional singles or couples with no children. Female customers will probably comprise most of the Si’s owners.
The company is not expecting massive sales numbers, but reckons the Si will give versatility and an image-leader to the Civic lineup.
Civic Si customers would probably compare the Honda with the Alfa Romeo 147, Audi A3 and BMW 1-Series.
