2017 Honda Civic Si Has Choppy Ride, Says Consumer Reports

In typical fashion, CR also complains about the lack of standard safety systems. However, we don't agree. Pedestrian detection or blind spot warning would have made an already expensive car even more so and might have also added weight which most buyers don't want to be there.

But we do agree that Honda needs to up its infotainment system game. Even Ford has listened to some of the complaints and made SYNC 3 easier to use. So why can't the Civic do the same?

The new Civic Si claws back some points in the fun department, offering a lot of enjoyment for not that much money. Some say that it needs more power and a bigger engine, but the appeal of this car is in the balance. It's got more than the specs would lead you to believe and it still offers all of the standard car's convenience.

This isn't a Civic Sport with more power. The 205 hp engine responds differently to the standard 1.5-liter turbo. The car has lower suspension, stiffer springs and stabilizer bars, adaptive dampers, and a limited-slip differential. For $200 extra, you can have the 18-inch wheels shod in 235/40 Goodyear Eagle F1 summer rubber.

Both the coupe and sedan start at $23,900. We dig the wing fitted to the 2-door, but the sedan is a more practical version, so it's going to be more practical. The color is pretty much the only option you can specify. The upside is that it undercuts the competition, the downside being that you can't have leather heated seats, navigation or a big sunroof. All those things make rivals like the GTI, BRZ or Focus ST a little cooler.

The closest competitor to a Civic Si is Hyundai's new Elantra Sport, which highlights another small flaw: Honda's lack of an affordable twin-clutch gearbox in America. It's up to you to decide if that's an issue.